{"id":7263,"date":"2024-08-19T13:44:05","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T20:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ltsarizona.org\/phoenix-charter-school\/?p=7263"},"modified":"2024-08-19T13:44:05","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T20:44:05","slug":"its-not-too-early-to-prepare-kids-for-a-great-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ltsarizona.org\/phoenix-charter-school\/its-not-too-early-to-prepare-kids-for-a-great-future\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Not Too Early to Prepare Kids for a Great Future!"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re reading this, then you already know that parents today have plenty to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Raising kids is a 24\/7 job, so adding one more thing to that already packed schedule is probably not an appealing idea, but did you know that studies show that every parent <\/span>\u2014<\/span><\/i> even parents of kindergartners <\/span>\u2014<\/span><\/i> should be preparing their elementary school student for college and a career?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Parents may look back on their own childhood and think of carefree days, playing outside, watching television, and sleeping late on weekends; sadly, that was then, and this is now. In today\u2019s world, it\u2019s educational experts suggest that it\u2019s never too early for children to begin formulating college and career plans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the<\/span> Fordham Institute<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>only about a third<\/span> of all students get to the \u201ccollege and career ready\u201d level by the time they turn eighteen. <\/span>The school district of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, just south of Pittsburgh, has<\/span> career focused lessons<\/span><\/a> for grades k-5 as part of their curriculum.<\/span><\/p>\n

If it seems cruel to heap even more anxiety and stress upon children who already have full schedules, many parents and educators agree. Besides a full load of homework, many young students also have sports, music, or language learning to fill most of their non-school time. Expecting elementary-school students to also analyze their college or career options may seem like it\u2019s asking too much.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An article in<\/span> Forbes<\/span><\/i><\/a> states that the reason for this early-childhood emphasis on college and career is this<\/span>: \u201cOnly 9% of students from low-income families earn a bachelor\u2019s degree \u2013 an increase of just three percentage points since 1970.\u00a0 During the same time period, completion rates for affluent students skyrocketed, from 40% to 77%. Sadly, the college completion gap is widening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The National<\/span> Parent-Teacher Association<\/span><\/a> (PTA) provides the following worrisome statistics:<\/span>
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