State leaders push for more technical education

Public high schools should place more emphasis on technical and vocational education, Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson and state Sen. Harry Brown said Thursday.

In a recent poll, 91 percent of respondents supported expanding career and technical programs for high school students, said Brown, R-Jones.

Brown said he has drafted a bill that would allow local school boards to reorganize all high schools that have a graduation rate of less than 60 percent for two consecutive years.