Pathways to Postsecondary: Indiana Career Majors: The Indiana Career Majors Initiative Is Increasing Student Achievement as Well as Helping Students Transition Seamlessly into Postsecondary Education

Schulz, Terri, Techniques

Education today for the work of tomorrow must take on an entirely new look if the United States is to remain competitive in the global economy. Today's students need to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, have excellent communication and digital literacy skills and master challenging core content.

Indiana is a leader in creating high school initiatives that provide this new look for education in the 21st century. These innovative education initiatives help students master core subject matter and 21st century skills while enjoying learning. Foremost among these programs is our Pathways to Postsecondary: Indiana Career Majors initiative.

The goal of this program is to increase student achievement and the number of students who complete postsecondary education. How do we do this?

* By instituting more rigorous and relevant standards.

* By improving the school curriculum and student learning experiences.

* By an increased focus on career guidance and a seamless transition to postsecondary education.

Career majors increase high school student motivation and achievement by helping students make the connection between what they are learning in school and success in future educational and employment opportunities. This school improvement model is being used effectively in both comprehensive high schools and career centers.

Background

In 1999, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development began working with a handful of high schools across the state that were interested in adding rigor and relevance to their curriculum by creating career academies or career pathways. Academies and career pathways help students understand how their high school education …

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Publication information: Article title: Pathways to Postsecondary: Indiana Career Majors: The Indiana Career Majors Initiative Is Increasing Student Achievement as Well as Helping Students Transition Seamlessly into Postsecondary Education. Contributors: Schulz, Terri - Author. Magazine title: Techniques. Volume: 82. Issue: 1 Publication date: January 2007. Page number: 20+. © 2007 Association for Career and Technical Education. COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group.

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