By YOAV GONEN
Posted: 3:31 am
July 31, 2008
The city plans to do some tinkering with its trade schools.
Mayor Bloomberg announced an overhaul of the city's vocational schools yesterday to make them more academically challenging, soliciting private funds and opening three new ones.
Acknowledging mixed results for the city's 21 schools dedicated to career and technical training - which serve about 30,000 kids - Bloomberg also called for a greater partnership between the automotive, construction and other industries and the schools.
Based on recommendations from a task force he convened earlier this year to bolster the sagging vocational program, Bloomberg also called on the schools to prepare students not just for trades but also for higher education - with the assistance of CUNY.
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum welcomed the move.
"I'm glad to see the Bloomberg administration taking [vocational schools] on so seriously," she said.
