Lessons Learned from a Decade of Career Academy Development

Lessons Learned from a Decade of Career Academy Development Scott Warren SREB

Scott Warren • Former • Math Teacher and Coach • Assistant Principal and Principal • Band Booster Club President • Current • Director of State Initiatives • What I know! • Career Academies/Career Pathways create purpose-driven students • Purpose driven student put forth more effort! • Career Academies put schools ahead of the new accountability trends

HSTW Career-Themed AcademiesKey Elements • Semi-autonomous • 300 – 500 Students • Academic and career pathways in each - multiple career pathways in broad theme • Pathway or pocket academy option • BEGINS with business and postsecondary partners • Common planning time for teachers • Leader with primary focus on instruction • NOT A SORTING MECHANISM

Additional Elements • Solid Academic Core • The math issue • ASES program • Rigor • Extra Help • Transition • Senior Readiness • C4C Program • Engaging instruction (PBL, LDC, MDC)

Where did the lessons come from? • First Career-focused SLC Development – 2004 (NYC, Georgia, SC and Texas) • Set of common issues • List adapted over past decade

SREB Tools for Schools • HSTW Academy Rubric (Excerpt) • HSTW Academy Blueprint • Scheduling in Academies • Counseling for Careers Program • Instructional Tools • LDC • MDC • PBL • Teach 2 Lead

Before we start! • A school improvement lesson: • Most school improvement efforts work when implemented well. • The problem is not with the initiative – it is typically with the implementation • The advisement example.

Lesson #1: Start with a Square Dance! • Grab your partners • Workforce Data • Business/Industry partners • Postsecondary partners

Pause and Reflect Find an elbow partner! Where are you on this lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

Lesson #2: Go Big or Go Home • All at one time may actually work easier • Eliminates perceptions of favoritism • Forces everybody to change so negative attitudes do not have time to grow • Involves all • Future years are spent focusing on quality

Lesson #3: Stay on the TRACKS – Train that is! • Dual rails • Academy development • Instruction • Focus on Instruction • Literacy • PBL • Rigor of Assignments/ Assessments

Lesson #4: Turf Battles Will Come Have a plan • Teacher rooms • Guidance areas • Administrator roles • Department heads • Special needs

Key Point • Change is like loss – if you change a teacher’s classroom, they will go through the grief process because they are LOSING something. • Denial • Anger • Bargaining • Depression • Acceptance

Lesson #5: Talk is Cheap – But It is Essential • Communicate throughout the process. • Academy Leadership Team is key • Frequent updates with answers to “Why?” • Remember: Knowledge is power; spread the power.

Pause and ReflectLessons 4 and 5 Find an elbow partner! Where are you on these lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

Lesson #6: Too Many Chefs in the Kitchen • Schools tend to think about the changes for students and teachers, but ignore the changes in leadership. • Changing role of the principal • Instructional leaders in each academy • Role of the assistant principals • Role of guidance counselors

New Leadership Roles • Academy Lead Teacher • Critical to improving achievement/increasing rigor • Part of the school’s overall leadership team

Successful Academy Lead Teachers … • Can get other teachers to follow them • Are considered master teachers • Take ordinary students and inspire them to achieve at extraordinary levels • Can facilitate discussions around improving achievement

Lesson #7: Teaching – the Oldest Profession Done in Isolation • Common planning time is essential to the success. • Daily is ideal– don’t let ideal be the enemy of better • Collaboration by invitation does not work – Leaders need to establish expectations

Focus on Improving Instruction • Evolution of Common Planning • Start with products • Academy Resume • Calendars • Awards ceremonies • Focus shifts to students • Struggling students • Support programs • Get to instruction • Without a focus on instruction, academies development mirrors shuffling chairs on the Titanic.

Pause and ReflectLessons 6 and 7 Find an elbow partner! Where are you on these lesson learned? We’re good? We need to address it?

Lesson #8: I’ll Take the Same as My Girlfriend! • Students will not make good choices about the SLCs unless given strongassistance • Involve partners • Involve parents • Involve teachers • Use interest inventories • Process to change

The Problem • Educating parents, teachers and even counselors on pathways to success. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcNSpKX8kVs

Lesson #9: The 9th Grade Challenge • Academically graduate (promote) every 9th Grade student • Teach Habits of Success • Increase time for literacy and math • Do not eliminate CT and Fine Arts • Link with middle school teachers • Accelerate – don’t remediate • Do not create a new transition

Lesson #10: Have a Plan for Special Programs • Develop specific plans to deal with special programs. • Foreign language • Fine arts (Even if an SLC) • Special needs students

Questions about the Lessons? Lessons from others?

Key Point in Addressing the Lessons Learned: Leaders Must Use the Change Process • Establish a need for change among those who must change • Create a vision for what the change will create • Involve faculty in developing a plan for the change – The Loose/Tight Issue • Implement the plan • Evaluate progress and make adjustments

Final Thought All teachers and all schools want to improve. However, few want to change. The fact remains, that to improve, one must CHANGE. Thank you Scott Warren – scott.warren@sreb.org

Lessons Learned from a Decade of Career Academy Development