Lehigh County Career Pathways

Achieving Excellence in EducationAchieving a Countywide Career Pathways Model using the HSTW Ten Key Practices and Organizational Structure.

Lehigh Valley DemographicsLocated in Eastern PA Counties of: Lehigh and NorthamptonProximity to New York and PhiladelphiaPopulation: 580,110 (increasing) Allentown (105,000) Bethlehem (72,000) Easton (34,000)3rd Largest Service Delivery Area in PA (324,415 workers)17 Public School Districts and Diocese of Allentown3 Area Vocational-Technical Schools LCTI, BAVTS, CITEducational Service Units Carbon-Lehigh and Colonial NorthamptonLehigh Valley Business-Education Partnership9 Colleges and Universities

Lehigh County, PA340 Square miles Urban, Suburban and RuralPopulation: 307,264 Per Capita Personal Income: $27,752Average Earnings Per Job: $34,7809 School Districts and Dioceses of Allentown10 Public High Schools Allentown: 16,300 Students (2 schools) Parkland 8,000 Students East Penn: 7,500 StudentsCarbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit Educational Service AgencyLehigh Career & Technical Institute Approximately 2,200 secondary and 750 adult studentsHSTW Site: 1998

School DistrictsNorthwestern Lehigh School DistrictNorthern Lehigh School DistrictParkland School DistrictWhitehall-Coplay School DistrictCatasauqua School District6. Allentown School District7. Salisbury Township School District8. East Penn School District9. Southern Lehigh School District

The ProblemCompeting State & Federal ProgramsChanges in the WorkforceHigh School Student Course FocusTraditional Solution

The ProgramsTech Prep1990Youth Apprenticeship1991HSTW in PA1991School To Work1994ACES Credit for credentials1997Workforce Investment1998

Changes in the Workforce190019502002

The ProblemIndustry concerns for technical workforce development80% of high school students preparing for 20% of jobsJobsH.S. Students2080

The Traditional School SolutionIn the U.S.Out of every 100 High school graduates70 enroll in college42 return for their sophomore year34 advance to their senior year28 graduate in five yearsOnly 14 find employment in their chosen fieldUBEC March, 1998Graduation rates from 4 year colleges have been dropping:In 1982 they were 52.2 %In 2000 they were 41.9 % NCES

The Traditional School SolutionPennsylvania StatisticsRanked 5th in the nation for sending high school graduates to college.Ranked 45th in the nation for actually graduating those same students from college, and then it takes most 5 years to be completers.Large proportion of community college enrollment is adult students with Graduate degrees seeking new job skills.

The SolutionDevelop a career pathways model:Follow the HSTW organizational structureImplement the HSTW 10-key practicesIncorporate the best practices of the competing programsProvide a career pathway for all students.Focus on career choices and preparation for post-secondary education.

Career Pathways OrganizationSteeringCommittee

Career Pathways StakeholdersSchool SuperintendentsHigh School PrincipalsCarbon-Lehigh Intermediate UnitLehigh-Carbon Community CollegeLehigh Career & Technical InstitutePenn State-Lehigh Valley CampusTemple UniversityLehigh Valley Business Education PartnershipCareerLink & Workforce Development BoardSubcommittee Co-ChairpersonsUBEC-PPL & UGIEmployersMiddle school administrators

Committee FunctionsSteering CommitteeDevelop Vision and Project Master PlanSecure and Manage ResourcesEnsure Goal AchievementStaff Development/Curriculum & ArticulationProvide Applied Academics WorkshopsConduct Academic-Vocational Integration WorkshopsProvide Mentor Training (School and Work-based)Adopt Instructional MaterialsDevelop Model Curriculum Scope and SequenceDevelop Horizontal and Vertical ArticulationPlan County-wide in-servicesIntegrate state standards

Committee FunctionsCareer Education and InformationPrepare K-12 comprehensive Career Guidance PlanDevelop Student Career PlannersDevelop Teacher resource materialProvide Student / Parent Career InformationDevelop a Career Education / Information and Marketing PlanSecure Linkages to Local BusinessEvaluation and AssessmentSurvey Stakeholders AnnuallyGather & analyze Transcript Analysis DataGather Baseline Student Achievement DataConduct Graduate Follow-up SurveyRecommend Corrective Actions

Career PathwaysMarketing CommitteeSupported by Utilities Business Education CoalitionThree ObjectivesAll educators knowledgeable in Career PathwaysParents & students in 9th grade will choose a Career PathwayThe community at large, especially business people, will have a thorough understanding of Career PathwaysOne year plan Administrative workshops heldCounselor surveys and workshops plannedAdditional teacher resources under development (FAQ bookmarks and student bookmarks)Work with local PBS TV stationProvide inserts in LV Chamber of Commerce mailers

Career Pathways ModelK-5CareerAwarenessChoose a career pathwayArts & HumanitiesBusiness and CommunicationsEngineering/IndustrialHealth & Human Services from one of the following clusters:

Career Pathways Model9-12Academic andTechnicalCoursesas Prescribed by a Pathway

CareerPreparation/Application4 Year College,University,Community College2-year AssociateDegree orCertificate Program

Business or Technical School

Apprenticeship or Internship

Entry into theMilitary or theWorkforceCareerandLifelongLearning

Career Pathways ModelTraditional Academic Grades 9-12College Prep SequenceSchool & Work Site MentorsElectives Support Career ChoicesWork-based Learning ExperiencesTechnical Academic Grades 9-12Applied Academic SequenceSchool & Work Site MentorsEmphasis on Technical MajorEmphasis on Work-Based Learning

Career Pathways ExamplesEngineering / IndustrialTraditionalAcademicTechnicalAcademicChemistComputer EngineerPhysicistSystems AnalystAutomotive TechnicianCost EstimatorMachinistTechnical SalespersonHealth Sciences / Human ServicesTraditionalAcademicTechnicalAcademicBiological ScientistGuidance CounselorPsychiatristRegistered NurseCorrection OfficerDental TechnicianFlight AttendantPolice OfficerArts / HumanitiesTraditionalAcademicTechnicalAcademicArchitectArtistLawyerTeacherAdvertising ArtistComputer Aided DesignerParalegalSign PainterBusiness / CommunicationsTraditionalAcademicTechnicalAcademicAccountantAuditorProgrammerStatisticianClaims ExaminerMaterial HandlerPC TechnicianTelecommunicator

Career Pathways Key ConceptsHigh ExpectationsGeneral tracks & low level courses eliminatedAll students take algebra no later than 9th gradeNAEP scores were up All students focus on a career goalAll students prepare for 2 year/4 year collegeIn-class presentations and homework assignments for C&T students

Career Pathways Key ConceptsChallenging Program of Study

Academic and technical courses are sequenced to support career choicesNo more Vo-tech math or Vo-tech EnglishGraduation or Culminating projects for all studentsRigorous applied academic curriculum developed by Lehigh County Math teachersIncreased graduation requirements

Career Pathways Key ConceptsReal-World Examples

Emphasis on contextual learning and high standardsIntegration workshops provide technical applications for academic subjects Joint homework assignments between C&T teachers & academic teachers show relevanceGraduation projects are linked to career majors

Career Pathways Key ConceptsChallenging Career &Technical studies

Emphasis on State & National Skill Standards and credentialsContextual learning taking placeStudent-centered curriculum model in placeCooperative assignments between Career & Technical teachers and academic teachersEmphasis on high-level math, science, language arts and problem-solving

Career Pathways Key ConceptsWork-Based & School-Based Learning

Students can learn in their career fieldJob shadowsInternshipsCooperative EducationMentor training provided to school counselors and administratorsMentor training provided to business & industry supervisors and techniciansTeacher in the workplace internshipsShadow daysMiddle school

Career Pathways Key ConceptsIntegration of Academic & Technical Studies

Integration workshops funded by Tech PrepConcept and benefits of integration explainedAdopted an integration model Integrated the math, science, language arts state standards into the C&T curriculumProvided world of work examples from four career clusters for use in academic classroomDeveloped joint homework assignmentsDeveloped graduation or culminating projectsCounty-wide In-service held October 8, 2000 for high schoolCounty-wide In-service to be held October 14, 2002 for middle schoolHSTW annual Professional Development Conference PDE annual integration conference at PSU

Career Pathways Key ConceptsWork-Based & School-Based Learning

Students can learn in their career fieldJob shadowsInternshipsCooperative EducationMentor training provided to school counselors and administratorsMentor training provided to business & industry supervisors and techniciansTeacher in the workplace internships

Career Pathways Key ConceptsStudents actively engaged in learningCooperative learning strategies usedApplied academic courses utilizedOral presentations given Essay/Written testsProject based assignmentsAcademic Showcase for communityPortfolios demonstrate best work of students

Career Pathways Key ConceptsGuidance and Counseling SystemA comprehensive Career Preparation K + Model K-5 teacher resource materials under developmentUpdated middle school planner in use by all schoolsHigh school teacher/counselor resource guide under developmentCareer Pathways Brochure availableCareer Pathways video in useWebsite developed and in usewww.careerpathway.org

Career Pathways Key ConceptsGuidance and Counseling System

Training sessions for counselorsCareer FairParents nightsSummer Fun CampCareer Pathways 4-year course sequence is completed for each student

Career Pathways Key ConceptsAssessment & Evaluation

NAEP & PSSA testingTranscript analysisEmployer surveysGraduate surveysStaff surveysStudent surveysAdministrative/counselor surveysHSTW Technical Assist VisitNOCTI testing for all C&T completersNational & State Skill Standards assessmentCompletion of Site Action PlansAnalysis of PDE School ProfilesSelf assessment by Temple University planned

Career Pathways Key ConceptsExtra Help

Senior mentors assigned to help ninth-grade studentsComputer based remedial software programsCollege education majors tutor studentsBusiness/Industry support for after school remediation programsAfter school, weekends, and summer programsRemedial reading program pilot program

Role of Business / IndustryLeveraging ResourcesCurriculumCareer FairsPublic RelationsCareer CounselingMentoringWork-based LearningShadowingInternshipCo-op EducationYouth ApprenticeshipExplorer PostLehigh Valley Economic Development CorporationLehigh Valley Business Education PartnershipPennsylvania CareerLinkDonations & Tax credits Business & Industry

Career Pathways Timeline1997Pilot StudyJanuary 1998Career Pathways concept adopted1998 2003Staff DevelopmentCurriculum DevelopmentEvaluation and AssessmentMarketingSeptember 2000-2003Career Pathways in grades 9-12

Lehigh County Career Pathways