For example, WilsonMiller Inc., a Naples engineering firm, works with students in the Engineering and Natural Resources Academy at Gulf Coast. The students work on the same projects that WilsonMiller contracts out to customers. Opponents also criticize the philosophy because it doesn't encourage students to further their education. It's wrong to expect that parents want their children trained as 'worker bees' instead of being trained to be independent thinkers. Block scheduling will continue to parallel the time needs of the high schools, said Charles Purdy, a local education activist and Edison Community College professor.
Supporters say the program is beneficial to the education system.
Critics, though, say the watered-down curriculum doesn't support students who later want to attend college. But students said that isn't the case. There are a lot of opportunities to get out in the field, Osborne said. One of the biggest bonuses to career academies is the sense of community it creates, educators said. During the next school year, the student population is expected to soar to more than 2,300 students, forcing administrators to restructure the academies.