Transition: High School to Career

Beyond School: Earning Credit for Real-World Experiences

On December 16th, Education Week hosted a Webinar entitled “Beyond School: Earning Credit for Real-World Experiences.” This Webinar discusses an extended learning opportunity (ELO) initiative involving Providence, Rhode Island school district and its nonprofit partner Providence After School Alliance (PASA). In selected high schools throughout the district, students participate in community programs for digital badges and course credit.

Social, Emotional and Physical Well-Being for Youth in Transition from the Foster Care System

On December 18, 2013, the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) examined the importance of social-emotional support for youth aging out of the foster care system in a Webinar titled, “Social, Emotional and Physical Well-Being for Youth in Transition from the Foster Care System.” The Webinar highlighted the report by the Youth Transition F

Mystified by Jargon? Defining College and Career Readiness

If you picked out random Americans on the street and asked them if they know what public-school teachers are and what they do, you would almost certainly receive universally affirmative responses. Everyone knows what a teacher is—it’s practically self-evident. Teachers teach students, of course.

Career and Technical Education Teachers: Strengthening Policies and Improving Instruction

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs are essential in improving college and career readiness for all students. High-quality CTE is not traditional vocational education or a tracking system. Instead, it provides all students, including those headed for four-year colleges, with rigorous academic instruction integrated with project-based learning and skill development. Policymakers across the country should invest in high-quality CTE to truly improve students’ college and career readiness.

Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Southwest Bridge Event on College Readiness in Rural Schools

Preparing students for college and careers includes exposing them to a range of educational and employment opportunities. In rural communities, the geographic distance to universities and businesses can present a challenge for students and schools. However, strong community relationships and partnerships can help mitigate these challenges, particularly in rural areas.

The Future of Career and College Pathways

In June 2013, the National Center for College and Career Transitions (NC3T) surveyed Career Technical Education (CTE) and Career Academy practitioners at the school, district, and state levels to learn about the state of pathways programs: Where they were, where they had been, and where they were headed. In August, NC3T published the results of that survey, which show regular organic growth over the past few years, with growth forecasted for the future, despite little support in the policy arena.

Some notable findings from the report:

Partner Spotlight: The Forum for Youth Investment

The Forum for Youth Investment is a lead partner on the College and Career Readiness and Success Center. The Forum is a nonprofit, nonpartisan action tank dedicated to helping communities and the nation make sure all young people are ready for college, work and life by age 21. As an action tank, we combine the ideas of a think tank – disseminating the best research about youth development practices – with the services of a consultant – helping community leadership groups implement those ideas on the ground. Thus our tag line: “Moving Ideas to Impact.”

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