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SUSTAINING AND SCALING GRADES 9-14 CAREER PATHWAYS:

THE ROLE OF STATE POLICY Through the Pathways to Prosperity Network, states are engaging employers and educators to build a system of grades 9-14 career pathways that combine high school and community college with work-based learning experiences to ensure more young people complete high school, attain a postsecondary credential with value in the labor market and launch careers leaving open the option of further education and training State and local policies play a critical role in enabling collaboration across the divides found in most state administrations between secondary and postsecondary education, education and workforce development, and both of these with employer needs and requirements. Polices are needed that facilitate cross-agency partnerships, establishing common goals and collaborative approaches with flexible and dependable funding for school to career pathways. In this brief, we begin with the simple Pathways framework which identifies the levers needed if a Pathways system is to be put in place. Each of these levers is defined briefly below. Each lever has policy implications. Based on JFF’s decade work building and refining a policy set to support grades 9-14 pathways through the Early College Initiative, the 9-14 policy lever is the most developed. We are exploring here the flexibilities in Perkins funding and ways Perkins funds can be allocated to support Pathways. In addition, based on our experience thus far with the Pathways Network, we have a sense of what makes for effective state level leadership. Where policy is least developed is in the career advising, intermediary, employer engagement arenas.

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Key Areas of Work

What It Looks Like

Career pathways

High schools and community colleges create 9-14 career pathways with clear structures, timelines, costs, and requirements linking and integrating high school and postsecondary curriculum and aligning both with labor market requirements.

Career information and advising system

Starting in the middle grades, students are exposed to a wide range of career options, information, and opportunities to learn about high school and postsecondary courses of study leading to careers. Students engage in a 9-14 continuum of work-based learning opportunities in their chosen career areas. Intermediaries, employers. and community-based organizations help young people make informed choices throughout each 9-14 pathway.

Employer engagement

Employers commit to providing a continuum of learning opportunities at the workplace throughout the 9-14 pathway. Employers collaborate with educators and are supported by intermediaries in structuring and managing workplace learning. Employers support students’ transitions into the local labor market.

Intermediaries Local or regional intermediaries serve as conveners, brokers, and technical assistance providers to schools and employers engaged in building and sustaining pathways. Intermediaries recruit business, nonprofit, and public employers and ensure that participating leaders understand and support the vision.

Enabling state policies

State dual enrollment policies provide access for low-income students. Districts and community colleges have financial incentives and sustainable funding to provide 9-14 programs of study in career and technical education and leading to diplomas, certificates, or Associate’s degrees. Accountability systems weight dual enrollment courses as they weight AP and IB. The state provides incentives for employers and unions to provide work experience opportunities.

PURPOSES OF THIS BRIEF This brief is designed with 3 main purposes: 1) To set out tentative principles for state action and corresponding policy elements that are

required for putting 9-14 pathway system in place; 2) To highlight a selection of state efforts around the country that can serve as models to support

the work of PtoP states most effectively; and 3) To describe policies which are not currently in place but would be desirable to facilitate the

involvement of intermediaries, employers and industry groups. ** The JFF/HGSE team is grateful to Jason Tyszko and Jon Furr, leaders in Illinois for supplying the first draft of the policy principles below.

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SECTION I: GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR STATE ACTION: What needs to be in place NOTEABOUTWHATFOLLOWS:InSECTIONI,theprinciplesbelowaregroupedindescendingorderbeginningwiththoseelementsforwhichthereisnowexistingpolicyandsuccessfulpracticeandendingwiththoseforwhichPathwaystodatehasfewexamples,andfurtherpolicydevelopmentisneeded.SECTIONIIprovidesguidanceonthepolicyelementsforwhichwehavestrongexamplesofcurrentstatepoliciesatwork—theseincludepoliciesregardingdualenrollment,CTE,andwork-basedlearning.TheappendixcontainsachartofdualenrollmentpoliciesagainstJFF’s“bestpractices”criteriaforeachofthePathwaysstates.SECTIONIIIincludesdesirablepolicyelements.Insomecases,anelementexistsbutwouldneedsubstantialmodificationtoservePathwaysspecifically.Forexample,statelongitudinaldataandaccountabilitysystemswouldneedadditionstotrackprogressonPathwaysandholdregionsaccountableforprogress. 1. Clearly Defined Statewide Leadership and Governance Structure: The State agencies responsible for all aspects of the P-20 education, workforce, and economic development systems have a clearly defined and collaborative governance structure and include business, labor, and non profit sector leaders in state level policy development, advocacy, and pathways design. 2. Vision, Goals, Performance Metrics, and Data: The State has established overall vision and goals for its career pathways system, including an overall postsecondary completion or credentialing goal, includes defined performance metrics for reviewing talent pipeline performance in industry sectors, and has established the necessary longitudinal data elements and data sharing mechanisms to track overall goals and metrics. 3. Employer Engagement Within Prioritized Sectors: In consultation with the State, employers and employer associations have prioritized industry sectors for pathways implementation, and employers play leadership roles in defining qualifications, curriculum, and assessments for selected pathways. Public private partnerships support pathways implementation. 4. Clear Pathway Models and Resources: For each of the State’s prioritized sectors, public and private stakeholders have (i) established integrated program of study frameworks from at least high school through postsecondary credential with currency in the labor market, comprehensively addressing pathways within that sector (including coursework that integrates academic and career development content, work-based learning experiences, and stackable nationally-recognized credentials), and (ii) aligned and developed resources to support implementation of the frameworks.

Points of Clarity Waivers, regulatory change and legislation. Building a statewide system of high-quality career pathways for all high school students will likely require statutory and/or regulatory change. In the short- term, PtoP states can ease implementation by providing flexibility from certain state requirements through strategic waivers and pursue a more comprehensive policy agenda at a later time. States that have established extensive early college schools or programs (like 9-14 pathways) have often introduced new legislation or forge cross-agency agreements encoding the set of policies needed once proof points were on the ground. Pathways are built across two historic cross-agency and cross-sector divides--K-12 and postsecondary; and education and labor and/or commerce. Policy change and implementation will be easier to accomplish if there is a joint policy-making body or cabinet staff person to coordinate and bridge these systems. Such entities can include:

• A joint labor education policy leadership body (with business, public sector stakeholders and legislative input)

• A P-20 council or other vehicle coordinating across secondary and postsecondary education.

Pathways and community colleges. While improving community colleges as institutions is important, the goal of PtoP is more specific-- to help a specific population of young people wanting to earn either a certificate or an associate’s degree in a high demand area of work to benefit from existing community college programs.

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5. Ear ly Postsecondary Oppor tunities: State policy supports high school student access to early postsecondary education opportunities (including CTE courses, gatekeeper math and English, and general education requirements) through dual/concurrent enrollment which address secondary and postsecondary funding formulae, tuition and fee practices ensuring access for low-income students, statewide polices on the articulation of credit, and eligibility requirements promoting access by high school students. 6. Work-based Learning: The State has a defined plan and supports for increasing access to a continuum of high quality work-based learning activities inside and outside of a school, and allows credit to be awarded for work-based learning toward secondary and postsecondary degree completion. 7. Communication and Messaging: The State engages parents in pathways awareness and planning, communicates the importance of pathways policies to a broad array of stakeholders, and seeks to overcome biases toward career-oriented education. 8. Regional Intermediaries: The State has a clear strategy and mechanisms for bringing together the key stakeholders in region through an organization able to bridge education, employer, labor, and workforce interests (e.g., an intermediary whose focus is supporting career pathways implementation across lifelong and inside and outside school learning networks. 9. Personalized Pathway Plans: All students create and regularly update personalized pathway plans, starting in middle school and planning through postsecondary education. State policy promotes student access to meaningful and comprehensive career counseling that allows students to experiment among careers and tailor their learning experiences to their areas of interest (including through technology-based approaches). 10. Pathway-focused Educators: The State facilitates teaching models that use industry-sector partners in schools and place teachers in industry settings, and expects that all teachers can relate instruction to career implications and student pathway goals. SECTION II: POLICY ELEMENTS CURRENTLY IN PLACE IN STATES POLICY ELEMENT 1: ACCELERATED LEARNING THROUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT/DUAL CREDIT Dual enrollment is a primary lever for connecting K-12 and postsecondary education systems. The pathways approach calls for an educational program that provides qualified high school students with an opportunity to earn high school and a minimum of 12 college credits simultaneously. Relevant tuition-free college courses should constitute a central role in the high school curriculum as a proficiency-based, accelerated pathway to a postsecondary credential. The following state-and system-level policies help facilitate collaboration between the high school and college to ensure all high school students are provided with an opportunity to enroll in and be successful in credit-bearing college courses.

1. Funding A hold-harmless state finance model that allows both high schools and community colleges to claim apportionment for dual enrollment students. High schools

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that lose funding when students take college courses to accelerate their learning may be reluctant to encourage their participation. And colleges that are not fully funded for the high school students that they serve are less likely to offer dual enrollment courses. Similarly, community colleges that are asked to steeply discount tuition or waive it entirely also lose their state apportionment for high school FTEs are not likely to open courses to significant numbers of high school students. Promising Practices

Ø Among the first cohort of PtoP states, both high schools and colleges in Illinois and

Missour i receive state funding for dual enrollment students.

Ø In Utah, high schools and colleges receive a share of a state appropriation for concurrent enrollment based on the hours of college coursework completed by students. All concurrent enrollment students are exempt from tuition and fees. Colleges can charge a one-time admission application fee (typically $30 to $60). Low-income students are eligible for waivers from these fees. (Students may be charged under pending legislation SB162)

Ø Texas statute allows both school districts and colleges to obtain state funding for

dual credit courses. The state funds school districts based on students' average daily attendance and districts can count time spent on dual credit towards student attendance. Colleges receive state formula funding for contact or credit hours of instructions.

2. Tuition and Fees Sustainable funding for postsecondary tuition and fees to ensure all

students have access. Dual enrollment can decrease the cost of a postsecondary education by shortening a students’ time to degree, which reduces the public funds needed to support students in college and lowers the costs for families. Ensure costs for college textbooks and transportation are an allowable use of state funds. Promising Practices

Ø In Tennessee, dual enrollment students are eligible to apply for a Dual Enrollment

Grant funded by lottery proceeds. To continue to be eligible after the first semester of receipt, a student must maintain a cumulative 2.75 GPA for all postsecondary courses attempted through the grant. The grant covers tuition for lower-division courses only. http://www.state.tn.us/education/cte/ad/dual/cludulcrd.shtml

3. Credit and Ar ticulation The ability to award high school and college credit for dual

enrollment courses that advance students’ credential-seeking goals. Promising Practices

Ø Nor th Carolina’s new Career and College Promise program ensures that college

credits earned in high school will count toward a credential program. The state restructured its dual enrollment programs by creating defined pathways for students. Eligible high school juniors and seniors who participate in dual enrollment must select a specific program of study: a college transfer pathway, a technical career pathway or enroll in early college. The primary goal of CCP is to accelerate a

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students' completion of college credentials, certificates and two-and-four-year degrees. http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Programs/ccp.htm

4. Eligibility Requirements Flexibility in required college placement testing and in cut

scores for access to college-level courses. Student eligibility for dual enrollment should be determined by multiple measures (e.g., a combination of tests, end-of-course grades, teacher recommendations, and students’ work portfolios) that are likely to be a better predictor of a students’ readiness to take college-level courses.

Promising Practices

Ø There are multiple ways for high students in California to become eligible for concurrent enrollment. For example, if students are unable to meet the minimum score on the ACT/SAT, they can still qualify to take college courses based on GPA and class rank. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/sen/sb_0301-0350/sb_338_bill_20031011

5. Comprehensive suppor t services, including career counseling, tutoring, summer bridge programs.

6. Course Restr ictions/Credit Limits No caps that limit dual enrollment credits or

restrictions on enrollment in college courses by age or grade level. (Several states have successfully gotten waivers for early college programs lifting caps and allowing prepared 9th and 10th graders to take dual enrollment courses.)

7. Admissions Flexible admission criteria for enrollment in community college programs of study. A pathway that starts in high school, includes college courses, and is approved by high school and college leaders by definition will ensure students are be able to make a successful transition from high school to college in their chosen program of study.

Promising Practices

Ø In Kentucky, high school students who successfully complete dual credit courses

at a Kentucky Community and Technical College are awarded “special consideration” in program admissions when matriculating to a KCTCS program with special or selective admissions requirements. (KCTCS Senate Rule 3.0)

POLICY ELEMENT 2: CTE PROGRAMS OF STUDY Well-executed career and technical education programs provide a framework for the PtoP career pathways approach. Preparing young people for credentials and careers will require close coordination and greater alignment between secondary and postsecondary CTE programs. Policies that will facilitate cross-systems alignment and ensure seamless transitions for students from secondary to postsecondary institutions and into high demand careers include:

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1. CTE standards aligned with college and career readiness standards to ensure a

seamless transition for students into postsecondary programs 2. Integrated instruction of academic and technical content that permits students to meet

academic standards requirements through CTE courses and CTE-focused programs of study

3. Articulation agreements that ensure a connected, non-duplicative sequence of courses. 4. Inclusion of WorkKeys or other work-readiness assessments and credentials 5. Opportunity to earn industry-recognized certificates and credentials while in high

school 6. Counseling that includes career planning and academic advisement 7. Use of analysis and validation of workforce trends that incorporate the use of real-

time labor market information and that is informed by employers

Promising Practices

Ø The Nor th Carolina Department of Public Instruction developed new statewide CTE Essential Standards in partnership with business and industry partners, which were approved by the state board of education and are currently being implemented in secondary schools across the state. The state has divided occupational groupings into 10 career pathways and has created 53 career maps within those 10 pathways that outline high school course sequences, as well as postsecondary and career options.

http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/cte/curriculum/essential-standards.pdf Ø California’s Joint Advisory Committee on Career Technical Education assures

shared planning and coordination of CTE in California and provides a forum for the discussion of policies and procedures related to Perkins funds. The committee consists of three members of the State Board of Education (SBE) and three members of the Board of Governors (BOG) appointed by their respective board presidents. http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/cs/ctep/print/htdocs/ctep/background.htm

Ø Illinois uses a multi-faceted approach to aligning secondary and postsecondary education. Integrated academic and technical curricula that are standards-based are aligned with industry expectations. The model encourages partnerships and the state provides strategies to recruit, involve and retain partners from high schools, community colleges, universities, business and industry and community-based organizations.

Ø The Nebraska State Board of Education has adopted a definition of career readiness

along with career readiness standards derived from input from business and industry representatives who identified the most critical skills needed for employee and/or entrepreneur success. http://www.education.ne.gov/nce/documents/NCECareerReadinessStandards.pdf

CTE Funding Sources

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State, local and institutional support through grants or blended/braided funding streams will ease and systematize grades 9-14 career pathways. Policies to be considered include the utilization of Perkins Funds.

• States have the ability to create a reserve fund that can be distributed by formula or competitive grant to secondary and/or postsecondary institution to provide support for new and innovative programs including activities that student transitions through the educational pipeline. Community Colleges and some states have shown little interest in applying for a grant because the award is deemed to low to justify the required paperwork.

• Some, but not all states permit schools to use Perkins funds to pay for dual credit for career/technical courses.

State PercentageDistributedto

SecondaryPercentageDistributedtoPostsecondary

CA 64 36GA 50 50IL 60 40MA 73.41 26.59MO 72 28NY 52 48NC 66.67 33.33OH 79 11TN 84.5 15.5Source: Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (5-Year State Plans)

Promising Practices

Ø Tennessee reserves the full 10 percent of allowable Perkins funds for innovative programs, with 80 percent being used for secondary purposes and the remaining 20 percent being awarded to postsecondary programs for secondary to postsecondary transition activities. Grants were awarded on a competitive basis. In 2008-2009 program year, Tennessee awarded 23 grants to 27 LEAs, totaling $1.7 million. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $100,000. The purpose of these grants is to prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations and to support linkages between secondary and postsecondary CTE programs, such as articulation, dual credit, dual enrollment, and distance learning.

Ø California’s Career Technical Pathway Program provides grant funding to: • Align high school and post-secondary CTE pathways; • Increasing industry-recognized certification in high-need sectors; • Support partnership academies with sustainable higher education and regional

industry partnerships; • Increase articulation opportunities in middle and high school; • Provide professional development to improve career-oriented academic and

technical education; and • Establish valid and reliable measures of college and career readiness.

http://www.linkedlearning.org/images/pdf/sb1070_factsheet.pdf

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POLICY ELEMENT 3: WORK-BASED LEARNING AND THE ROLE INTERMEDIARY, EMPLOYER AND INDUSTRY GROUP PARTNERSHPS

A central component of a 9-14 career pathway is the integration of work-based learning experiences into the program of study, which provide students with exposure to the workplace and an opportunity to apply their academic and technical skills. Strong partnerships will need to be forged with employers, industry groups and the economic development community to build experiences that are well structured and meet the needs of students and also correspond to the needs of employers. Policies that support work-based learning include:

• Provide the ability for students to earn academic credit for internship, co-op, apprenticeship or other work-based learning opportunities.

• Ensure apprenticeship training is an allowable use for state funds that go to school districts and community colleges for CTE.

• Explore the development of a network of “badges” or diploma endorsements that would validate work-based learning experiences that may not yield an industry-recognized credential.

• Allow students to seek waivers to participate in immersive work-based learning experiences that may require adjustments or flexibility to the Carnegie schedule system.

• Encourage college admissions officers to review work-based learning experiences as part of acceptance decisions.

• Permit waivers from regulations that place age-restrictions on work-based learning opportunities in certain industries.

Promising Practices

Ø In Massachusetts, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in

collaboration with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development established Connecting Activities. An annual state appropriation supports the state’s 16 local workforce investment boards efforts to connect schools and businesses to provide work-based learning experiences for students. Staff recruit employers; prepare and place students in brokered work-based learning opportunities; and structure those experiences through the use of Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan. http://www.doe.mass.edu/connect/

The Commonwealth’s approach to locating PtoP in community colleges with their connection to both school districts and workforce boards positions the state to create strong linkages to ensure career pathways are well-aligned and part of broader statewide Career Academy and STEM ECHS initiatives.

Ø The Nor th Carolina Department of Public Instruction became the first state

education agency in the nation to enter into an agreement with Microsoft to pilot the statewide implementation of Microsoft Information Technology Academy (ITA) which provides students with real-world technology skills they need to be

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successful in college and a career and to earn industry certifications. North Carolina is the largest ITA in the world. The academy also allows faculty to participate in professional development and earn industry credentials. The ITA consists of web-based modules and instruction, which allow students to learn Microsoft computer programs, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access, at their own pace within the classroom and at home. http://www.ncpublicschools.org/msita/

Ø Apprenticeship Carolina, housed in South Carolina’s technical college system has

one of the most robust registered apprenticeship programs in the nation. Employers can claim a $1000 tax credit for each registered apprentice they employ per year for up to four years of employment. The state’s launched its first youth apprenticeship program in the Fall 2012. The partnership between Tognum America, a major manufacturing company, the Aiken County School District, the Aiken County Career and Technical Center and Aiken Technical College combines high school education, classroom technical training and hands-on learning for students interested in a career in industrial manufacturing. http://www.apprenticeshipcarolina.com/

Ø Kentucky provides incentives for participation in work-based learning, particularly

around the issue of seat time and credits. The state provides academic credit in CTE programs equivalent to one Carnegie unit for on-the-job experiences completed through cooperative education contingent upon one of two factors: (1) the student’s enrollment in a related CTE course and time spent on the job during school hours, or (2) an equivalent amount of time based on daily work schedules identified in the Work-Based Learning Plan agreement between the student, school, and participating employer. www.careertech.org (see: Promoting Work-Based Learning: Efforts in Connecticut and Kentucky)

Ø In an effort to ensure both safety and access to high-quality work-based learning

experiences, Connecticut created a process to assess and address the risks posed to students engaging in high-risk work-based learning opportunities, such as health occupations and manufacturing. The state permits a waiver from regulations that place an age restriction on participation in work-based learning opportunities in certain industries. The waiver allows sixteen- and seventeen-year-old students who are enrolled in approved CTE programs to be placed in otherwise prohibited industries for their work-based learning experiences.

Ø www.careertech.org (see: Promoting Work-Based Learning: Efforts in Connecticut and Kentucky)

SECTION III: POLICIES TO BE DEVELOPED

POLICY ELEMENT Employer /Intermediary Engagement

The pathways approach envisions local or regional intermediaries mobilizing the business community with employers serving as full partners in preparing young adults for career success, thus expanding the available pool of well-prepared workers in regional labor markets. The intermediary should also establish a role for community-based organizations

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and unions. While there are no policies required for employers and intermediaries for building 9-14 pathways, nor are there specific barriers to be removed, there are a set of polices that would optimize success:

• Identify tax or other incentives that could be made available to employers and non-profits, which provide work-based learning, apprenticeships and other supports to reduce their administrative burden.

• Identify and leverage potential funding sources to provide subsidies for student employment and other work-based learning opportunities.

• Encourage education partners to build into their procurement contracts requirements for vendors to support work-based learning opportunities.

Promising Practices

Ø Illinois P-20 Council’s Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Committee has

recommended state and school district procurement preferences be provided to employers committed to work-based learning opportunities.

POLICY ELEMENT PEDAGOGY Preparing young people for the needs of key industries and professions under the career pathways approach will require adjustments and modifications to pedagogical approaches at the secondary and postsecondary level to ensure instruction is rigorous and relevant. Policies that support pathways pedagogical change include:

• Resources are made available to provide professional development for teachers to deliver contextualized instruction in core academic subjects and counselors

• A pathways teaching credential is developed that would combine the competencies required within a traditional academic credential and a CTE industry sector credential

• Incentives are made available to employers who provide externships for teachers • Incorporate courses on college and career counseling into Master’s degree programs

for school counselors • Establish standards for college and career counseling in middle and high school

Promising Practices

Ø Long Beach, California The Long Beach Unified School District supports teachers in

developing students’ career knowledge and experience through the curriculum. With initial coaching and support from ConnectEdCalifornia, a performance-mapping process (refined and customized by LBUSD curriculum leaders) convenes all subject teachers from the same academy and grade level to map and align their curricula for the year and to develop a problem-based multidisciplinary project using career and technical rubrics and academic content requirements.

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POLICY ELEMENT LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEMS Data that tracks the progress of students from grades 9 through 14 and into high demand careers will be needed to measure the impact of the career pathways approach and identify any areas needing improvement. Such systems should include:

• A common student identifier than links K-12 education with higher education and the

workforce. • A process for collecting, storing, analyzing and sharing data. • A system that is able to track students by demographics, enrollment, completion and

employment. • A code for dual enrollment.

Promising Practices

Ø Each of the states in the first cohort of the PtoP Network have implemented

statewide longitudinal data systems that have the capability to monitor student progress across K-12 and higher education systems and can identify dual enrollees. Illinois, Missour i, Nor th Carolina and Tennessee also provide high schools with feedback reports that show how their graduates fare in postsecondary education. (See dual enrollment chart above)

Ø Flor ida’s data system has the ability to examine student outcomes across institutional systems and into the workforce. It has data on all students in public K–12, college, university and career and technical students, as well as those in private colleges and vocational trade schools. The database captures outcome for students who transition from one educational system to another, as well as for participants of specific workforce development programs such as WIA, Wagner Peyser, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Prison Industries.

POLICY ELEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND EVALUATION ACROSS SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY SYSTEMS

Establishing statewide student performance goals that are aligned to college and career readiness indicators and which hold schools and districts accountable for meeting their goals will create greater alignment between secondary and postsecondary systems. An exemplary PtoP accountability system would: • Incorporate postsecondary and career readiness measures that reflect the expectations

of colleges and employers in K-12 accountability system. • A set of shared performance metrics across agencies and institutions for measuring

success. • Recognize and reward schools and postsecondary institutions for increasing access to

work-based learning opportunities.

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• Measure and publicly report on secondary, postsecondary and employment success (e.g., non-remedial in math, gainful employment).

Promising Practices Ø Nor th Carolina has added metrics of career readiness to its high school

accountability model which includes the percentage of graduates who were CTE concentrators (students who completed at least four courses in a career cluster) and who received a Silver Level Career Readiness Certificate based on the three WorkKeys exams. http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/newsroom/news/2012-13/20120824-01

Ø New Mexico includes the percentage of participating students who score at a college

and career ready benchmark (including college entrance exams, AP, dual credit and vocational certification coursework) as 10 percent of the total score for high schools in the state’s accountability system.

Ø Indiana incorporates the percentage of graduates who earn a passing score on an

AP or IB exam, earn three college credits in an approved course, or receive an industry certification. This indicator counts as 10 percent of a high school’s grade in the state’s A–F grading system. Schools will get full credit if 25 percent or more of students fall into one of these categories. .

CONCLUSION The design and implementation of integrated 9-14 career pathways aligned to regional labor market needs will be impacted by state and institutional policies, practice, supports and organizational cultures. Linkages between middle schools, high schools, postsecondary programs, employers, other regional partners will need to be strengthened or developed and aligned to new strategies and goals that reflect regional and state economic priorities. JFF will continue to continue analyze, develop and help state and regional partners in PtoP network states advocate for public policies necessary to create a new educational infrastructure that will provide young people with help our young people achieve greater college and career success. APPENDIX: Pathways to Prosper ity Network: Dual/Concur rent Enrollment Policy State Admissions Eligibility

RequirementsCreditTransfer

Funding CourseRestrictions/CreditLimits

California Studentmustmeetcollegeadmissionstandardsinallsubjectareasbased

Placementtestrequired

CoursesmustbedesignatedaspartoftheIntersegmentalGeneralEducation

DistrictscanonlyclaimfullADAforconcurrentlyenrolledstudentsif

Dualenrollmentstudentsmaynotenrollinmorethan11unitspersemester

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onACT/SATor3.0HSGPA

TransferCurriculumorapplytowardgeneraleducationrequirementsoftheCaliforniaStateUniversity

theyattendhighschoolfor240minutesperdaybutcanclaim¾ofADAforconcurrentlyenrolled11thand12thgraderswhoattendhighschoolfor180minutes.CommunitycollegescanclaimfullFTEaslongascoursestakenfordualcreditareopentothegeneralpublic

Georgia Studentmust

meetcollegeadmissionstandardsinallsubjectareasbasedonACT/SATor3.0HSGPA

Placementtestrequired

Nostatepolicythatguaranteescredittransfer

DistrictsandcollegesarebothfullyfundedthroughtheAccelandHopeGrantprogramsfortheenrollmentofdualenrolleesincollegecoursesDistrictFTEfundingisreducedforstudentsenrolledintheMoveOnWhenReadyDualEnrollmentprogram

Studentsmustbejuniorsorseniorstoenrollincollegecourses.CoursesmustbefromalistapprovedbyGaDOE

Illinois Studentmust

meetcollegeadmissionstandardsinallsubjectareas.

Placementtestrequired

GeneralEducationcoursesmustbeapprovedforcreditundertheIllinoisArticulationInitiative(IAI).Coursesareacceptedforcreditbyallpubliccollegesanduniversities.CTEcourses

BoththehighschoolandcollegecanclaimfullADA&FTEfundingfortheenrollmentofdualenrolleesincollegecourses

Notspecifiedinpolicy

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arenotguaranteedtotransfer.Creditisrecordedonstudent’stranscript

Massachusetts(CommonwealthDualEnrollmentProgram-CDEP)

Studentmusthavemin3.0GPAorbeabletodemonstratepotentialforacademicsuccess

Placementtestrequired

CoursesarelimitedtothosethatwouldqualifyundertheMassTransferBlock.Creditisrecordedoncollegeandhighschooltranscript

CDEP,thestate-fundeddualenrollmentprogramissubjecttoannuallegislativeappropriation,whichisinsufficienttomeetdemand.Collegesarerequiredto

Collegemaylimit#ofdualenrollmentcoursesstudentcantake

Missouri Studentmust

meetmin.3.0overallGPApriortoenrollingincollegecourse

Placementtestrequired

Amaximumof5dualcreditcoursesareassuredtransfertoallpublicindependentandproprietaryinstitutionsCreditisrecordedonanofficialtranscript

BoththehighschoolandcollegecanclaimfullADA&FTEfundingfordualenrollees.Collegesmaycharge“reasonablefees”whicharepaidbyeitherstudentordistrict

Collegesmaylimit#ofdualcreditcoursesstudentcantake

NewYork Nostate

policyNostatepolicy NostatePolicy Nostate

PolicyNostatepolicy

NorthCarolina Studentmust

meetcollegeadmissionstandardsinallsubjectareas.

Placementtestrequired

Collegetransferpathwayprovidesupto34-hoursoftuition-freecoursecreditstowardtheCore-44,anagreedupon44-hoursofcollegecreditsthatwilltransfertoanypubliccollegeoruniversity

Bothhighschoolsandcommunitycollegesarecompensatedforstudentstakingcollegecourses.

Studentsmustbejuniorsorseniorstoenrollincollegecourses(doesnotapplytoECHSstudents)Nomaximumnumberofcourses.Studentsmustmaintain2.0orhigherinallcollegecourseworktocontinueenrollmentatthecollege.

Ohio Studentmust Placementtest Inconsistent Bothhigh PSEOopentostudents

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meetcollegeadmissionstandardsinallsubjectareas.

required awardingandtransferabilityofcollegecredits.

schoolsandcollegesarecompensatedforstudentstakingcollegecourses.However,districtsloseaportionoftheirfoundationdollarswhenastudentparticipatesindualenrollment

ingrades9-12

Tennessee Studentmust

meetcollegeadmissionstandardsinallsubjectareas

Placementtestrequired

Credittransferrulesnotspecifiedinpolicy

HighschoolscanclaimfullADAwhenstudentsenrollindualenrollmentcourses,college.

TNDualEnrollmentGrantfundedthroughlotteryproceedspaysforoneclasseachsemester.

To ensure that state-level policy efforts are grounded in a set of design principles under which pathways can be implemented, scaled and sustained, JFF used a set of Guiding Principles drafted by the Illinois PtoP State Team. We created this table to illustrate the “cross walk” between the principles and required policy elements. REFERENCES Achieve. 2012: Closing the Expectations Gap 50-State Progress Report. Washington, DC: Author. ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career. 2008. Expanding Pathways Transforming High School Education in California Policy Guide. Berkeley, CA: Author. Couterier, Lara. 2012. Cornerstones of Completion: State Policy Support for Accelerated, Structured Pathways to College Credentials and Transfer. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future. Hoffman, Nancy, et al. 2010. A Policymaker’s Guide to Early College Designs. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future.

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Hughes, Katherine, et al. 2006. Strengthening Transitions by Encouraging Career Pathways: A Look at State Policies and Practices. NY, NY: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Jankowski, Natasha A., et al. 2009. Illinois Career Cluster Model. Urbana-Champaign, IL: Office of Community College Research and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research. 2012. Pathways and Supports for College and Career Preparation: What Polices, Programs and Structures Will Help High School Graduates Meet Expectations? Washington, DC: Author. Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) 2012. STEM Pathways to College and Career Schools: A Development Guide. Brooklyn, NY: Author. Pennsylvania Department of Education. 2008. Pennsylvania Pathways: A Middle School Educator’s Guide to Career Pathways. Harrisburg, PA: Author. Phelps, A., Durham, J., & Wills, J. 2011. Education Alignment and Accountability in an Era of Convergence: Policy. Insights from States with Individual Learning Plans and Policies. Education Policy Analysis Archives. Phoenix, AZ: Arizona State University. Perkins Collaborative Resource Network. http://cte.ed.gov/index.cfm. US Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education. 2012. Aligning Secondary and Postsecondary Education: Experiences From Career and Technical Education. Washington, DC: Author.