Historically, high schools have funneled students into either a college preparation or a career and technical education (CTE) path. But Tara Garcia Mathewson for the Hechinger Report observes a changing tide in education - "school districts have shifted from preparing students for colleges or careers, to preparing students for colleges and careers." Vocational education has now claimed a space within the walls of traditional comprehensive high schools - and it appears to be there to stay. Some schools, like Tesla in Washington state, are even combining the two formats into the same lesson plan.

What is perhaps most notable is that the changes are happening across the income spectrum. CTE, or vocational coursework, has traditionally targeted students who don't plan to pursue post-secondary coursework. The Chattangoo Free Press explains that it was "often was seen as the ugly stepsister — the path for students who weren't smart enough for a liberal arts education preparing them for college." In the past, minority and low-income students were purposefully tracked into vocational programs.

Gilda Wheeler, program director of the non-profit Washington STEM, adds, "But giving any kid real-world experience during high school where they’re tackling actual industry challenges gives them access to career pathways, not dead-end jobs.” And schools where over 90 percent of students go on to college are now also recognizing the benefits of complementary hands on learning. For the schools where college is an exception, high schools are moving beyond wood shop to use vocational education as an equalizing measure, connecting students to apprenticeships and internships in networks of local businesses they might not otherwise be able to tap into. But they are also simultaneously educating students on the college process so kids can choose what is most appropriate for them.

Project-based learning. Work-based programs. Career academies. Industry-Aligned Learning. Modern Vocational Education. The new approach has a lot of new names and has also taken a range of innovative forms. Students in Tennessee, California, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and more are gaining work experience, technical credits, and credits towards a college degree - all before graduating from high school. One high school even promises students a job upon graduation. The New York Times' John Hanc asks, could this be "the future of education?"