1. Rationale, Structure, Planning, Implementation and Sustaining
Career Academies
Rationale, Structure, Planning, Implementation and Sustaining

2. Career Academy Workshop Objectives
2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
Career Academy Workshop Objectives
Participants will know and be able to:
Explain the rationale for Career Academies
Define Career Academies and their 4 criteria
Explain the steps to planning Career Academies

3. Indicate your role at your school
P = planning career academies
I = implementing career academies
Years of implementation 1st, 2nd, etc.

4. 2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
Career Academies
In a Talent Development High School 4

5. Four defining characteristics of Career Academies
Prepare all students for any post secondary option
2. Small Self-Contained Learning Community
(own space, faculty, students,
administration, and support team)
3. Business Partners for advice and authentic experiences
4. Student self-selection, open to all students

6. 2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
Why Career Academies?
Small learning communities foster more
positive relationships - personalization
Improved school climate
“Safe, serious, student mobility”
Increased student motivation
“Relevant program with less apathy”
ADD special effects of each point sliding in one point at a time
Improved student attendance and
promotion rates
Greatly reduced dropouts

7. Research shows that students experience:
Apathy:
They do not see the
relevance of school.
Relevance
Career connections
Anonymity:
Many students feel anonymous in their schools.
Personal relationships
A sense of community

8. Organization of a Talent Development School
Central Administration
Principal
Ninth Grade
Academy
Career Academy #1
Career Academy #2
Career Academy #3
Academy Leader
Counselor
Academy Leader
Counselor
Academy Leader
Counselor
Academy Leader
Counselor
Leader
Team
Leader
Team
Leader
Team
Leader
Team
Leader
Team
Leader
Team
Team Leader
Team Leader
Team Leader

9. Talent Development High Schools Career Academy Pathways
250 – 350 Students
14-16 Teachers, 10 Advisories
Counselor
Pathway 1
Career Focus
150 Students
7-8 Teachers
Core Curriculum
“Real World” Experiences
Team Leader
5 Advisories
Pathway 2
Career Focus
150 Students
7-8 Teachers
Core Curriculum
“Real World” Experiences
Team Leader
5 Advisories
Goal: Common Prep. Period for Majority of Staff with a
Team Leader Who Has a Reduced Schedule

10. A pathway identifies the more specific careers that are covered under the broader Career Academy themes. Each pathway has a sequence of courses.
ACADEMY

12. Career Academies Planning Criteria
Survey student interest and skills
Build Upon School Strengths (staff and facilities)
Consider Local Labor Market
Provide Variety of Career Academy Choices

13. Career Academies are reflective of faculty strengths
Encourage staff members to work together with faculty who have similar interests
Generate enthusiasm among the faculty for establishing Career Academies. This leads to ownership for planning and leading academies.

14. 2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
Career Clusters
Public Services
Marketing, Sales & Service
Manufacturing & Product Development
Transportation
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Arts, Media & Entertainment
Building Trades & Construction
Energy & Utilities
Educ, Child Dev, & Family Services
Engineering & Design
Fashion & Interior Design
Finance & Business
Health Science & Medical Technology
Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation
Information Technology
Career Technical Education Industry Sectors

15. A variety of Career Academy themes allows for each student to find a Career Academy that suits the individuals’ strengths and interests.

16. Career Academy Examples
Environmental Science
Arts and Humanities
Sports Studies
& Health /Wellness
Transportation and Engineering Technology
Teaching and the Helping Professions
Health Sciences
Global Business and Technology
Restaurant and Hotel Services
Business and Finance
Aerospace Technology
Public Service
Legal and Criminal Justice

17. 2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
The Planning Year
Step 2: SLC Formation: October-November
Step 3: Faculty SLC Selection: December
Step 4: SLC Marketing November-January
Step 5: Student Selection/Placement: December- January
Step 6: The Nitty Gritty – January to May
Staffing & Scheduling
Facility Reorganization
Baseline Data Collection
Professional Development Plan
Step 7: Summer Work & Faculty Retreat
Breaking a school down into multiple, self-contained academies in a way that really empowers folks in the school requires a lot of time for planning (can do fast track, but risks are folks not deeply understanding or owning the reforms). We have a detailed planning process that is very participatory and requires a lot from the faculty to generate academy concepts, market them to kids, and then engage in all the nitty gritty work of facility reorganization, staffing and scheduling and so forth.

18. 2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
Implementation Years
Deepening of SLC/Teaming Practice
Putting the Career in Career Academy
Ongoing instructional improvement supported by peer coaches
Ongoing systems and Leadership Development
If all goes well, we open in the fall with small learning communities well identified conceptually and physically, well scheduled, teams with common planning time, course sequences developed, and all systems go…but then there’s living it and a lot of deepening that needs to occur during implementation.

19. Scheduling Goals: All Teachers scheduled within the academy
Self-Contained SLCs with Teams
All Teachers scheduled within the academy
4 x 4 Schedule
Common prep time for teaching teams
Extra prep time for Team Leaders
Double dose in Math and English for students who need it
Cross Academy Courses for specialty and Advanced Courses

20. All students choose a pathway revolving around a career interest.
Career Academy Checklist
All students choose a pathway revolving around a career interest.
Each teacher in an academy is identified as a part of a pathway.
Pathway students are in pathway advisories.
Pathway advisors stay with advisory from year to year and receive professional development in mentoring strategies.
Room assignments are clustered by pathway identification of teachers and advisories.

21. Staff Members organized by academy

22. Map of Small Learning Communities
FAITH
BEFH
HHC
FSA

23. Career Academy Checklist
A three-year course sequence of career focused pathway courses is identified and students are scheduled into these courses.
Staff Development time is provided for pathway teams to meet and discuss team development strategies and student issues.
Pathway teams (SLC teams) develop pathway/SLC culture with room decorations, newsletter, all-team meetings, awards programs, trips, and other teaming strategies.
Each SLC develops an “advisory council” made up of partners in business, universities, government, and community.

24. Student ID Cards by academy (personalization/identity)

25. Career Academy Checklist
A parent advisory group is formed to work with the team for support and to encourage parent involvement.
The master schedule allows for pathway teams to share a common prep time to discuss pathway issues.
The team leader and academy counselor work with each pathway team to locate job shadowing and internship experience during junior and senior years.

27. Advisory Board Structure and Management
Information from NAF
National Academy Foundation (

28. Helps define the mission of the program
Role of Advisory Board
Helps define the mission of the program
Assist in the development of Academy policies
Provide paid internships for qualified students
Provide industry expertise to support curriculum
Business/Industry tours for teachers & students
Mentoring and job shadowing opportunities for teachers and students

29. Role of Advisory Board
Assist in budget development
Assist in fundraising in support of the Academy
Assist in promotional activities
Curriculum review and development
Development of competencies for career paths
Provide awards and incentives for teachers
Provide scholarships for students
Assist in the development of a strategic plan

30. Ways to be Engage Board Members
Advisory Board Committee member
Paid internship provider / supervisor
Classroom speaker
Mentor
Job-shadow venue
Coach, judge (Senior Projects)
Speaker at Student Conference

31. Don’t forget outreach involving
Universities
Service projects
Parents
Cultural institutions
Local, city and state government
School district
Alumni

32. WORKING IN TABLE GROUPS
TDHS Org Training
2008 TDHS National ConferenceTDHS Org Training
WORKING IN TABLE GROUPS
Think about a career themed
interdisciplinary unit/project/idea
for your academy.
Be prepared to explain to the group
including how each subject area
teacher will be involved
(Extra credit will be given for creativity of idea and creativity in sharing)

33. Thank you!
Comments, Questions, and Contact Info:
Tara Madden