The Personal Pathways System: Empowering All Students to Shape Our Future Through the SC Education and Economic Develo

1. The Personal Pathways System:Empowering All Students to Shape Our Future Through the SC Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) Presented by: Donna Elmore Associate Vice-President Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Orangeburg, South Carolina

2. 2005 South Carolina Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) • Spanned the administration of two governors in its development • Received input from over 2,000 educators, parents, business and governmental leaders, and postsecondary leaders • Benefited from South Carolina business leaders’ refusal to allow the proposed legislation to be defeated • Gained strong support from SC Chamber of Commerce

3. 2005 South Carolina Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) • The legislation grew out of a Governor’s Workforce Education Task Force report titled “Pathways to Prosperity” presented to the SC General Assembly in 2001.

4. Challenges: The Workforce Gap *1998–1999 State Department of Education Special Survey **Source: D’Amico, C. Workforce 2020.

5. Key Requirements of the EEDA • Focus on helping students connect education to the careers of their choice • Establish articulation agreements to make K–16 education seamless • Increase the number of guidance staff to a 300:1 student to staff ratio (524 GCDF-certified career specialists) • Establish clusters of study and Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs) for students • Include parental review and approval of IGP

6. Key Requirements of the EEDA (continued) • Create 12 Regional Centers to connect students, educators, employers, and community • Establish dual enrollment agreements for high school and college course work • Align requirements for high school graduation with college entrance • Identify at-risk students and provide programs to increase graduation rate • Establish Coordinating Council to oversee implementation of EEDA

7. How Personal Pathways Work Steps to Success Employment: Career Advancement Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning Postsecondary: Career Preparation Achieving credentials: college, certification, apprenticeship, military 9-12: Career Preparation Academics and technical courses, intensive guidance, individual graduation plans Grade 8: Transition Choosing a career cluster and major (can change easily at any time later) 6-8: Career Exploration Discovering interest areas K-5: Career Awareness Introduction to the world of careers

8. How Personal Pathways Work • Grades K–8: Career awareness and exploration • Grade 8: Transition • Use information gained in awareness and exploration activities • Choose Career Cluster and Career Major • Students are not locked into choices forever • Develop an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) with parental support

9. What Is an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP)? • A document that captures decisions about the direction in which the student wishes to go in high school and postsecondary education • Specifies cluster, major, postsecondary goals, planned high school schedule, planned out-of-class activities, and more • Reviewed at least annually throughout high school by students, parents, and guidance counselors • Puts students and parents in control of education and career decision-making

10. How Personal Pathways Work • Grades 9–12: Career Preparation • Rigorous academics • Required academic core and electives remain in place • Career major courses chosen from electives • Out-of-class learning experiences for all students • Students can easily change majors as interests and goals evolve

11. How Personal Pathways Work • Postsecondary Education: Continued Career Preparation • Four-year college, two-year college, state-approved apprenticeships, the military, or on-the-job training • Dual credit and other articulation agreements create a seamless path through postsecondary education and into the workforce

12. This presentation and more resources related to the EEDA can be found at: www.teachscpathways.org