Some New Jersey High Schools are wising up

With millennials and already some Gen Z-ers already in huge debt from college degrees that don't qualify them for much meaningful employment, finally a step in the right direction.

The high school that all of my kids graduated from, Cherokee High School in Evesham, is offering probably the most useful elective of any high school in the state.

Cherokee High School via Google Maps

For the upcoming 2023-24 school year, Cherokee with be offering a Construction, Building and Carpentry Program.

Perhaps many parents are reluctant to send their freshman students to the county vocational school, wanting to give them the option to pursue a more serious academic path.

Adobe Stock

This kind of program is a great introduction for many students who seek an alternative to the tired and frankly short-sighted and expensive college route.

The program will offer classes in plumbing, electricity, carpentry and masonry.

Many young people in their 20s who have been able to buy a home and establish themselves earlier are those in the trades.

In my opinion, we have to get out of the mindset that if you don't go to college, you won't be successful or you have somehow failed.

Keansburg High School (Google Maps)

Quite the opposite is true for so many ambitious, young people who have acquired a skill early in life.

Recently several major corporations have dropped the college degree requirement for new hires.

Judi and I have been preaching and praying for things like this to happen for years on our show.

Finally, the education establishment and corporate America are slowly coming to their senses.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

New Jersey high school graduation rates

The lists below show 4-year graduation rates for New Jersey public schools for the 2020-21 school year. The statewide graduation rate fell slightly, from 91% in 2019-20 to 90.6%.

The lists, which are sorted by county and include a separate list for charter schools, also include a second graduation rate, which excludes students whose special education IEPs allow them to qualify for diplomas despite not meeting typical coursework and attendance requirements.

Columns with an asterisk or 'N' indicate there was no data or it was suppressed to protect student privacy.

Average SAT scores for all NJ high schools, 2020-21

Average SAT scores for the 2020-2021 school year are listed by county, from highest to lowest. Data includes the combined score, as well as the average scores on the math and reading/writing sections.

Participation rates show the share of 12th graders in the Class of 2021 who took the SAT in 2020-21 or in prior years.

High schools aren't listed if there is no data or the number of students participating was low enough that average scores were not publicly reported to protect student privacy.

School aid for all New Jersey districts for 2022-23

The state Department of Education announced district-level school aid figures for the 2022-23 school year on Thursday, March 10, 2022. They're listed below, alphabetically by county. For additional details from the NJDOE, including specific categories of aid, click here.