Dobbins High cited as proof that investments in career, technical education are paying off, Gov. Shapiro and others say

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When Shervon Thompson came to the Murrell Dobbins Career Technical Education High School in the 1990s, she planned to study cosmetology and start a family business.

She graduated from Dobbins in 1996 and completed both of her goals, but also earned a four-year scholarship to Pennsylvania State University and got a bachelor’s degree in workforce development and training.

Now the principal at Dobbins, Thompson was among a number of speakers at the school on Tuesday at an event to highlight the importance of career technical education, or CTE. In 2021, she became the first Dobbins alumnus to become principal in the school’s 90-year history, after working her way up from being a cosmetology teacher.

Thompson earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Cabrini College. She said she later got a doctorate degree.

“It changed the trajectory of my life,” she said. “Dobbins has such a strong legacy.”

She rattled off some of other Dobbins graduates, including former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson, former Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers and basketball great Dawn Staley, now the coach of the powerhouse University of South Carolina women’s basketball team.

Organizers of the event included the Center for American Progress and the American Federation of Teachers. Other speakers included Gov. Josh Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle Parker and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tony Watlington Sr.

Shapiro described Dobbins as “one of the great gems of our great commonwealth.”

“This is an amazing school with amazing opportunities,” he said.

“Every single Pennsylvanian should have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed,” Shapiro said. “The way you create more opportunity is within our education space, you have to make sure that there are all kinds of different pathways to opportunities and success.”

“Whether you choose to go to the military, go to college or study career technical education, we respect you. If you choose to go and build something with your hands in the trades, we respect you,” Shapiro said. “We want to make sure that every student knows that all those pathways are open to them.”

The legislature has allocated about $2 billion more to public education in the last two budget years, he said. According to Shapiro, Democrats and Republicans came together to double the budget for career and technical education.

While speaking about such cooperation, he remarked on the current budget impasse, which was scheduled to be resolved on June 30.

“Legislators need to do their jobs,” Shapiro said.

With education, the state has dramatically expanded its apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships. For example, currently about 34,000 Pennsylvanians are participating in apprenticeship programs, including 200 new apprenticeships such as welding and Dairy Herd Management.

At Dobbins, CTE courses include barbering, business technology, culinary arts, fashion design, graphics and plumbing.

“There is no one-size-fits-all or cookie-cutter way to train or learn the skills to be put on the path to self-sufficiency,” Parker said.

As the city expands the Navy Yard, it is seeking more opportunities in maritime industries.

“That is what we want to do,” she said, “put people on the path to self-sufficiency.”

Watlington, the school superintendent, thanked Shapiro and Parker, who he said found ways to increase funding for the Philadelphia school district during these lean budget times.

“I want you to know that we have been a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” he said.

The district’s job is to make sure that students graduate from high school ready for college or a career. He cited the district’s rising graduation rates, lower dropout rates and higher standardized test scores in saying that the increased funding is working.

And much of that success, he said, is being fueled by the 6,000 career and technical education students, he said.