Consorting To Align And Undermine

Anti Fed Ed Warriors, we know the shift in education FROM academics TO workforce is NOT new.

We know the CCSS Machine sped things up in the streamlined ‘cradle to career’ shift via CC (Common Core), CTE (Career Tech Education, the ‘adult’ version for CC), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and, Math), STEAM, (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and, Math), CPs (Career Pathways), CCs (Career Clusters), CTs (Career or College Tracks), and, CCR (College and Career Readiness).

We also know that federal legislation has played directly into the cogs of the CCSS Machine via WIOA, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (2014), ESSA, Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), STEM Act of 2015, the re-authorization of Perkins Funding (which gives money to all 50 States for a big portion of everything you see in bold above.) We will certainly see it in the ‘new’ version of the HEA (Higher Education Act) as it continues to be ‘rewritten’.

What Consortium?

Warriors, were you aware there a national consortium expressly for boosting the continued shift from academics to workforce skills? “EntreEd” or the National Coalition for Entrepreneurship Schools.

Before we move on, let me share with you another visual where ‘every student’ has been used:

(*Note, this 2017 researched article I published has quite a bit on the topic of the workforce shift in education which is impacting all choices. This image you see directly above was part of a video series I was honored to be a guest of. It is in Part One of the 4 part series. The link to all 4 parts are embedded for you. Part One’s focus? The lies surrounding workforce education.)

What does EntreEd do or carry out as their mission?

Warriors, notice the K-12 inclusion, the community alignment, the local economic boosting potentials. What you don’t see is the use of the words ‘workforce’ or ‘career tech education’. “Entrepreneurship” is being used as an educratic replacement!

If you missed it, recently I shared with you federal legislation which, if passed into law, would increase business education tracks in schools and communities. (*Note: HR 1702, the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act will be the Bill you are looking for in the linked article above.)

More Copyrighted National Standards, Warriors:

Yes, Warriors, you read correctly. More copyrighted education standards. EntreEd has a direct link to the National Entrepreneurship Standards, copyright 2004. While most of our academic standards in 2004 were not CCSS aligned, they have since been. Look below to see an overview of the 15 strands of this business education standards. (*Note: we’ll get back to these Standards in a moment.)

Warriors, compare these 15 strands to the fact there are 16 Career Clusters. Most of the Clusters contain training (aka education) for those working for someone. Only a few Clusters are for those who would own or lead businesses. (*Note: You will not see the differences between worker and leader below, but look into each Cluster separately, and you’ll be able to see them.)

(Related information)

Warriors, if you’d like to access the Summary and/or Details of these Standards for Entrepreneurship, go here.

To see how these Entrepreneurship Standards combine with the CCSS (Common Core) or NGS (Next Gen Science) Standards, go here. (*Note: the K-5th, 6th-8th, and, 9th-12th Standards will download as .docx files.) Warriors, the National Network for the AESs (American Entrepreneurship Schools) reaches K-14, or, Kindergarten to the 2nd year of higher education.
To see how these CCSS/NGSS aligned business Standards are being implemented or have been already implemented in your area, read this. (*Note: SBDCs are mentioned in the implementation information. These stand for Small Business Development Centers. As in the very Centers HR 1702 involve!)

If you would like to see how the National Entrepreneurship Week (held annually since 2006) has had the Congressional backing, read this To see the active Partners this National Week has, use the highlighted ‘week’ link.

The MBA Research and Curriculum Center:

Warriors, MBA, (Marketing and Business Administration) Research and Curriculum Center certainly carry the entrepreneurship beyond the 2nd year of college, but is this Center, associated with business, also in on the CCSS Machine, like the National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education? Let’s find out.

Since there’s such a strong tie between businesses in education in the MBA Research and Curriculum Center, it’s not surprising to find there’s another Coalition contained among the MBA. It’s mission is crystal clear as to their allegiance to the CCSS Machine:
“Encourage the teaching of core business skills and economic concepts for college- and career-ready high school curricula.”

One of the ways this is carried out? PBL (Project Based Learning). Another? Extra-curricular clubs like FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America). (*Note: in my article , I show you how PBLs are ‘code’ for CBE, Competency Based Learning. CBE is an updated term for the Outcome Based Education from the 1990s. If you are not sure how the FBLA fits into the CCSS Machine, I have that laid out, here.)

Below, is a screen shot of the MBA Research/Curriculum’s website. Notice the 28 States:

Warriors, notice, below, the tie between the Career Clusters and what the MBA has as their ‘Standards’:

Why This Should Matter:

Warriors, as the shift from academics to workforce continues, we’ll see more and more higher education institutions do away with what have traditionally been wonderfully accepted degrees for teachers and those leading our students. Majors in history, English, and, others are either declining OR are being phased out. For example, the University of WI at Stevens Point wants to do away with 13 majors.
Back in February 2018, the University of IL explained that cutting majors happens when budgets are cut. Their article also said it can be an effort to reduce student debt.

As we’ve seen, the CCSS Machine (via DC) has used ‘reducing student debt’ as a rhetorical reason for ramping up Competency Based Education. Warriors, it’s not so much about reducing debt (or taxpayer burdens). This type of rhetoric 100% supports the continued shift away from academics and plays right into the workforce training.

We also should consider that those in leadership for groups like the MBA and the EntreEd show up in other places. For example, the former leader of BOTH, MBA and EntreEd, will now lead NC in CTE (Career Tech Education) as its director.

Back in December 2017, I showed you what was coming for the Tar Heel State for Career Tech Education and how it would reach even younger students than ever before. No doubt the new CTE Director will make sure this happens…at taxpayer expense without taxpayer consent.

(Source and Research for this image)

Warriors, who among your State education leaders used to be in another arm or leg of the CCSS Machine? Where are they now, do you know how they are continuing the workforce shift?

Closing:

While the CCSS Machine consorts and conspires against us? How will we, the Warriors, conspire and consort toward a counter-attack? Simply taking our students out of public education is not a real solution. Why? Because the cradle to career streamline will impact every single student at some point.

We must remember, ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) tightened the circle around all educational choices. Page 17 of the Law was deadly serious when it laid out the mandate for ALL education to be workforce readiness aligned! The goal of the CCSS Machine is to have NO choice, but a workforce training one, for every citizen and student.