In a small, rural corner of southeastern Ohio, something transformative is happening. The area’s public schools are fueling economic and community renewal deep in Appalachia. While much has been said about America’s declining high school test scores, New Lexington’s schools offer real opportunities for students and provide a blueprint for relevant and engaging public schools that meet the needs of local communities.
At New Lexington schools, every student is exposed early and often to hands-on learning, career exploration and practical skills that prepare them for life after high school. During a recent visit, students proudly presented their work: from the school farm where students manage crops and livestock, to blood collection laboratories and an industrial kitchen. In high school we attended classes that focused on career exploration. The district’s new workforce development center will include a health clinic, adult education programs and other programs for students and the community.
With support from grants and local partnerships, the district has built a welding program, fabrication laboratory and electrical trade route in collaboration with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Students now leave high school with industry-recognized degrees and internship opportunities in hand. By partnering with Genesis HealthCare System, students can train to become a phlebotomist and healthcare worker before graduating. They gain experience in real hospitals while meeting staffing needs in the region. The district has also added programs ranging from drone certification to media production, with more plans around advanced production and broadband technology.
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New Lexington also focuses on the well-being and meeting the needs of the whole child. Every dollar spent on these types of programs generates an average of seven dollars that goes back into the community. All students receive free breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the schools work with local agencies to ensure adequate counselors and mental health providers are available. Kindergarten has been expanded to five days a week. There are after-school programs and services for families, and the district is using strategies to address the opioid crisis. And schools have added driver training and other programs to ensure students can get to work.
FILE – New Lexington also focuses on the well-being and meeting the needs of the whole child. (iStock)
The district also makes childcare affordable for teachers and staff while giving students valuable experience. Cub Academy’s day care program provides affordable child care to teachers and others in the community and gives students in the education program, where they earn college credit, the opportunity to gain their clinical hands-on experience caring for and teaching children there.
At a time when too many young people feel disconnected from school and uncertain about their future, New Lexington’s approach to career and technical education and career exploration encourages student engagement, gives students real ownership of their future, ensures student well-being and breathes new life into a rural community. It also removes barriers by making CTE part of what all students experience, rather than a separate school that only some children attend.
The results are impressive. During this past school year, the district’s 780 students participating in these programs earned 1,551 industry credentials related to employment in their region. And by expanding these hands-on learning experiences that make school relevant and engaging for every student and meet the needs of children and families, the district’s graduation rate has increased from 78% in 2018 to 99% today. Attendance numbers have increased and the district is seeing an increase in enrollment as families want to be part of the great public education offered.
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During our joint visit, we heard directly from students about the impact New Lexington’s approach is having on their lives and futures, including a student participating in the internship program at IBEW and a student in the media program who will graduate with an associate degree earned from New Lexington High School.
FILE PHOTO – There is no secret recipe to New Lexington’s success. At the heart of this work is a belief in community and relationships – that educators, unions, businesses and nonprofits can collaborate on programs and supports for students and families and truly make their schools the engines of growth and opportunity for the region. (iStock)
There is no secret recipe to New Lexington’s success. At the heart of this work is a belief in community and relationships – that educators, unions, businesses and nonprofits can collaborate on programs and supports for students and families and truly make their schools the engines of growth and opportunity for the region. In New Lexington, teachers are truly listened to, respected and supported. That’s why, as national teachers union president and district superintendent, we want to highlight this collaborative approach to CTE and community education that can and should be adapted across the country.
The New Lexington region has long faced challenges similar to those of other rural communities: increased poverty, an opioid addiction crisis, limited resources, barriers to post-secondary access and workforce shortages. And only a small percentage of students complete a full four-year course of study after high school. But New Lexington did not retreat from these challenges; everyone rolled up their sleeves to find solutions and partnerships to reimagine the public school as a way to transform the community.
FILE – As a nation, we should learn from what places like New Lexington are doing and use it as a blueprint to invest in this kind of strong, purpose-driven public education across America. (iStock)
Educators worked with families and businesses to ensure the school met the needs of the community and provided pathways to good jobs in New Lexington. The district looked at the industries in the area and the types of jobs offered in those industries and built a program around that. And this work starts early, with students as young as third grade gaining their first welding experiences (with lots of supervision!). It’s about changing perceptions – of what students can do, of what rural schools can be, and of what kind of future is possible for places like the New Lexington region and beyond.
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As a nation, we should learn from what places like New Lexington are doing and use this as a blueprint to invest in this kind of strong, purposeful public education across America. We need to invest in the strategies that provide students with multiple pathways to college or university career after high school. The hands-on, project-based education offered at CTE schools is relevant, engaging, and helps students solve problems, think critically, communicate effectively, and gain real-world experience. That’s why 95 percent of CTE students nationwide graduate from high school, and 70 percent go on to college. These programs provide real opportunities to students, rejuvenate local economies, solve workforce shortage issues and bring communities together.
America’s future is tied to the opportunities we create for our young people. And as New Lexington proves, the route to the American dream still runs directly through our public schools. That requires us to work together to strengthen public education, not give up. The new Lexington provides a powerful example to follow.
Casey Coffey is the superintendent of New Lexington Schools, a public school district in southeastern Ohio.
