What I think high school is for? (Assignment 11/19)

What I think high school is for is; either to prepare for college, or to prepare for the job market.  I think that depends on the; desires, finances, and aptitude of the student.  If going straight to the job market then it should teach the basic skills that are needed in the average job that someone without a degree would be looking for.  To that end the final year or 2 maybe should be spent in a trade school or an apprenticeship for at least part of the academic day. This is how the high school I graduated from did things.  If the high school experience is going to be for preparing for college then I think that the core classes should actually be taught in high school and given college credit as with the running start program.  In this way if the students have learned what they should have learned by the time they get to high school they would take an appropriate placement test and take college classes at their level instead of wasting their time.  These 2 changes are what I would like to see across the country, and it would give students something to strive for as they would come out of high school with either a job skill or college credits.  Either of these would be of benefit to society and student, and would likely not cost any more to the school system.  I think this would have the benefit of keeping students in school longer and off the streets as they would see some value in staying in school instead of dropping out.  Secondary to the previously stated goals is that students should have a basic grasp of personal finances so I would add a math class to the curriculum to that effect.  This would prepare the students for the personal economics of consumerism in which our society is largely based.