Breaking Barriers: How P-TECH Schools Create a Pathway From High School to College to Career

I just finished this book -- a great and important read. Breaking Barriers provides a proven roadmap for creating structural changes that are so needed within the public education system. It shows how critical it is for the public and private sectors, from K-12 to higher education to employers, to fully integrate their expertise if we are to realize more equitable, high performing schools. While the authors do not sugarcoat how difficult change is, they offer a way forward that is doable, if the political will is there. The stories of the students themselves are so inspiring and a testament to the power of this innovative change model.

The authors provide a thorough discussion of P-TECH, a program that enables students to complete their junior and senior years in high school and earn an associate's degree simultaneously. Particularly impressive is the fact that students are not chosen for P-TECH just because their grades are good. Teachers also consider an individual's potential, a process that requires careful, thorough, personalized assessment. That level of engagement between teachers and students continues throughout the program and leads to impressive graduation rates. Those interested in exploring new ways of teaching our kids should read this book. For teachers and school administrators, and for private-sector individuals and groups who support educational innovation, Breaking Barriers is a MUST READ. Barbara Evans Clements, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, The University of Akron.

Breaking Barriers is unusually gracefully written for an education book, and inspiring in its content. I wish my kids had been able to be part of such an innovative model. Kudos! Let’s hope many more districts create P-TECH schools for their students! Highly recommend.

Excellent real life examples for educational leaders.