“The New Career Tech—Using Career Clusters, Programs of Study and Arkansas Frameworks to Create

Student Success”

Arkansas Career and Technical Leadership Institute

Ann and Gene BensonEducation Consultants

Benson Education Associateswww.bensoneducation.com

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Develop an understanding of relevant terminology and background;

Identify resources to be used in making decisions related to pathway, program and course selection;

Identify and develop the required components of programs of study.

Develop a program of study that meets local and state requirements using K&S and Arkansas frameworks.

Develop a plan for implementation of programs of study at the state and/or local level.

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Workshop Objectives

Vocational Education

“Then”

Career and Technical Education

“Now”For Some Students For All Students

For a Few Jobs For All Careers

6 to 7 “Program Areas”

16 Clusters – 79 Pathways

In Lieu of Academics Aligns and Supports Academics

High School Focused High School and College Partnerships

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Vocational Education vs. Career and Technical Education

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16 Career Clusters

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The Problems

Engagement – attending school and completing (graduating from) high school

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Too many 9th Graders do not complete High School – historical trend

70%

Source: One-Third of a Nation (ETS, 2008)

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that

27 percent of America’s graduating class of 2006 failed to graduate with their peers.

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The Problem

Source SREB, 2009

Every day 7,000 students drop out of America’s public high schools

Every day 3,000 students in the 16 SREB states drop out of their public high schools

Every year 1.3 million teenagers in U.S. abandon high school without earning a diploma

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Other Ways to Look at the Problem

Source SREB, 2009

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>88% of students said they would work harder if their high school demanded more of them, set higher standards and raised expectations.

>America’s literacy rate is only 73%, one of the lowest among industrialized nations.

>67% of prison inmates nationwide are high school drop-outs.

AR Dept of Ed Website

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Why do they leave?

Source: The silent epidemic: Perspectives of high school dropouts – Civic Enterprises, 2006

Have you ever been bored in class?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Never Once ortwice

Once ina while

Everyday

Everyclass

Percentage

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1. Material not interesting 2. Material wasn’t relevant to

me3. No interaction with teacher4. Work wasn’t challenging

enough5. Work was too difficult6. Other 12

If you have been bored in class, why?

Source: 2008 HSSSE

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The Problems

Engagement – attending school and completing (graduating from) high school

Achievement – academic (and technical) course taking; grades, test scores

7064 63 62

51 51 50 4638

0

20

40

60

80

100

%

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2008 HSTW CT Students: Percentage Meeting Reading

Readiness Goal - 250

Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment

7459 57 52 51 50 44 44 41

0

20

40

60

80

100

%

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2008 HSTW CT Students: Percentage Meeting Mathematics

Readiness Goal - 257

Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment

7261 57 53 50 47 45 44

36

0

20

40

60

80

100

%

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2008 HSTW CT Students: Percentage Meeting Science

Readiness Goal - 258

Source: 2008 HSTW Assessment

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The Problems

Engagement – attending school and completing (graduating from) high school

Achievement – academic (and technical) course taking; grades, test scores

Transition – to postsecondary education without the need for remediation; and to the workplace

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Transition through high school and to college

Source: Education Weekly March 2009

100 Start

9th Grade

70

4027

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31% Leave with 0

Credits

31%

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Transition

84% of high school students anticipate earning a college degree

Students who anticipate a degree are unlikely to prepare for a career following high school

More than 50% of students who begin college do not earn a degree

For students with the lowest high school performance, 86% do not earn a degree Rosenbaum, J. E. (2002). Beyond Empty

Promises: Policies To Improve Transitions into College and Jobs. U.S.; Illinois: 42.

63% at two-year institutions

40% at four-year institutions

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Percent of students who take remedial courses

The Bridge ProjectStanford University

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>76% of college students who take remedial courses in reading never earn a degree.>63% of college students who take remedial courses in math never earn a degree.>34% of high school students take a course load that is considered adequate for college preparation.

AR Dept of Ed Website

39% of recent high school graduates now in enrolled in college, and 46% of those who went directly into the job market, say they were not prepared.

Research indicates that the level of preparedness required is not lower than that required to enter college.

22AR Dept of Ed Website

28% will reduce hiring those with only a high school diploma

49.5% will increase two-year college graduates

Almost 60% will increase their hires of four-year college graduates

42% will increase their hires of post-graduates within next five years

The Conference Board23

How Hiring Practices Will Change

At least one Program of Study must be in place;

The Programs of Study must include courses at both the secondary and postsecondary levels;

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“Need to Know” Information about Perkins?

The Programs of Study must include both academic and CTE/degree major courses; and

The Programs of Study must lead somewhere – a credential, certificate, license,

degree, etc.25

“Need to Know” Information about Perkins?

The programs of study must correlate to the

Arkansas Frameworks.

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In Addition,

Career Clusters are groupings of occupations and industries

A Career Pathway represents a grouping of occupations within a cluster based on commonalities

A Program of Study is the plan to get students from high school entry to success in careers and postsecondary education.

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So where do Career Clusters fit in? What are they?

A Program of Study is the plan to get students from high school entry to success in careers and postsecondary education.

It’s not hard, but someone has to take the lead and dedicate the time.

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Let’s say it again……

That’s one reason you are a part of the

Arkansas Career and Technical Leadership

Program!29

NOT – What you call courses.NOT – How many courses you include.

It’s being sure students get the content they need.

The Key is the Knowledge and Skills Statements (YOU MIGHT CALL THEM STANDARDS) and the Arkansas Frameworks.

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As we work through the process,

What’s Most Important?

Foundation Academic Expectations

Essential Knowledge and Skills

Cluster (Foundation) Knowledge and Skills

Pathway Knowledge and Skills

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Ordering of K & S

A sequenced listing of courses, both academic and CTE/degree major, that connects student’s high school and postsecondary educational experiences

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What are the Programs of Study?

Courses that teach knowledge and skills to reach industry standards for specific careers NEED TO BE INCLUDED

on the POS!!!33

REMEMBER……

www.careerclusters.org

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CAREER

CLUSTER K&S

PATHWAY K&S

CAREER MAJOR

9TH GRADE

PS

SKILL

DEVELOPMENT

ESSENTIAL K&S

FOUNDATIONS

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1. Bring the “players” together.2. Identify template format for POS.

3. Determine pathways to be developed.

a. Target careers b. Include as part of POS

(Assignment 3)

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KEY STEPS FOR DEVELOPING POS

4. Identify the appropriate K&S statements and frameworks that match the pathway.

5. “Clump” the K & S statements and frameworks into courses. Compare these courses to current course offerings.

(Don’t worry about specific titles.) (Assignment 4)

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KEY STEPS FOR DEVELOPING POS

6. Write course descriptions for CTE/degree major courses based on K & S and frameworks. (Assignment 5 )

7. Identify academic courses to support K & S and frameworks.(Assignment 6 ) 48

KEY STEPS FOR DEVELOPING POS

8. Complete the Program of Study.(Assignment 7)

9. Use the Program of Study Checklist.(Assignment 8)

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KEY STEPS FOR DEVELOPING POS

Are both academic and degree major courses included?

Are both secondary and postsecondary courses included?

Does coursework reflect the K & S and Arkansas Frameworks?

Do courses represent a sequence of instruction that leads to a degree, certificate or credential?

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POS Checklist ( )

Do courses represent a coherent and rigorous program of studies?

Have courses been cross-referenced against state and national standards?

Does completion of the high school courses ensure success at the postsecondary level?

Does the high school plan reflect opportunities for postsecondary enrollment?

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POS Checklist, con’t.

10. Crosswalk to ensure appropriate local, state and national standards are met.

Remember the target audience Students!

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AND FINALLY,

Don’t “forcefeed” existing courses

Don’t worry about course titlesDon’t try to include everything-focus on the knowledge and skills

Do prepare for lots of PDBe willing to repeat yourself

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Other Hints for Development

If you do them right, you will include:

Knowledge and Skills Foundational Academic Expectations Essential Knowledge and Skills Cluster (Foundation) Knowledge and

Skills Pathway Knowledge and Skills

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The Most Important Aspects of Plans/Programs of Study

Administrative Support Shared Planning Career Development Professional Development Standards-Based Curriculum Parent and Community Support Education Partnerships B&I Partnerships

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Critical Components for Cluster Implementation

Multi-Measure Assessment Inter-Disciplinary Teams Flexible Schedules Integrated Curriculum Creative & Innovative Teaching Strategies

Workplace Learning Student Centered Learning

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Critical Components for Cluster Implementation

Complete Implementation Self Assessment(Assignment 9)

Work in your groups to reach conclusions related to implementation of POS.

(Assignment 10)

Develop an action plan. (Assignment 11)

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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

A strategy to organize instruction and student experiences around career themes

It incorporates existing school reform strategies

It links the various levels of education

It causes academic courses and CTE/degree major courses to have a linkage

It gives faculty members a reason to work together

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Why Do All This?

◦It puts a “reason” into what students are learning, reducing remediation and increasing academic and career success

◦It enables articulation within and between schools and can increase consistency for better data and shared opportunities for development

◦It connects to business and industry◦It provide opportunities for all students!!

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Why Do All This?

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QUESTIONS??

Ann and Gene Benson

www.bensoneducation.com gben@brightok.net

405-880-5383 (Ann)405-880-7634 (Gene)

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