There has been a recent media surge regarding the need for technically skilled labor, and alternatives to four year degrees where students would get hands on technical skills, skill which are currently in high demand. All we actually need is an education system with the capability to keep pace with current technology, and by that I don’t mean a computer in the back corner of the classroom. Our society has already determined there is value in a compulsory free education system, but this system needs to be updated. Knowledge is changing faster than ever but our public schools remain mostly the same year after year, drifting further and further away from the currently reality of our technological society, and becoming ever increasingly irrelevant to our children and our future.
There is a treasure trove of existing ideas, techniques, and research widely available on how our education can be modernized, the only barrier is leadership and some loyalty to our children and our future.