Transcript Career Pathways: The Next Generation of Tech Prep

Career Pathways Strategic
Improvement Coalition
(CPSIC)
by Tara Jones
Director of Career Pathways
CORD
601 Lake Air Drive
Waco, TX 76710
Phone: (254) 772-8756, ext. 243
E-mail: [email protected]
CORD
National Non-Profit
 25 years experience in developing
curriculum, providing professional
development, and leading education
reform
 Founder of the National Tech Prep
Network (NTPN)

National Tech Prep Network




Founded in 1991
Over 3,000 members
Annual conference
Assists members in the following areas:
– Planning and Implementing Tech Prep Programs
– Evaluating and Improving Tech Prep Program
– Pool resources of our country’s leading practitioners
to provide a network of communication for new and
existing programs.
Tech Prep Accomplishments
1990-2005






Secondary/Postsecondary articulation
agreements (2+2)
Advanced standing/postsecondary credit
Advanced skills
Improved academics through contextual
teaching/learning
Integration
Lower drop-out rates/higher graduation rates
The Challenge for the Future
Standards-based curricula
 High School graduation requirements
matched to postsecondary entrance
requirements
 All students successful in rigorous
academics
 Seamless transitions; Dual Enrollment
 All students in clusters and pathways

CAREER PATHWAYS
Recent Legislative
Happenings
 House
 Senate
 Letter
Bill
Bill
from the Secretary of
Education
Career Cluster
A
Grouping of Occupations According
to Common Knowledge and Skills for
the Purpose of Organizing
Educational Programs and Curricula
 One of Sixteen Clusters defined by
OVAE in 1999
 A student interest area
USED’s 16 Career Clusters
Agriculture and Natural
Resources
Information Technology Services
Arts, Audio/Video Tech &
Communications
Manufacturing
Legal & Protective Services
Business & Admin. Services
Public Admin/Government
Construction
Retail/Wholesale Sales &
Services
Education & Training Services
Financial Services
Health Science
Hospitality & Tourism
Human Services
Scientific Research, Engineering
& Technical Services
Transportation, Distribution &
Logistics
A Career Pathway is a coherent, articulated sequence
of rigorous academic and career/technical courses,
commencing in the ninth grade and leading to an
associate degree, baccalaureate degree and beyond,
an industry recognized certificate, and/or licensure.
The Career Pathway is developed, implemented, and
maintained in partnership among secondary and
postsecondary education, business, and employers.
Career Pathways are available to all students,
including adult learners, and may lead to rewarding
careers.
Career Pathway
A 4+2(+2) program of study leading to
employment in an occupational field
and/or continued education/training
 Not a “Track” to narrow student choice
 The high school portion of a Career
Pathway is sufficiently broad to support
postsecondary education/training for
other occupations within the cluster

The essential characteristics of an Ideal Career Pathway
include the following:
1. The Secondary Pathway Component





Meets state academic standards and grade-level
expectations
Meets high school testing and exit requirements
Meets postsecondary (college) entry/placement
requirements
Provides foundation knowledge and skills in a
chosen career cluster
Provides opportunities for students to earn college
credit through dual/concurrent enrollment or
articulation agreements
2. The Postsecondary
provides:




Pathway Component
Opportunities for students to earn college credit
through dual/concurrent enrollment or articulation
agreements
Alignment and articulation with baccalaureate
programs
Industry-recognized skills and knowledge in each
cluster area
Opportunities for placement in the chosen career
clusters at multiple exit points
3. Pathway partners ensure a culture of
evidence is maintained by:



empirical
Regularly collecting qualitative and quantitative
data
Using data for planning and decision-making for
continuous pathway improvement
On-going dialog among secondary, post-secondary,
and business partners
Purpose of CPSIC





Make the Benefits of Career Pathways available to
students across the country by helping secondary
and postsecondary Career Pathways partnerships
develop and implement strategies for improvement.
Set benchmarks to measure success and
improvement efforts
Engage in a continuous improvement process and
identify useful improvement strategies
Provide Technical Assistance
Showcase example partnerships and improvement
strategies
St. Louis Attendees and
CPSIC?

Strongest Benchmarks are Benchmarks
#10 and 11
– #10 – Postsecondary provides industry
recognized knowledge and skills.
– #11 - Postsecondary component provides
employment opportunities for high-wage,
high-demand careers in the chosen
Pathway and provides multiple exit points.
Weakest Benchmarks for
St. Louis CPSIC Conference
Attendees

Benchmark #12 – Business ensures
that students are learning current, indemand skills.

#13 - Business provides student workbased learning experiences after 11th
grade.
Logistics
CPSIC
Handouts
Dr. Pat Schwallie-Giddis
Debra Mills
Dr. Sandi Harwell
The transition from high school to college
can be improved by better cooperation and
communication between secondary and
postsecondary systems.
Bailey, Hughes, and Karp(2002)
2.2 Tech Prep students are enrolled in a seamless
program of study that begins, preferably by grade 9 but
at least by grade 11and continues through at least 2
years of postsecondary education. The seamless
program incorporates career clusters, rigorous
academics and technical competencies that effectively
prepare students for postsecondary education or
employment.
3.1 Tech Prep programs have a sequence of appropriate
advanced academic and technical courses that effectively
prepare students for their next steps in postsecondary
education and/or employment.
3.2 Curriculum contributing to the Tech Prep program is
seamless from secondary through postsecondary and is
developed and evaluated by stakeholders.
4.2 The Tech Prep program functions within an articulation
agreement between secondary and postsecondary
institutions, and specifies courses and course sequence.
4.3 Articulation is inclusive of academic and technical
courses.
The framework should be progressive.
Each level should teach what is developmentally correct.
The High School Role
Provide context for academic achievement
Provide motivation (and desire) to remain in
school
Provide a “level playing field” for students
with diversified learning styles
Provide guidance for career selection and a
foundation for career pursuit
Use career preparation to provide interdisciplinary problem-solving and
critical thinking
Provide a basis for lifelong learning…and
life long EARNING
http://www.wvtechprep.wvnet.edu/downloads.htm
Volusia Flagler Tech Prep
Students problem solve, analyze, synthesize,
and evaluate.
Students apply learning across disciplines to
solve problems that are meaningful to them.
Required
Academics
English
Math
Science
Entry
Grade 9
What do they
need to know
and be able to
do?
Grade 10
Exit
Grade 11 Grade 12
College and Career Transitions Initiative