Career Pathways (adoption & promotion)

Standard: The local board of education will have adopted the six Career Pathways approved by the Michigan Department of Career Development to provide the structure for making meaningful connections between education and the world of work.

Suggested Benchmarks:

• Career Pathways implementation strategies are identified in district or building level school improvement plans.
  Career Pathways System Action Plan is developed outlining implementation activities, processes and projected timelines for grades 6-12.
• Career Pathways System Action Plan is developed outlining implementation activities, processes and projected timelines for grades K-5.
• Curriculum guides for each of the six Pathways are developed for use in each building.
• Middle school and high school course description books are aligned with the six Career Pathways.
• Communication is made to parents regarding the alignment of secondary coursework to the six Pathways.
• Counseling programs support the Pathways structure through the use of systematic career planning activities for all students.
• An evaluation program is implemented to assess Action Plan activities.

Educational Development Plans (EDPs)

Standard: The local board of education will have adopted for use in the district an Educational Development Plan (EDP) to document student educational and career plans.

Suggested Benchmarks:

• An Educational Development Plan process is developed for use in middle and high school buildings.
• All 8th grade students have an Educational Development Plan (EDP) by the end of their 8th grade year, which includes the following eight essential elements:
  • Personal Data
  • Personal Goals
  • Career Assessment Highlights
  • Course Selection
  • Career Goals
  • Educational/Training Goals
  • Career Awareness/Exploration/Work-based learning activities
  • Parent Consultation/Endorsement
• All 9-12th grade students have an annual EDP review at the end of each grade to reflect changes in career decisions for use in selecting courses and in choosing post-secondary options.
• The Program is evaluated to determine progress and to set continuous improvement goals.

Authentic Instruction (Career Contextual Learning)

Standard: The local board of education will have adopted academic learning in a career context (Career Contextual Learning) as a teaching/learning strategy in the K-12 curriculum by using authentic workplace applications to make learning more relevant, improve student academic achievement, and create greater awareness of career options.

Suggested Benchmarks:

• The Michigan Curriculum Framework is used as a guide to the development of the district’s curriculum design in core content, teaching and learning, assessment, technology and career and employability skills standards.
• Developmentally appropriate workplace applications are offered to students such as job shadowing, internships, service learning, job site visits, or mentoring.
• Externships are offered to teachers so that they can design, develop and implement career contextual activities within the district’s curricular program.
• Career contextual learning activities are systematically planned and provided for elementary, middle, and high school students in each building.
• An evaluation system is in place to assess the success of career contextual student learning.

Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling

Standard: The local board of education will have adopted and customized the Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling program (MSCA, 1997) to direct the delivery of counseling and guidance services to students.

Suggested Benchmarks:

• A Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program Action Plan is developed outlining implementation activities, processes and projected timelines.
• A student needs assessment is conducted with parents, educators and students to determine areas of priority.
• The Program provides for the development of student competencies in the areas of career planning/exploration, knowledge of self and others, and educational/career/technical development.
• The counselor’s job description includes the four recommended Program components of Guidance Curriculum, Individual Planning, Responsive Services and Systems Support at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
• The Program is evaluated to determine progress and to set continuous improvement goals.