Transition Team 2016-17 Final Report

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT \ 25
19. During the next five years, increase
the percentage of students who
complete a pathway concentration of at
least four courses from 30 percent to
at least 50 percent, with at least onehalf
of these students meeting college
academic standards. Consider adding
pathways in the following high-demand
areas:
• Business management
• Banking and finance
• Computer science (software
development)
• Drone technologies
• Cybersecurity
• Integrated production technologies
(advanced manufacturing)
• Global logistics and supply chain
management
• Aerospace engineering
• Clean energy technology
• Energy and power
• Health informatics
• Informatics
20. Engage an external organization
to conduct an audit of career pathway
programs.
21. Develop two choice high schools
organized around career pathways—
one focused on high-demand trade and
technical occupations and one focused
on high-demand STEM careers.
• High school is the last chance many
students have for a free public
education. These two choice high
schools will help students earn a
credible credential that gives them
an edge in the workplace while
simultaneously preparing for further
study. Choice school graduates who
elect to pursue college will have the
strong skills needed to earn their
way through.
• For the high-demand trade and
technical occupations choice school:
−−
Replace the Weaver Academy
with this choice school; split
Weaver’s visual and performing
out into a separate magnet school
with exception of CTE-focused
programming, such as music
production, film/digital media, etc.
−−
Study models like Delaware’s
Sussex Technical and Polytech
High, both of which teach a
college-ready core in the context of
high-demand technical and trade
careers.
−−
Consider a P-Tech 9-14 model
that aligns pathways with highwage,
high-demand occupational
programs at Guilford Technical
Community College.
22. Develop a strong career and
educational counseling and advisement
system that engages students and
parents in planning and meeting
college- and career-readiness goals.
23. Develop targeted, accelerated
strategies at major educational
transition points—like the elementary
to middle grades, middle grades
to high school, and high school to
postsecondary — to increase the
percentage of students who are on
track to meeting college- and careerreadiness
standards.
24. Redesign the senior year of high
school to allow eligible seniors to
take college-level courses totaling
up to 30 credits toward a credential
or degree and prepare seniors who
need extra help in literacy and math to
either graduate with up to 15 credits
or transition to further education and
good jobs.
25. Create an organizational structure
that allows district career pathway
and academic leaders to work
collaboratively to support middle
grades and high school reform.
• Assign one full-time individual to
engage business and community
leaders in school improvement and
an additional full-time individual to
increase the percentage of students
enrolled in North Carolina’s Career
and College Promise program.
• Ensure that district career-pathway
staff can work directly with the
Chief Academic Officer, the director
of secondary schools, principal
supervisors and high school
principals to give leadership and
support for quality and relevant
career pathways aligned to the
growing middle-class opportunities
in North Carolina.
• Ensure that the district’s careerpathway
staff help principals design
career academies and periodically
and annually review those academies.
• Seek to change the culture at
the district and school levels to
embrace career pathways and
career academies as powerful tools
for increasing college and career
readiness.
• Engage parents, non-profits,
universities, the faith community
and other partners in confronting
critical issues and supporting greater
student learning and achievement.
High school is the
last chance many
students have for a
free public education.
ELEMENTARY ADDENDUM:
While a significant portion of this report
points towards secondary education,
the authors of the report want to
acknowledge that many of short- and
long-term recommendations have
implications for the entire PreK-12
education system in GCS. It is also
our belief that it is important for the
system to begin with the end in mind.
In other words, the educators and
members of the community should
be asking what to expect or desire
for all students of the community
3
In particular, about 20 percent of black males between the ages of 16 and 24 in North Carolina and other states are not in school and not employed.
Many minority and low-income youth lack the social capital needed to learn about and explore diverse careers and the education required to obtain those careers.