Options For After High School

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A typical high school counselor works with 270 kids, dealing with absences, anti-social behavior and college recommendations.

With problems of college graduates not finding jobs and the depressed economy, there's a movement to advise students of options: 4 and 2-year college, career and technical education, the military, or work.

Graduate schools have added classes to inform the counselors about alternatives and six states have developed online courses on postsecondary education and training.

Utah is a pioneer and, by law, school boards require every counselor to take three state-sponsored professional development sessions on labor-marketing and scholarship opportunities and every 8th grader to create a four-year education/occupation plan.

According to "Diplomas Count," a publication of Education Week, the state has mapped out high school and postsecondary requirements for 60 careers including business entrepreneurship and rehabilitation and exercise - clearly worth replication.

Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio.