Unpacking the Challenges in Designing and implementing integrated career pathways Tara Smith Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education Conference February 2, 2017

What Is Accelerated Texas? Funded by the Texas Legislature beginning in 2010 Combines basic skills instruction with career and technical training in high-demand careers in local and regional labor markets Key design features: Alignment with labor market demand Accelerated learning strategies Comprehensive student support services Aligned programs and services

Combine basic skills and technical instruction Two primary approaches Integrated instruction incorporates reading, writing, and match content into technical content curricula and instruction. Contextualized instruction teaches reading, writing, and math against a backdrop of specific subject matter. Research on Washington State’s I-BEST model shows combining contextualized curricula with integrated instruction improves the success of underprepared learners

Instructional delivery Models

What is an integrated pathway? An education delivery model that combines career/technical education with basic skills instruction and high school credential preparation so that students can attain marketable credentials while increasing their reading, writing, and math skills. Accelerates the time to credential attainment for underprepared adults

Selecting a career pathway Identify high-demand industries and occupations Meet with the local workforce board to understand labor market opportunities Align programs with employer needs and engage employer partners over time Leverage existing college strengths and capacities Consider student interest

Leverage stackable credentials

Identifying student support services to improve completion Consider the most frequent or pressing challenges associated with student withdrawal or lack of success Determine what services are available through the college to address those challenges Identify community-based resources to address service gaps and extend capacity to meet student needs

Implementation factors Recruiting students Supporting staff through professional development Building data and evaluation capacity Creating continuous improvement processes

Continuous improvement

Sustaining program elements

Where Is your college in developing Integrated Pathways Programs? Using the handout, assess your college’s status in developing integrated career pathways programs. Consider progress in these five key areas: Organize teams Select a career pathway Design an integrated program Implement Sustain Handout: Self-Assessment Tool

Using the Scaling Plan Worksheet to: Identify the big ideas Create a scaling Plan Using the Scaling Plan Worksheet to: Identify the big ideas Think about process Identify partners and stakeholders Identify resources and supports Gather data and evidence Handout: Scaling Plan Worksheet

Tell your story to build long-term support Create a communications plan that describes: why the initiative is needed how it engages employers and industry how students are recruited outcomes Develop a common message that can be used by anyone needing to describe the initiative Create a communication matrix Craft an elevator speech

Create and Practice an Elevator Speech Using the communications handout (alone or in pairs): Identify a target audience Jot your ideas on the Communications Matrix Pick a template Write a sample speech Practice the speech – it should be no more than 2 minutes Be prepared to share out! Handout: Communicating About Impacts to Build Long-Term Support

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