Career Academy Support Networks
Prepared under contract to Johns Hopkins University and
the Office of Educational Research and Improvement,
U.S. Department of Education (ED-99-R-0024).
The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those
of the University of California, Johns Hopkins University, or the funding agency.
September 2004
Career Academy Support Network
University of California, Berkeley
Graduate School of Education
Berkeley, CA 94720-1674
Contents
I. Introduction
II. National Support Organizations
III. State Support Organizations
IV. Industry Specific Support Organizations
V. Intermediary Support Organizations
Organization Fact Sheets
National Organizations
State Organizations
Intermediary Organizations
INTRODUCTION
What is a career academy?
A career academy is a type of high school small learning community that provides a college-preparatory curriculum with a career-related theme. The term ìcareer academyî arose in the early 1990s to encompass such programs as the Philadelphia Academies, California Partnership Academies, and the National Academy Foundation academies. These and other career academies generally share three basic features, as identified by researchers at MDRC in New York, and agreed to by the major national organizations that support academies.
1. A Small Learning Community
A career academy is a personalized small learning community within a high school, selecting a subset of students and teachers for a two-, three-, or four-year span. Students enter through a voluntary process; they must apply and be accepted, with parental knowledge and support. While academies vary in size, they usually have from one to three sections of students at each grade level, or 100-300 students in all. Academy classes are usually blocked back-to-back in the daily schedule, and students attend them as a group. Students are able to complete academy requirements within the regular school day, with the exception of internships and possible college classes.
A career academy involves teachers from different subjects working together as a team. This team manages the program, with one member usually serving as the coordinator. Teams usually participate in professional development, particularly in implementing the key features of the model and gaining exposure to the career field. Team members have shared planning time, usually a daily common planning period, and often release time. The joining of a group of students for several periods each day with teachers who they come to know well provides a family-like atmosphere, nurturing close student-teacher ties. An academy functions within the larger high school and requires administrator and counselor support. Academy students may also participate in required and elective classes outside the academy, as well as other activities such as clubs and sports.
2. College preparatory curriculum with a career theme
Students in a career academy have a mixture of career (usually one or two) and academic (usually three or four) classes at a time. These classes meet entrance requirements for four-year colleges and universities. They are linked to academic and industry standards, encourage high achievement, and show students how their subjects relate to each other and the career field.
The career classes develop knowledge in a given field. They are designed to expose students to the full vertical range of careers in that field. Special projects require students to bring together academic skills across their subjects and apply these to community and work settings outside the school. Usually the junior and/or senior year includes work experience, a paid or unpaid work internship or community service assignment. During the senior year students are provided with college and career counseling, forming a post-graduate plan which may include college, a mixture of work and college, or full-time work.
3. Partnerships with employers, communities, and higher education
The academy career theme is selected locally, based on an industry that is healthy and can provide a cadre of partners interested in supporting the program. Employers from a group of companies in the selected field work as partners in the academy, serving on a steering committee (along with teachers, administrators, and often parents and students) that governs the program's development and operation. This committee helps to plan the various activities in which employee volunteers participate: as speakers at the school, informing students of the industry and career options; as field trip and job shadowing hosts at their companies; as individual mentors, career-related "big brothers and sisters"; as work internship supervisors during the summer or part-time during the school year; and as community service coordinators. The employer partners may also hire graduates. Postsecondary educational institutions are often included as well, providing course articulation and concurrent enrollment options.
Origin and development of career academies
Philadelphia established the first career academy in 1969, an "Electrical Academy" at Edison High School, sponsored in collaboration with the Philadelphia Electric Company. The idea was subsequently applied to other fields ññ business, automotive, health, environmental technology, law, horticulture, tourism, aviation ññ and other high schools, growing to a network of 29 academies in 12 different career areas. The separate nonprofit organizations that had mobilized employer support came together in 1982 as one organization, which is now called Philadelphia Academies, Inc. It helped to form a national membership organization in the late 1990s called the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC), which sponsors a national conference each year.
In 1981 the academy idea was introduced in California, starting with a "Computer Academy" at Menlo-Atherton High School and an "Electronics Academy" at Sequoia High School, near Silicon Valley. Based on a series of evaluations that demonstrated improved student performance, California passed legislation in 1984, renewed in 1987, 1993, and 1999, and now provides competitive grants to over 300 academies. These range over some 25 career fields. Many others have begun on their own, with an estimated 500 in all. In the 1990s a number of other states began to sponsor career academies as well. The Illinois State Board of Education started 20 California-style academies in 1994-95, expanding to about 50 by 2000. Florida, Ohio, Arkansas, Idaho, and Hawaii are other states with developing networks.
Also in the 1980s, New York City created the first "Academies of Finance," sponsored by the American Express Company. American Express subsequently joined with other companies, which now number more than 100, to create the National Academy Foundation (NAF). NAF added the field of "Hospitality and Tourism" in 1987, and ìInformation Technologyî in 1999, and is planning to add additional fields such as health and education. NAF provides curriculum, technical support, and professional development for teachers. NAF academies originally included only grades 11-12, but many now include both earlier years of high school and coordination with academic classes. NAF now has over 600 affiliated academies nationally in some 40 states.
Until the 1990s career academies existed only as separate, small units within larger high schools. In the mid-1990s, a number of high schools decided to convert themselves entirely into career academies, or into various kinds of small learning communities (SLCs), some of which were career academies. Lee, Ready, and Johnson (1999) conducted an informal national canvass to identify high schools divided entirely into some kind of small learning environments. They identified 55 such high schools, 80 percent of which were using career academies as the model for the SLCs (Lee, V.E., Ready, D.D., and Johnson, D.J., 2001, "The difficulty of identifying rare samples to study: The case of high schools divided into schools-within-schools", Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 23(4): 365-379.) A related academy-building network started in 1997 at the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk (CRESPAR), which includes career academies as a major component of the Talent Development High School model. CRESPAR works with several large urban districts in supporting school wide applications of academies.
Many individual cities now also support networks of academies. While these are too numerous to name, they exist in most parts of the country, especially in large urban districts. Apart from these organized initiatives, an uncounted number of unaffiliated academies have sprung up independently across the country. While no one has an exact count, the total number of career academies operating in U.S. high schools today exceeds one thousand, and is probably two or three times that number.
With this growth in career academies has come a growth in organizations designed to support them. While no federal agency oversees career academies, the federal grants for Small Learning Communities use academies as one model, and over half the sites funded through these grants have chosen academies as a model for high school reform. In addition, there are many organizations working on the national level to support academies, others at the state level, and many individual districts with support structures in place. Some have memberships associated with these efforts (such as NAF and the National Career Academy Coalition), with networks of academies linked through a central agency. There are also industry specific networks. And in some locations intermediary organizations bring together high schools on the one hand, and employers and higher education representatives on the other, in support of career academies.
What follows is a description of these support organizations. For most organizations listed, a fact sheet at the end of this report provides more detailed information, including contacts, services provided, conferences, and materials. These organizations fall into the following categories: national, state, industry specific, and intermediary. This review is certainly not exhaustive, but it does provide an overview of the various types of support organizations for career academies, and provides substantial information on the larger and more comprehensive ones.
NATIONAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
As opposed to a decade or two ago, a variety of organizations now provide support to career academies at the national level. This section offers a list of the main national organizations so focused, a brief summary of what materials each offers, and a summary of the conferences each sponsors. All have fact sheets at the end of this report for more information. In addition, several related initiatives that support academies are described.
National Career Academy Support Organizations
ï Career Academy Support Network (CASN), U.C. Berkeley
ï Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At-Risk (CRESPAR), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
ï GMS Partners, Inc., Silver Spring, MD
ï National Academy Foundation (NAF), New York City
ï National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC), Philadelphia, PA
ï National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), Washington, D.C.
ï Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Atlanta, GA
ï National Partnership for Careers in Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security (NPCPSS), Washington, D.C.
Many of these organizations have materials of use to career academies. Following is a brief overview.
Career Academy Materials
CASNóA variety of handbooks, guides, and research reports, most provided free through its website. One of CASN's central missions is to gather materials useful to career academies and make them available free or at cost.
CRESPARóA series of materials related to its ìTalent Development High School with Career Academiesî model, including for its Ninth Grade Success Academy, with curriculum for its Freshman Seminar and double dosing in math and English.
GMS PartnersóMaterials related to workshops on academy development, plus a guide, Creating and Sustaining Small Learning Communities: A Practitioner's Guide to Career Academies and Small Learning Communities .
NAFóFull technical curriculum/ lesson plans in its three career fieldsófinance, hospitality & tourism, and information technology. A Director's Handbook, Internship Guide, Planning Guide, Frameworks, promotional materials, and a set of evaluation frameworks under development.
NPCPSS óAn array of law, public safety and security related course and program materials are available through the National Technical Assistance and Training Team as well as the National Crime Prevention Council. In 2002, the National Partnership published a national directory of high school programs. The 2003 edition of the Resource Guide for Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security Program and Curriculum Development is also available.
NCEE óA full set of performance standards, K-12, in four fields, plus approximately 100 days of ìcore assignmentî curriculum in English, language arts, and math, benchmarked to these standards.
NCACóA comprehensive guide for academy development, Career Academy Toolkit: Planning Guide for Career Academies and Other Types of High School Small Learning Communities , plus materials to support Health, Communications, and Education academies.
SREBóMaterials to support its ten key practices, plus standardized tests in math, science, and communication, and student and teacher survey forms, which it scores for its sites.
Most of the national organizations that support academies have conferences at some point in the year, and some have several. Following is a summary of these.
Career Academy Conferences
CASNóHelps organize an annual conference in cooperation with the California Department of Education, designed primarily for California's academies but open to representatives from anywhere in the country, and hosts regional workshops and school visits in the Bay Area.
CRESPARóSponsors a conference each year for representatives from its Talent Development High Schools that are implementing career academies school wide, plus smaller/regional institutes at other times.
NAFóSponsors two major conferences each year, one for all NAF representatives in July and smaller ìDirectors Conferencesî at other times for lead teachers.
NPCPSS ñ Holds a national conference once a year in different parts of the country usually near a model academy or number of career programs. Primarily for teams of three or more representing the law/ law enforcement partners and school administrators, counselors, or teachers.
NCACóHolds a national career academy conference each fall, located in a state or city active in supporting academies, and works with individual districts to assess academy development and sustainability.
NCEEóWorks with several dozen high schools implementing career academies. Sponsors an annual winter conference and smaller regional workshops.
SREBóWorks with over 1,400 high schools in a majority of states, a subset of which have academies. Sponsors a conference open to all in early July each year, plus a series of smaller regional and state workshops.
In addition to these private organizations, there are now initiatives supported through public agencies that are helpful to career academies. One of these is the national Career Clusters project. Conducted via the National Association of State Directors of Career & Technical Education, this project has identified sixteen career fields to guide instruction in career and technical education, with definitions of related jobs and skills for each. Work is now underway to develop assessment tools for the technical skills in these sixteen fields, plus workplace readiness skills needed across them. The latter are similar to SCANS skills but somewhat higher level, as they are tied to state academic standards. A "Workplace Readiness Assessment Career Clusters Toolkit" is also being developed, to be available online (www.careerclusters.org). Industry partners are being identified for each of the fields, and where industry skill definitions exist (e.g., manufacturing, retail trade) they are being used in the development of these skill definitions and assessments. CASN has developed a companion document that provides examples of course sequences developed by academies, entitled Career Academy Course Sequences.
Another publicly supported initiative is the Small Learning Community (SLC) grant program being operated through the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) in the U.S. Department of Education. These grants are available to public high school districts for high schools with over 1,000 students, to implement SLCs. Many of the high schools are using the grants to support career academies, often in combination with other SLC models (such as freshman academies, academies structured around non career themes, houses, magnet programs, advisories, and so on). There is a requirement that the grant apply schoolwide, so all students are affected in some way. There have to date been four rounds of such competitions, which offer both one-year planning grants and three-year implementation grants. Several hundred districts have received grants in one or the other category, and more are planned. More information about these can be found at www.ed.gov/programs/slcp.
Neither of these last two examples fit precisely under the category of "Career Academy Support Networks," but it seems unfair to leave them out when they are so closely related. A third such example is support for academies that comes from private foundations. A number of such foundations have become interested in high school reform in general and SLCs/ small schools in particular. Leading the way has been the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has provided grants to many districts around the country in support of either SLC or small school restructuring, as well as an evaluation of these being conducted by the American Institutes for Research and Stanford Research Institute. The Carnegie Corporation has also provided substantial support for schoolwide SLC restructuring, with five-year grants to seven districts for this purpose. In both cases, many of the SLCs being developed through this support are career academies. Several smaller foundations have done similar things.
STATE SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
While most states now have at least a few career academies, as yet there are only a handful with any serious state level support. The California Department of Education has the oldest and most fully developed system, with annual grants to over 300 academies throughout the state, totaling over $20 million.
Arkansas has made grants to fourteen high schools for the development of career academies and is in the process of developing state leadership. Ohio has provided support through existing grant programs for a number of career academies, with initiatives in several cities. Florida has supported academies through a variety of state grant programs and has academies in many parts of the state. A state law to establish small learning communities in large high schools throughout Florida will probably add to this effort. Hawaii, which operates one school district for the entire state, has encouraged career academies for many years, and is establishing more as part of a U.S. Department of Education statewide SLC grant. Two of these states provided fact sheets on their academy related efforts, contained at the end of this report.
In addition to its grant program, California holds an annual spring state conference for its career academies, with approximately 1,000 attendees in recent years. It also sponsors a series of regional meetings and workshops throughout the year. Arkansas hosted a Career Academy Institute and a Leadership Academy for teachers and other school personnel responsible for curriculum integration in 2002, and was the site of the annual NCAC conference in Springdale in October 2002. Florida was the site for this conference in 1999, Illinois in 2000, California in 2001, Hawaii in 2003, and New Mexico in 2004. Ohio has incorporated academies into its annual High School Improvement Institute.
California provides a number of documents to its academies, including a handbook and evaluation forms and procedures, all maintained at a state website linked to the California Department of Education website (www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/cpagen.asp). Illinois provided a handbook, plus guidelines for its lighthouse/mentor grants and peer visits, and evaluation reports. Other states have various materials useful to academies, although most are not specifically directed to them.
INDUSTRY SPECIFIC SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
Since academies are each framed around a career field or industry, a number of organizations and networks supporting academies in a particular career field have developed. For those interested in a given industry such a network can be particularly useful.
The National Academy Foundation has focused on three career fields: business/ finance; hospitality and tourism; and information technology (although it plans to expand to others). For each it has a national director and a full set of career field course curricula for the several grade levels at which these academies function. NAF also enjoys extensive industry contacts in these fields and often helps its academies develop advisory committees and student internships.
The National Partnership for Careers in Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security is a coalition of educational non-profit organizations, professional associations, colleges, law enforcement agencies, secondary schools and school systems and others supporting and involved with law, public safety and security careers. This organization is headed by Joseph Coffee, who has long been interested in applying career academies to the field of law enforcement.
The National Career Academy Coalition is a membership organization for academies throughout the country. They are developing sample projects and resource materials to support the development of career academies in health, communications, and education, and plans additional strands in construction, business, and manufacturing. It enjoys support from the Association of General Contractors of America and the Public Relations Society of America.
INTERMEDIARY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
There has been a long tradition of support from intermediary organizations for programs that attempt to bridge the gap between high school and either college or work. This has manifested itself in various locations with developing networks of career academies. While support for such intermediaries can be from either public or private sources, and often combines resources from several funders, most often the primary support is private. The examples below provide a glimpse of the many such efforts underway nationally.
The granddaddy of such efforts linked to career academies is Philadelphia Academies, Inc. This organization began over 30 years ago and was formalized in 1982 to support the first network of academies in the country. It is an independent not-for-profit corporation that operates through private support, enjoying partnerships with business, the Philadelphia School District, NAF, other educational institutions, labor, and parents. It offers a variety of services, including practice interviews, job placement, graduate follow-up surveys, and staff development.
The network of career academies in Seattle's public high schools is supported by an organization there called the Alliance for Education. It was founded in 1995 to coordinate and focus private sector resources in support of student achievement in the Seattle Public Schools. The Alliance supports the career academies' steering committees in several fields by helping them to develop and maintain the infrastructure and resources needed to manage and oversee these academies.
Another business based organization that provides support to career academies is the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. It has provided staff to develop and manage mentor and internship programs for the past several years in the several academies housed in Columbus public high schools, and supported the development of a Mentor Handbook and its use in training volunteer employee mentors.
Finally, the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce in Florida works with Jacksonville public high schools to support the development of academies. A full-time Education Director works with academy directors and teachers to evaluate curriculum and sets up job shadowing and internship opportunities for academy students. The Chamber representative convenes a city and district committee to support the academies, and once a year assesses each academy's development with a rubric developed by district and chamber representatives.
ORGANIZATION FACT SHEETS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Career Academy Support Network (CASN)
Address : 3529 Tolman Hall, U.C. Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1674
Telephone : (510) 643-5748 Fax : (510) 642-2124
Contact : Charles Dayton, Coord. Phone : (530) 265-8116 E-mail : charlesdayton@earthlink.net
Contact : Carrie Collins, Adm. Ass't. Phone : (510) 643-5748 E-mail : ccollins@uclink4.berkeley.edu
Size : Five professional staff members, plus several support staff and part-time graduate students.
Mission/goal : To support improved student achievement through Smaller Learning Communities and Career Academies. CASN offers professional (i.e., institutes, workshops), product (guides, handbooks), and knowledge (research findings) development.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
ï A variety of handbooks and guides useful for implementing SLCs/ Career Academies.
ï A national directory of Career Academies, organized by state, with career fields and contacts.
ï A forms bank of downloadable materials useful in academy implementation.
ï A web-based guide to curriculum useful for academies, with live links to 75 web sites.
ï A web-based guide to other materials useful for academies, with live links to 200 documents.
ï Professional development leadership training for those implementing academies.
ï Research studies and reviews of research related to Career Academies.
ï Links to other organizations with materials and services for academies.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
ï Regional workshops in the Bay Area. Open nationally.
ï Hosting of bi-annual meetings of national academy support providing agencies.
Available on-site services:
ï Local professional development institutes for high schools, districts, regional consortia, and states, arranged for individually. CASN's daily consulting rate is $600.
Documents/ materials:
ï See above. A variety of handbooks, reports and guides, available free on-line, with an order form for hard copies ($5 for most handbooks/guides). CASN is a non-profit organization.
For more information: contact those listed above.
CRESPAR
Organization Name: Talent Development High Schools (TDHS)
Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At-Risk (CRESPAR)
Center for Social Organization of Schools
Johns Hopkins University
Address: 3003 N. Charles Street/ Suite 200, Baltimore MD 21218-3888
Telephone: (410) 516-6423 Fax: (410) 516-8890 Web site: www.csos.jhu.edu
Contact: CRESPAR ñ Dr. James McPartland Email: jmcpartlan@csos.jhu.edu
TDHS - Maxine Wood E-mail: mwood@csos.jhu.edu
Size: 25 staff, 35 sites, 12 states
Mission/goal: TDHS is a whole school reform model based on the premise that all students can and must learn. Our mission is to help high schools create small, personalized learning environments, a common curriculum of challenging academic and career courses, and catch-up opportunities and extra help for low-achieving students to engage and motivate students, reduce dropout rates, and increase student achievement.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
- Information and technical assistance on going wall-to-wall career academies within context of TDHS whole school reform program.
- Curriculum supports for academies under development.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops: Numerous conferences, institutes and workshops are held throughout the year for principals, assistant principals, team leaders, curriculum coaches, administrators, organizational facilitators, etc.
Available on-site services: On-site planning and implementation facilitators available to partner schools in organizational and instructional/curriculum components of TDHS model. Levels of Tech. Assistance specified in negotiated contract. Cost is $1,000/day plus travel, partnership fee, and materials.
Documents/ materials: Materials pertaining to TDHS are available from CRESPAR. Contact Sara Skidmore for an order form. Phone: (410) 516-3464 Fax: (410) 516-8890
GMS Partners, Inc.
Organization Name: GMS Partners, Inc. Address: 1122 Kersey Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20902
Telephone: 301-649-6354 Fax: 301-593-0688 Web Site: www.gmspartnersinc.org
Contact: Grace M. Sammon Phone: 301-649-6354 E-mail: gms@gmspartnersinc.org
Antonia Essig Phone: 301-593-0688 E-mail: AEssig@aol.com
Size: 3 staff, 7 consultants, affiliates in Washington, D.C., California, Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas.
Mission/goal: to assist schools, school systems and community partners in the development of effective programs and strategies to implement career academies and small learning communities through the valuing of their current strengths and by focused attention to the creation of positive, small learning environments; strong, multi-tiered partnerships; and high standards, integrated curriculum.
Overview of services of interest to career academies: GMS offers a range of print and CD ROM materials that include creation of multi-year work-based experiences for youth and a comprehensive guide to creating and sustaining small learning communities and career academies. In addition, GMS works directly with schools, school systems, and their supportive partners to design and implement effective staff development, strategic planning, and implementation to move teams to the creation and containment of career academies and small learning communities. The desired approach is to work in a long-term, systemic, approach to successful schools rather than one-stop, quick consulting.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops: GMS provides regular workshops for teachers, administrators and partners, and tailors them directly to the current needs of the school. A complete list of workshops is available at the website. Contractual services are billed at a rate in keeping with current costs, travel expenses, and the needs and capabilities of clients. .
Available on-site services: Workshops, strategic planning, consulting, team building, facilitation, implementation strategiesÖ see a complete list at the web address.
Documents/ materials: There are currently 4 books/manuals of specific interest to career academies. Building and Sustaining Small Learning Communities: A Practitioners Guide and CD ROM for career academies and other small learning communities and a 3 series set of workplace skill programs for youth focused on approved health career skill standards.
For more information: See the GMS Partners web page or call, toll free, at 866-649-6354.
National Academy Foundation
Address: 39 Broadway, Suite 1640, New York, NY 10006 Telephone: 212.635.2400 Fax: 212.635.2409 Web Site: www.naf.org
Contact: Gregg Betheil, VP - Academy Programs Phone: 212.635.2400 ext 247 E-mail: gregg@naf.org
Contact: Judith Jorrisch, Senior VP ñ External Relations Phone: 212.635.2400 ext 225 E-mail: jjorrisch@naf.org
Size: 28 Full time, 6 Regional Consultants, 600 Academies in 40 states, 45 sites in planning.
Mission/goal:
The National Academy Foundation (NAF) mission is to sustain a national network of career academies to support the development of America's youth toward personal and professional success--in high school, in higher education, and throughout their careers.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
NAF is a nonprofit 501(c)3 intermediary organization that sustains a national network of high school career academies in finance, hospitality and tourism, and information technology. The industry component features paid internships. NAF provides technical assistance and program support to all partners in the career academy effort from startup planning through program growth.
In each NAF Academy students apply to participate in a cadre of 30 to 60 students per school per year, sharing two to three common Academy classes each semester. It can be a two-, three-, or four-year program. NAF Academies are targeted to urban centers, but are appropriate foróand thrive inóurban, suburban, and rural areas where businesses support exists.
The NAF model is specifically defined as having three components:
A career-themed small learning community comprises the resources, leadership, and supports needed to sustain the Academy and features NAF's curriculumódesigned, reviewed, and updated regularly by a team of educators and industry experts.
Community partnership includes the collaboration between the school and the larger community, toward the development of local advisory boards and paid student internships.
Professional development ensures that all stakeholders have regular opportunities to enhance their academy related skills and competencies through NAF conferences, technical assistance materials, and other local activities.
These three components form NAF's "Academy Frameworks," a system of quality assurance. NAF also provides resource and planning guides, online resources, and technical assistance site visits for members. NAF Academies are appropriate for all high school students performing at grade level, but are particularly targeted toward students who are not achieving their potential.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
The Institute for Staff Development, held each July, and the Academy Leadership Summit, held each November, are the focal points of NAF's Staff Development program. Both are open to all of NAF's constituents -- teachers, guidance counselors, high school principals, business and government partners, students and alumni. Registration for the Institute for Staff Development is open to any interested party; NAF members are entitled to travel and lodging for two teachers/ year. NAF also hosts several regional events each year that focus on curriculum development, partnership development, and new program orientation.
Available on-site services:
Each Academy in the NAF network receives online access to NAF's industry validated curriculum, is visited each year by the NAF program team and has access to a variety technical support. NAF's Year of Planning initiative offers needs assessment and planning support to emerging academies in the 18 months prior to their launch. NAF provides direct support to teachers, guidance counselors, building and district administration and business partners as part of membership in its Network. There is a one-time, $5,000 membership fee.
Documents/ materials:
NAF Academy Planning Guide ñ For anyone interested in starting a NAF academy. Describes the academy rationale, NAF's Year of Planning and Implementation, and proposal processes. Free, available at NAF.org.
NAF Year of Planning Assessment and Planning Guide ñ Developed with the Education Development Center, the TAP Guide is a needs assessment and planning tool for new NAF academies. Available only to NAF YOP sites, comes with one-time $5,000 membership fee.
NAF Academy Frameworks - The frameworks represent standards for quality implementation, as well as assessment tools for helping academies continuously improve. Included are frameworks for ìLearning Communitiesî, ìPartnershipsî, and ìProfessional Development.î Available publicly through NAF's website.
Curriculum - Industry validated curriculum in Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, and Information Technology. Delivered via online systems, included in the one-time membership fee, and available as long as programs are in good standing. Not available to non-member schools.
Promotional Materials : Includes collateral print materials for education and business; PowerPoint templates and presentations; videos; a marketing toolkit; and promotional items (t-shirts, hats, banners). Print materials are distributed to interested parties and a supply is provided to each member program annually. The marketing toolkit is available publicly at NAF.org; promotional items can be ordered from Olympia Promotions via the NAF website.
For more information:
• Visit www.naf.org for general information.
• To start an Academy, contact Florence Drummond 212.635.2400 ext 243, Florence@naf.org
National Career Academy Coalition Address: Business Office
P O Box 6000490
North Miami Beach, Florida 33160
Telephone: (800) 986-3223 Ext 5082 Fax: (954) 262-3988 Web Site: www.ncacinc.org
Contact: Connie Majka Phone: (215) 546-6300 E-mail: cmajka@academiesinc.org
Size: 2 staff, 2 sites
Mission/goal: Create and support emerging and existing career academies/smaller learning communities
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
• Development of Career strands: Health, Communications, Education, Construction, Public Relations, and Manufacturing
• National Conference
• Quarterly newsletter for members
• Website
• Career Academy Toolkit and How-To Workshops
• On-line course from NOVA University
• Consulting and technical support
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
• National conference in the fall
• Workshops and trainings by request
Available on-site services: Customized services: Contact Director of Development, Sandy Mittelsteadt at (661) 900-7822 or Sandra.mittelsteadt@verizon.net
Documents/ materials: Career Academy Toolkit : interactive book that help career academies develop their action plans $45.00
National Center on Education and the Economy Address: 555 13 th St., NW., Suite 500, Washington D.C., 20004 Telephone: 202-783-3668 Fax: 202-783-3672 Web Site: www.ncee.org
Contact: Gretchen Cheney Phone: same, ext. 102 E-mail: gcheney@ncee.org
Size: Staff of about one hundred. Headquarters in Washington, DC. Regional offices in 5 sites around the country.
Mission/goal: The National Center on Education and the Economy is a not-for-profit organization committed to standards-based reform of our education, employment and training systems.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
Redesigning the upper grades of high school to help young people leave ready to move directly into post-secondary studies and/or rewarding careers. All high school students should have the opportunity to access meaningful internships, college courses and/or apprenticeships. These contextual learning experiences provide students not only with skills, knowledge and a level of maturity that most secondary graduates lack, but the background they need to transition smoothly into further education and training and a career track.
NCEE focuses work in this area on designing a standards-based career academy model in which students graduate with a ëtriple-crown' diploma that includes an honors diploma from their high school, an academic readiness certification indicating that the student is ready for college level work without remediation, and an industry-recognized credential and/or college credit.
NCEE provides technical assistance, materials and facilitation services to community partners, schools and districts wishing to implement this career academy model. In addition the National Center has a comprehensive school design model (K-12) known as America's Choice School Design. The America's Choice curriculum materials, instructional and planning systems, school designs, technical assistance, and professional development services make us the nation's leading source of assistance for standards-based school reform. The career academy model is built into a comprehensive design as one of the options for restructuring the upper division (grades 11 and 12) of high school.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
The National Center hosts an annual conference for schools and districts participating in the America's Choice School Design. The conference is held in the winter months in various locations year-to-year. The conference is geared towards teachers, principals and superintendents and is designed to address NCEE's latest curriculum work, instructional materials and strategies in standards-based reform, key leadership issues and more.
Available on-site services:
The America's Choice School Design incorporates on-site services, as well as national and regional training events, for leadership teams and lead subject-area staff. Although no commitment is required up front, participating schools and districts typically roll-out the design in their schools over a three to five year period. Year One is meant as an introductory year where the faculty and staff become familiar with the model and its implications for their school. Year Two is focused on implementing the design at the 9 th grade level within the Lower Division of High School. Year Three is focused on implementing the design at the 10 th grade level, Year Four the 11 th grade, and Year Five the 12 th grade. The National Center's high school division is also available for technical service contracts with schools, districts and community partners wishing to implement our career academy model.
Documents/ materials (for whom, what, cost):
The National Center has invested millions of dollars in designing the materials that stand behind the America's Choice School Design. Through our New Standards® program, we produced internationally benchmarked academic performance standards (in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Applied Learning for grades 4, 8, and 10). We offer assessments and a portfolio system tied to those standards. And we are available to help research industry skill standards available at the local, state, national or international level around which career academies and graduating credentials can be organized.
For more information:
Please contact Gretchen Cheney at 202-783-3668 or via email: highschools@ncee.org .
High Schools That Work / Southern Regional Education Board
Address: 592 Tenth Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30318-5790 Telephone: (404) 875-9211 Fax: (404) 872-1477 Web site: www.sreb.org
Contact: Dr. Gene Bottoms Phone: (404) 875-9211 E-mail: gene.bottoms@sreb.org
Contact: Dr. Heather Boggs Phone: (614) 847-5832 E-mail: heather.boggs@sreb.org
Size: 40 staff, 1,100 high schools in 27 member states (each state with its own staff for technical assistance)
Mission/goal:
Established in 1987 by the Southern Regional Education Board, HSTW is a network of schools that seeks to improve the way high school students are prepared for work and further education. The mission of schools in the HSTW network is to prepare high school students for both post-secondary education and a career by having students complete a solid academic core and either an academic, a career/technical or a blended concentration. HSTW provides a framework of goals and key practices for accelerating learning and setting higher standards. It recommends actions that provide direction to schools as they work to improve academic and career/technical instruction at schools and work sites. These recommendations meet the criteria for comprehensive school reform.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
SREB works with states to deliver technical assistance, professional development, publications and assessment services to HSTW sites. Specific initiatives, such as Comprehensive School Reform, Making Middle Grades Work, and the Urban Network, provide direct services to over 200 sites. HSTW supports the use of small learning communities such as career academies and ninth grade academies to raise student achievement, particularly in large high schools. The 10 Key Practices of HSTW provide guidelines career academies can use to improve student achievement.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops (for whom, what, where, when, cost):
The annual HSTW Staff Development Conference (held the second week in July) draws 6,000 administrators, teachers, and counselors seeking ways to raise standards and achievement. Conference registration information is available on the website. HSTW also sponsors national workshops throughout the year on topics such as guidance and advisement, using data, teaching strategies, and technical literacy. Registration information, locations, and dates are listed on the website, www.sreb.org .
Available on-site services (for whom, what, where, cost):
Sites seeking to join the HSTW network sign a memorandum of agreement to implement the 10 Key Practices and participate in the HSTW Assessment. Network sites receive Technical Assistance Visits (assessment on progress by an outside review committee), Site Development Workshops (whole staff planning for school improvement), and coaching services for comprehensive school reform efforts.
Documents/ materials (for whom, what, cost):
HSTW offers an extensive list of books and other publications, research reports, case studies of outstanding practices, newsletters, video training packages, and videotapes of outstanding practitioners. These may be reviewed on the website, www.sreb.org . Some are available at no charge.
For more information:
Visit the HSTW website, www.sreb.org .
National Partnership for Careers in Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security
Address: 100 Connecticut Ave. Thirteenth Floor, Washington, D.C.20036-5325 Mailing address: P. O. Box 1991, Annandale, VA 22003-9998
Contact: Joe Coffee Phone: 703-470-2974 E-mail: npcpss@ncpc.org
Size: The National Partnership for Careers in Law, Public Safety, and Security is a coalition of educational non-profit organizations, professional associations, colleges, law enforcement agencies, secondary schools and school systems and others supporting and involved with law, public safety and security careers. As such, the consortium draws on the consultants and experts from these organizations plus the veterans in the schools and law enforcement agencies who have built and currently manage effective academies. In addition, the consortium exists as an affiliate of the National Crime Prevention Council with its 80 staff and multiple programs related to youth and crime prevention.
Mission/goal: To assist schools, communities and other stakeholders in building and improving small, career oriented, learning communities focused on law, public safety corrections, and security.
Overview of services of interest to career academies: Because the National Partnership focuses on a specific career cluster, its services are very targeted, therefore dealing with the unique issues involving law enforcement, security and other public safety and law related careers. These often involve community ñ police relations, workforce diversity issues and ways of recruiting from within the community. In addition, its partners provide curriculum materials, courses, specialized programs (in-school and after-school), and team building experiences for the students and teachers in the academies. Partnership building, resource and grant development services are also available.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops: A national conference once a year in different parts of the country usually near a model academy or number of career programs. Primarily for teams of three or more representing the law/law enforcement partners and school administrators, counselors, and teachers. Current information on offerings can be found at www.ncpc.org.
Available on-site services:
ï Tailored workshops and technical assistance for developing and improving academies and other types of career oriented learning communities,
ï Team planning and problem solving workshops using team-building techniques, and
ï Workshops in curriculum integration, the use of moot and peer courts, and methods for teaching specialized law and public safety career-related courses.
Documents/ materials: An array of law, public safety and security related course and program materials are available through the National Crime Prevention Council as well as through connected school and college sources. In 2002, the National Partnership published a national directory of high school programs. The 2003 edition of the Resource Guide for Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security Program and Curriculum Development is also available.
STATE ORGANIZATIONS
California Department of Education Address: 1430 N Street, 4th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 319-0893 Fax: (916) 319-0163 Web Site: www.cde.ca.gov
Contact: Barbara Weiss Phone: (916) 319-0481 E-mail: bweiss@cde.ca.gov
Machelle Martin Phone: (916) 319-0473 E-mail: mamartin@cde.ca.gov
Size: Over 300 California Partnership Academies
Mission/goal:
The mission/goal of the High School Initiative's Office is to provide oversight and technical assistance to the programs with which we are affiliated.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
Technical assistance in all areas of academy implementation:
• development of smaller learning communities
• business/industry partnerships
• standards-based curriculum development
• integrated-interdisciplinary curriculum development
• mentor programs
• work-based learning
• program schedule development
• team development and role definition
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
Please see our web-site: www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/cpagen.asp .
Documents/ materials (for whom, what, cost):
Please see our web-site: www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/cpagen.asp
Arkansas Department of Workforce Education
Organization: Arkansas Department of Workforce Education, Office of Career Opportunities and Tech Prep Address: 3 Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201
Telephone: 501-682-1535 Fax: 501-582-1805 Web Site: dwe.arkansas.gov
Contact: Tanny Harper Phone: 501-682-1535 E-mail: Tanny.Harper@dwe.arkansas.gov
Size: 1 staff - 14 sites
Mission/goal:
To create a recognized statewide Career Academy approach in Arkansas that:
• Ensures a more personalized and supportive learning environment for K-16 learners and educators (smaller learning communities),
• Promotes high academic standards and achievement (direct alignment to Frameworks/ Standards,)
• Increases the exposure and engagement of students and educators in career awareness and work-based learning opportunities (enhancing the relevance and rigor of curriculum that includes SCANS, workforce preparation, and industry core skill standards that are linked to academic standards and delivered through identified career pathways between K-12, post-secondary, and career placement), and
• Establishes ongoing partnerships between business, K-16 education, and community members to support and sustain the above (fosters and sustains the community partnerships and principles developed through Career Opportunities).
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
Our office has made grants to 14 high schools for the development of Career Academies.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
Will sponsor a Leadership Academy for teachers and/or other school personnel responsible for curriculum integration.
For more information:
Visit our website at dwe.arkansas.gov or call 501-682-1535.
Ohio Department of Education
Organization Name: Ohio Department of Education, Office of Career-Technical and Adult Education Address: 25 South Front St. Columbus, Ohio 43215 Telephone: (614) 466-3430 Fax: (614) 644-5702 Web site: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicRelationID=2
Contact: Vicki Melvin Phone: (614) 644-5701 Fax: (614) 644-5702
Email: Vicki.melvin@ode.state.oh.us
Size: CTAE staff 80 within Ohio Department of Education
Mission/goal: To provide leadership supporting a continuum of career development for all learners - career development for all students, career pathways for students in secondary (high school) education and workforce development and literacy for adults.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
Provide technical support for program development; provide professional development for faculty and administrators; support curriculum development; and provide financial resources through grant process.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
Incorporated in annual High School Improvement Institute; Updates provided at regularly scheduled conferences for administrators, teachers and community partners.
Available on-site services:
Technical assistance provided through contact with Career Academy Consultant in Office of Career-Technical and Adult Education
Documents/ materials:
Web-based Ohio Secondary Career Academy brochure (pdf)
For more information: Contact the Ohio Department of Education, Office of Career Technical Education, www.ode.state.oh.us/ctae or (614 ) 466-3430
INTERMEDIARY ORGANIZATIONS
Philadelphia Academies, Inc. Address: 230 S. Broad St. 13th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Telephone: (215) 546-6300 Fax: (215) 546-9174
Web Site: www.academiesinc.org
Contact: Connie Majka E-mail: cmajka@academiesinc.org
Size: 6500 students --12 career areas --19 high schools --29 academy sites
Mission/goal:
The Philadelphia Academies, Inc. is an independent not-for-profit corporation primarily dedicated to strengthening public school students' academic and occupational skills, enhancing their in-school and post-graduation options, and contributing to the development of a stable and skilled workforce. These goals are achieved through a unique partnership with business, the school district and other educational institutions, labor, and parents.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
Independent intermediary organization providing student services, including practice interviews, job placement, graduate follow-up statistics, staff development, etc.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops:
In cooperation and partnership with the National Career Academy Coalition
Available on-site services:
Workshops available for technical assistance and staff development:
1. What it Takes to Start an Academy
2. Career Development
3. Intermediary Organizations for Sustainable Partnerships
For more information: Contact Connie Majka (above) for a brochure and information.
Alliance for Education
Address: 509 Olive Way, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109 Telephone: (206) 205-0341 Fax: (206) 343-0455 Web Site: www.alliance4ed.org
Contact: Emily Carlson Phone: (206) 205-0341 E-mail: emily@alliance4ed.org
Size: 20 staff, 1 site
Mission/goal:
The Alliance for Education, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1995 to coordinate and focus private sector resources in support of student achievement in the Seattle Public Schools. In partnership with the Seattle Public Schools, all Alliance work is organized around comprehensive school transformation designed to increase the academic achievement of every student in every school and eliminate the gap in academic achievement among children of different races and backgrounds.
Overview of services of interest to career academies:
The Alliance supports the career academies' steering committees by helping them to develop and maintain the infrastructure and resources they need to manage and oversee the career academies.
For more information: call Emily Carlson at (206) 205-0341. |
