Developing Programs of Study

1. Developing Programs of Study Benson Education Associates Ann@bensoneducation.com SECONDARY TO POSTSECONDARY CAREER PATHWAYS/programs of study meeting November 1-2, 2007 Baton Rouge, LA

2. Essential Questions • What are career clusters and pathways and how do the knowledge and skill statements relate? • How do career clusters and pathways relate to CTE and Perkins legislation? • What is the process for developing POS?

3. NOT SUPPORTIVE SUPPORTIVE JUST WANT PERKINS $$ SUPPORT FOR POS

4. The Problems Engagement– attending school and completing (graduating) high school

5. Too many 9th Graders do not complete High School – historical trend 68% Source: One-Third of a Nation (ETS, 2005)

6. Why do they leave? Source: The silent epidemic: Perspectives of high school dropouts – Civic Enterprises, 2006

7. The Problems Engagement – attending school and completing (graduating) high school Achievement– academic (and technical) course taking; grades, test scores

8. 2006 HSTW CTE Students: Percentage Meeting Reading Performance Goal-279

9. 2006 HSTW CTE Students: Percentage Meeting Mathematics Performance Goal-297

10. 2006 HSTW CTE Students: Percentage Meeting Science Performance Goal-299

11. 2006 HSTW CTE Students: Percentage Having Intensive Work-based Learning Experiences

12. The Problems Engagement – attending school and completing (graduating) high school Achievement– academic (and technical) course taking; grades, test scores Transition – to postsecondary education without the need for remediation; and to the workplace

13. Transition through high school and to college 68 31% Leave with 0 Credits 100 Start 9th Grade 40 27 18 31% Source: Education Weekly March 2005

14. Transition 84% of high school students anticipate earning a college degree Students who anticipate a degree are unlikely to prepare for as 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.

15. When graduates get there . . . Source: NCES (2003), Remedial Education at Degree Granting PS Institutions in fall 2000

16. Percent of students who take remedial courses • 63% at two-year institutions • 40% at four-year institutions The Bridge Project Stanford University

17. How Hiring Practices Will Change • 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 Board

18. Vocational Education vs. Career and Technical Education

19. Perkins – “Programs of Study” 1. Incorporate secondary education and postsecondary education elements;

20. Perkins – “Programs of Study” 2. Include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant career and technical content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses that align secondary education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare students to succeed in postsecondary education;

21. Perkins – “Programs of Study” 3. May include the opportunity for secondary education students to participate in dual or concurrent enrollment programs or other ways to acquire postsecondary education credits; and

22. Perkins – “Programs of Study” 4. Lead to an industry-recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.

23. So where do Career Clusters fit in? What are they? • Career Clusters are groupings of occupations and industries • These groupings are used as an organizing tool for: • Curriculum Design • Instructional + Guidance Model • Seamless Transition

24. What about Career Pathways? ACareer Pathwayrepresents a grouping of occupations within a cluster based on commonalities

25. What are the Programs of Study? • A sequenced listing of courses, both academic and CTE/degree major, that connects student’s high school and postsecondary educational experiences At careerclusters.org, you’ll also find………………. • A set of course descriptions for the CTE/degree major courses based on knowledge and skill statements

26. www.careerclusters.org

29. CAREER PS SKILL DEVELOPMENT CAREER MAJOR PATHWAY K&S CLUSTER K&S 9TH GRADE

35. What do You Use to Develop the POS? • Knowledge and Skills Statements • Broad statements specifying the knowledge and/or skills required of learners/workers in order to demonstrate competence in a given career cluster or career pathway.

36. With K&S, you also get……. • Performance Element(s) • Specific, measurable statements that indicate what a learner/worker must know or be able to do to meet the intent of the Knowledge and/or Skills statement.

37. And, you also get……. • Measurement Criteria • Items under each Performance Element that clarify what is to be measured and define the level of performance expected.

38. K&S Cluster Topics • Academic Foundations • Communications • Problem Solving/Critical Thinking • I T Applications • Systems • Safety, Health & Environment • Leadership & Teamwork • Ethics & Legal Responsibilities • Employability & Career Dev. • Technical Skills

39. Why are They Important? • Used as a basis for course selection, both academic and career tech/degree major • Place validity on what students need to know and be able to do to be successful in postsecondary education and careers. • Serve as a roadmap for students, parents and teachers to get to the world of work.

40. What Do We Do With Them? • Use to determine course content (what you call the course isn’t as important as what you put in it.) • “Clump” into courses for example---

41. Course #12: Theories of Counseling and Mental Health • Evaluate client motivation, strengths & weaknesses to develop a client treatment program. • Incorporate new knowledge to expand personal skills base. • Evaluate client for crisis intervention to apply intervention when needed.

44. Other Uses for K & S • Identify integrated assignments • Crosswalk against state and national standards • Develop course descriptions • Help parents and students understand expectations

45. REMEMBER…… Courses that teach knowledge and skills to reach industry standards for specific careers NEED TO BE INCLUDED!!

46. STEPS FOR DEVELOPING POS • Bring the “players” together. • Determine pathways to be developed. a. Target careers b. Include as part of POS • Identify template format for POS. • “Clump” the K & S statements into courses. (Don’t worry about specific titles.)

47. STEPS FOR DEVELOPING POS • Write course descriptions based on K & S. • Identify academic courses to support K & S. • Crosswalk to ensure appropriate local, state and national standards are met. • Remember the target audience—Students!

48. Other Hints for Development • Don’t “forcefeed” existing courses • Don’t worry about course titles • Don’t try to include everything-focus on the knowledge and skills • Do prepare for lots of PD • Be willing to repeat yourself

49. POS Checklist • Are both academic and degree major courses included? • Are both secondary and postsecondary courses included? • Does coursework reflect the K & S? • Do courses represent a sequence of instruction that leads to a degree, certificate or credential?

50. POS Checklist, con’t. • 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?