TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Pathways to Success Transitions from Primary Grades through High School to Career and College 1.Develop student engagement with connections to curricula throughout the grade spans. 2.Make instruction meaningful and contextual by integrating classroom content with students’ real life interests and experiences. This helps students answer the question, “Why do I need to go to school?” 3.Open students’ eyes to future possibilities through a formal career exploration process based on their interests and aptitudes.

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Viewing the Process for K-16 Transitions

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Students Ask: “Why Should I Go To School?” meaningful contextual relationships Engaging schools and classrooms: Personalize learning with meaningful content, contextual methodology, and significant relationships Middle grades and high school focus Building “agility” for a changing world of work Start with career awareness; finish with work-place practice Start with basic skills; graduate with transferable competence

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Readiness Engaging Students; Building Readiness meaningful What makes content meaningful? Rigor: Challenging concepts that have connections to the student’s own life Applications: Opportunities to use the concepts & skills “Personalized Learning”: Familiarity between students & staff; and students & their peers; smaller learning communities

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Contextual What Makes Learning Contextual? Gradual integration of career focus: Academic content taught in world of work context Career academies: Smaller high schools integrate core academic & technical skills, focus on a locally active pathway Applied learning methods in the classroom: –Project-Based activities –Problem-solving activities Work-Based Learning beyond the classroom: –Work-place/virtual activities

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Relationships in & out of Class Where do relationships have the most impact ? Transition strategies & at-risk interventions: Use of at-risk data at 8 th into 9 th grade Guided student exploration of career & college; encourage pursuit of interests, esp. grades Mentor or role model to set & adjust goals, manage personal hurdles Guided support in student learning & career plan development

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction AB 790: A Linked Learning Pilot? still not definite Plans proceeding for a CDE - administered Linked Learning Pilot Program – still not definite 20 LEAs with varied demographics –Include smaller, more remote districts Incentives for participating LEAs –Technical assistance from CDE and partner resources: Ed Code flexibility? Plans for regional networking, Web resources HSIIO awaiting go-ahead from SSPI’s Office

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction California Linked Learning District Initiative ConnectEd directs the California Linked Learning District Initiative, which aims to demonstrate that when school districts use Linked Learning as a primary district strategy for high school transformation, student outcomes improve. As part of the California Linked Learning District Initiative, school districts have developed master plans for expanding Linked Learning in their high schools and are now offering at least six to eight career pathways to their students. As of March 2010, nine districts have received implementation grants of at least $1 million over two years: Antioch USD Long Beach USD Los Angeles USD, Local District 4 Montebello USD Oakland USD Pasadena USD Porterville USD Sacramento City USD West Contra Costa USD Two districts have received continued planning and development grants of $250,000 each: San Diego USD Stockton USD Participating districts have high school enrollments of at least 5,000 students, 30 percent or more of district students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and some existing capacity to develop larger systems of Linked Learning pathways.

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Links to Video Resources Career Academy Support Network: ConnectEd Linked Learning models: National Academy Foundation video links o About NAF: o The Year of Planning:  Overview:  Curriculum and Instruction: curriculum-and-instruction  Professional Development: professional-development  Professional Learning Community: planning-professional-learning-community  Team Building:

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction For Further Information: George M. Olive III, Education Programs Consultant California Department of Education High School Innovations and Initiatives Office Career and College Transition Division Instruction and Learning Support Branch 1430 N Street, Suite 4503 Sacramento, CA Phone: Fax: Darrell Parsons, Education Programs Consultant High School Innovations and Initiatives Office California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Suite 4503 Sacramento, CA Phone: Fax: