--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have, unfortunately, a K-12…" description: "\"You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/gerald-chertavian-22848_adult_you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educationa_26264.jpg" --- # You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where… ![“You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if you want young adults who are college and career-ready, our K-12 system right now does not have that as its standard.” quote by Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/gerald-chertavian-22848_adult_you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educationa_26264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/gerald-chertavian-22848_adult_you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educationa_26264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f5/gerald-chertavian-22848_adult_you-have-unfortunately-a-k-12-educationa_26264.jpg) > “You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. So if you want young adults who are college and career-ready, our K-12 system right now does not have that as its standard.” [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The current K‑12 curriculum emphasizes graduation criteria that differ from the skills needed for higher education and the workforce, creating a gap between schooling and real‑world readiness. **In simple terms:** Graduation ≠ college/career readiness Key Takeaway Align standards with future demands Themes Education policy Workforce development Curriculum design Equity Student outcomes Mood Concerned Motivated Type Analytical Call to action When to use this quote - School board meetings - College admissions counseling - Career guidance programs Key Concepts Standards alignment Skill gaps Transition challenges Practical Applications - Policy reform proposals - Curriculum redesign pilots Questions to Reflect On - How can schools redesign curricula to bridge this gap? - What metrics would indicate true readiness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult/) [Adults College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-college-265167/) [Career Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-ready-412702/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Educational Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational-requirements-412703/) [Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate/) [k-12](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-k-12-99136/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Requirements Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements-graduate-412704/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Standard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standard/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Unfortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunately/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-adults/) ## Related quotes > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [For decades, I've focused on making Ohioans career-ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/for-decades-i-ve-focused-on-making-ohioans-career-ready/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [I've done the glamour doll, song-and-dance routine, the works. I've reached a stage in my career where I'm ready to experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raveena-tandon/i-ve-done-the-glamour-doll-song-and-dance-routine-the-works-i-ve/) [Raveena Tandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raveena-tandon/) > [I feel like I'm at the point in my career where I'm ready to be the next big funny movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/i-feel-like-i-m-at-the-point-in-my-career-where-i-m-ready-to-be-the/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [We need to have an education system in New Jersey and all over the country that makes all of our kids, either college or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/we-need-to-have-an-education-system-in-new-jersey-and-all-over-the/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [We must revamp K-12 education law to ensure Washington does not stand in the way of meaningful reforms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kline/we-must-revamp-k-12-education-law-to-ensure-washington-does-not-stand/) [John Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kline/) > [Common Core, the initiative that claims to more accurately measure K-12 student knowledge in English and math, also encourages children to step up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/common-core-the-initiative-that-claims-to-more-accurately-measure-k/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [I think higher ed in the U.S. is fairly healthy, and by global standards it dominates, and it makes people more productive. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/i-think-higher-ed-in-the-u-s-is-fairly-healthy-and-by-global/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [All I suggest is to make K-12 like higher education. Higher education in the United States is the best in the world because these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/all-i-suggest-is-to-make-k-12-like-higher-education-higher-education/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [We spend a lot of time training and retraining. It's heartbreaking because our education system has failed all of us. And again you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-r-oberhelman/we-spend-a-lot-of-time-training-and-retraining-it-s-heartbreaking/) [Douglas R. Oberhelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-r-oberhelman/) > [Whether the task is fixing health care, upgrading K-12 education, bolstering national security, or a host of other missions, the U.S. is better at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-v-gerstner-jr/whether-the-task-is-fixing-health-care-upgrading-k-12-education/) [Louis V. Gerstner, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-v-gerstner-jr/) > [Year Up for me is a year in which the young adults that we serve have an opportunity to move up in their lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/year-up-for-me-is-a-year-in-which-the-young-adults-that-we-serve-have/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [When it comes to expanding opportunity, businesses and young adults are not the sources of the problem - they are a substantial part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/when-it-comes-to-expanding-opportunity-businesses-and-young-adults/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [We are in a time, because of the proliferation of online media and a hundred channels on cable, where teenagers and young adults and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-grayer/we-are-in-a-time-because-of-the-proliferation-of-online-media-and-a/) [Jonathan Grayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-grayer/) > [The Trevor Project provides crisis-intervention and suicide-prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teens and young adults. It's truly a lifeline to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/the-trevor-project-provides-crisis-intervention-and-suicide/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) ## More by Gerald Chertavian > [You can't give until you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/you-can-t-give-until-you-have/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [You can learn what you want to learn through hard work. And a good employer will teach you what you want to learn as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/you-can-learn-what-you-want-to-learn-through-hard-work-and-a-good/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [Many training programs and often schools focus on just a skill or a kind of work competency. That's only half the equation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/many-training-programs-and-often-schools-focus-on-just-a-skill-or-a/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [The Opportunity Divide doesn't just keep our students disconnected from the mainstream economy; it prevents our businesses from growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/the-opportunity-divide-doesn-t-just-keep-our-students-disconnected/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [The best thing we can do is prepare people to lead in a much more diverse environment and see that as one of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/the-best-thing-we-can-do-is-prepare-people-to-lead-in-a-much-more/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [The ABC's are attitude, behavior and communication skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/the-abc-s-are-attitude-behavior-and-communication-skills/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [Businesses are no longer receiving the cost savings from outsourcing that they once did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/businesses-are-no-longer-receiving-the-cost-savings-from-outsourcing/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [I've never been afraid to make a polite ask to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/i-ve-never-been-afraid-to-make-a-polite-ask-to-someone/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [The best thing we can do for a young person is to expect a great deal from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/the-best-thing-we-can-do-for-a-young-person-is-to-expect-a-great-deal/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [At Year Up, our students - low income 18-24 year olds - come to us having already faced substantial obstacles in life. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/at-year-up-our-students-low-income-18-24-year-olds-come-to-us-having/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [I was taught very early on how you treat people is actually what matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/i-was-taught-very-early-on-how-you-treat-people-is-actually-what/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [When we think about the workplace, people think about hard skills being dominant, but they're not. The employer realizes knowledge will shift quickly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/when-we-think-about-the-workplace-people-think-about-hard-skills/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [College today is an expensive option without a lot of economies of scale, right, when you go and live at a college. So you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/college-today-is-an-expensive-option-without-a-lot-of-economies-of/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [The millennial generation and a growing number of employees are looking for more than just a paycheck. If a nonprofit could make that easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/the-millennial-generation-and-a-growing-number-of-employees-are/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [The ABCs are attitude, behavior and communication skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/the-abcs-are-attitude-behavior-and-communication-skills/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) [Explore all 27 Gerald Chertavian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) ## More Adult quotes > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. 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The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I have spent my entire adult life trying to make Liberty University the world-class Christian university that was envisioned at its founding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell-jr/i-have-spent-my-entire-adult-life-trying-to-make-liberty-university/) [Jerry Falwell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell-jr/) > [“To love was a privilege not afforded to those of us born in these trying times when survival was never guaranteed. We were products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-x-chang/to-love-was-a-privilege-not-afforded-to-those-of-us-born-in-these/) [Molly X. 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Česky: „Být dospělým neznamená zabít…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebasti-n-wortys/english-being-an-adult-doesn-t-mean-killing-the-child-we-once-were-it/) [Sebastián Wortys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebasti-n-wortys/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“There's such an intimate kind of beauty in the act of listening to music being created right in front of your eyes, watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-frank/there-s-such-an-intimate-kind-of-beauty-in-the-act-of-listening-to/) [M.C. 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Jodie Foster was the exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lester/child-actors-going-on-to-become-adult-actors-never-really-works-apart/) [Mark Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lester/) > [Being an adult is the ability to postpone a want for the sake of a family need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/being-an-adult-is-the-ability-to-postpone-a-want-for-the-sake-of-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [“Oh, I don’t mean to infer that you’re not a great guy. I’m sure you’re the exception to the rule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaye-frances/oh-i-don-t-mean-to-infer-that-you-re-not-a-great-guy-i-m-sure-you-re/) [Jaye Frances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaye-frances/) > [Teenagers are very dark, I think. That's all the goth and emo stuff. They're experiencing a lot of stuff that adults experience, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/teenagers-are-very-dark-i-think-that-s-all-the-goth-and-emo-stuff/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) [Browse all 1,153 Adult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have, unfortunately, a K-12 educational system where the requirements to graduate are not the requirements to be college and career-ready. 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