tom torlakson state superintendent of public instruction pathways to success transitions from...
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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
Pathways to SuccessTransitions from Primary Grades through
High School to Career and College
1. Develop student engagement with connections to curricula throughout the grade spans.
2. Make instruction meaningful and contextual by integrating classroom content with students’ real life interests and experiences. This helps students answer the question, “Why do I need to go to school?”
3. Open students’ eyes to future possibilities through a formal career exploration process based on their interests and aptitudes.
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
Viewing the Process for K-16 Transitions
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
Students Ask:“Why Should I Go To School?”
Engaging schools and classrooms: Personalize learning with meaningfulmeaningful content, contextualcontextual methodology, and significant relationshipsrelationships
• Middle grades and high school focus• Building “agility” for a changing world of
work• Start with career awareness; finish with
work-place practice• Start with basic skills; graduate with
transferable competence
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
Engaging Students; Building ReadinessReadiness
What makes content meaningfulmeaningful?
• Rigor: Challenging concepts that have connections to the student’s own life
• Applications: Opportunities to use the concepts & skills
• “Personalized Learning”: Familiarity between students & staff; and students & their peers; smaller learning communities
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
What Makes Learning ContextualContextual?
• Gradual integration of career focus: Academic content taught in world of work context
• Career academies: Smaller high schools integrate core academic & technical skills, focus on a locally active pathway
• Applied learning methods in the classroom: – Project-Based activities– Problem-solving activities
• Work-Based Learning beyond the classroom:– Work-place/virtual activities
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
Relationships in & out of Class
Where do relationships have the most impact ?
• Transition strategies & at-risk interventions: Use of at-risk data at 8th into 9th grade
• Guided student exploration of career & college; encourage pursuit of interests, esp. grades 7-10.
• Mentor or role model to set & adjust goals, manage personal hurdles
• Guided support in student learning & career plan development
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
AB 790: A Linked Learning Pilot?
Plans proceeding for a CDE -administered Linked Learning Pilot Program – still not definitestill not definite
• 20 LEAs with varied demographics– Include smaller, more remote districts
• Incentives for participating LEAs– Technical assistance from CDE and partner
resources: Ed Code flexibility?• Plans for regional networking, Web
resources• HSIIO awaiting go-ahead from SSPI’s
Office
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
California Linked Learning District Initiative
ConnectEd directs the California Linked Learning District Initiative, which aims to demonstrate that when school districts use Linked Learning as a primary district strategy for high school transformation, student outcomes improve.
As part of the California Linked Learning District Initiative, school districts have developed master plans for expanding Linked Learning in their high schools and are now offering at least six to eight career pathways to their students.
As of March 2010, nine districts have received implementation grants of at least $1 million over two years:•Antioch USD•Long Beach USD•Los Angeles USD, Local District 4•Montebello USD•Oakland USD•Pasadena USD•Porterville USD•Sacramento City USD•West Contra Costa USD
Two districts have received continued planning and development grants of $250,000 each:•San Diego USD•Stockton USD
Participating districts have high school enrollments of at least 5,000 students, 30 percent or more of district students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and some existing capacity to develop larger systems of Linked Learning pathways.
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
Links to Video Resources• Career Academy Support Network:
http://casn.berkeley.edu/video.php
• ConnectEd Linked Learning models: http://connectedcalifornia.org/video
• National Academy Foundation video links
o About NAF: http://naf.org/about-naf
o The Year of Planning: Overview: http://naf.org/resources/year-planning-yop
Curriculum and Instruction: http://naf.org/resources/year-planning-curriculum-and-instruction
Professional Development: http://naf.org/resources/year-planning-professional-development
Professional Learning Community: http://naf.org/resources/year-planning-professional-learning-community
Team Building: http://naf.org/resources/year-planning-team-building
TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction
For Further Information:
George M. Olive III, Education Programs Consultant
California Department of Education
High School Innovations and Initiatives Office
Career and College Transition Division
Instruction and Learning Support Branch
1430 N Street, Suite 4503
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
Phone: 916-327-5711
Fax: 916-319-0163
Darrell Parsons, Education Programs Consultant
High School Innovations and Initiatives Office
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 4503
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
Phone: 916-319-0481
Fax: 916-319-0168