Designing for Secondary School Success in a

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Designing for Secondary School Success in a Flat
World Montgomery County Public Schools
(MCPS)
National Career Clusters Institute Phoenix,
Arizona June 11-13, 2007
2
Montgomery County Public
Schools

• Diane M. Wilder
• Instructional Specialist
• Mary L. Yeates
• Instructional Specialist
• Division of Career and Technology Education (CTE)
• Montgomery County Public Schools

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A little bit about MCPS

• Largest in Maryland, 16th largest 12th fastest
  growing in U.S.
• 199 schools 25/HS, 38/MS, 129/ES, 1 Tech Center,
  6 Special/Alternative
• 145,622 students
• 44,527 high school students
• 32 National Blue Ribbon Schools
• 91.4 graduation rate
• 69.7 Honors/AP participation
• Operating Budget 1.85B
• Diversity

African American 22.9 American Indian
.3 Asian American 14.7 Hispanic 20.1 White
42.0
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MCPS

• In 2007, all
• MCPS high
• schools remain
• ranked in the top
• 3 of high
• schools in
• America

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Setting the Stage

• How do career clusters benefit secondary
  students in a flat world?

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3 Secrets??

• The Numbers Gap 50 of engineers and scientists
  are 40
• The Ambition Gap Outsourcing lower wages and
  double productivity
• The Education Gap U.S. cuts research 30 in last
  30 years
• 
  
• 
  
  
  The World is Flat
• 
  
  Thomas Friedman

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CTE in MCPS Works to
Improve Teaching and Learning

• CTE employs data-driven decision making through
  Six Sigma and Baldrige
• Teachers incorporate new technology into the
  classroom
• CTE works closely with the Maryland State
  Department of Education (MSDE) to develop new
  career pathway programs

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Determine design structures involving rigor,
relevance, and relationships that prepare
students for success in postsecondary education
and careers.
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• Arts, Humanities, Media, and Communication
• Biosciences, Health Science, and Medicine
• Business Management and Finance
• Construction and Development
• Education, Training, and Child Studies
• Engineering, Scientific Research, and
  Manufacturing
• Technologies
• Environmental, Agricultural, and Natural
  Resources
• Human and Consumer Services, Hospitality, and
  Tourism
• Information Technologies
• Law, Government, Public Safety, and
  Administration
• Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

MCPS Career Clusters
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MCPS Perkins Data FY06
CTE Concentrators with a GPA of
2.0 or better
State Average 71.78
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DOORPRIZE
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CTE in MCPS Works to
Improve Teaching and Learning

• CTE employs data-driven decision making through
  Six Sigma and Baldrige
• Teachers incorporate new technology into the
  classroom
• CTE works closely with the Maryland State
  Department of Education (MSDE) to develop new
  career pathway programs

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• Creating a Culture of Excellence
• Add Value
• College articulation agreements
• Dual enrollment (college and high school credit)
• Industry credentials
• Programs in alignment with economic demand
• Internship experiences
• Revise and Upgrade
• Standards-based curricula with business and
  industry
• End-of-Program Assessment

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• Creating a Culture of ExcellenceNext Steps
• Partner
• Career Cluster Advisory Boards (CABs)
• Montgomery County Business Roundtable for
  Education (MCBRE)
• Implement
• Meetings with principals and their program
  coordinators
• Presentation to the MCCPTA delegates
• Rigor through Relevancy Conference on June 21,
  2007
• CTE Plan for the Future seminars in January 2007
  with guidance counselors and academy coordinators
• Development of a College Tech Prep Career
  Pathways Toolkit
• Professional Development Conference for students
  in May 2007
• 222 and 24 programs articulated with colleges

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• MCPS six-year study results indicate that dual
  completion (foreign language and CTE pathway
  program) students
• Graduate from college more often and sooner
• Obtain better paying jobs than those students
  who either complete ONLY the foreign language or
  ONLY the CTE pathway program graduation
  requirements

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What are Small Learning Communities (SLCs)?

• Design structure
• Wall-to-wall
• School-within-a-school
• Career-themed for relevance
• 250-300 students per SLC
• Personalized, relationship- oriented
  instruction
• Do what works for your school

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Why SLCs?

• What is impacted?
• Student achievement
• Attendance
• Dropout rate
• Program completion
• Postsecondary transition and success
• Career success future
  employment/earnings
• Economic growth

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Why SLCs?

• How do students feel?
• 29 percent of children feel that they have a
  caring learning environment
• 30 percent feel connected with positive adult
  role models
• 25 percent feel that their community values youth
• 25 percent feel that the adults in their
  community perceive them as valuable members of
  society
• 
  The Search Institute National
  Survey,
• 
  2004

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SLC Example Academy of Finance

• Completed more advanced math, computer technology
  and college courses
• Rated their courses significantly higher than did
  other seniors for relevance, interest, and
  incorporating college and career planning
• Felt that they were more prepared for their
  futures than their non-academy friends

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Academy of Finance Example

• Summary of Research
• At graduation, 77 percent of the Academy seniors
  and 64 percent of the comparison seniors planned
  to go to college and had been accepted.
• Almost 50 percent of the alumni received a
  bachelors degree or higher compared with the
  national average (32).

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curious, passionate kids are self-educators and
self motivators nobody works harder at learning
than a curious kid.
Friedman, The World is Flat

• Hospitality Management program fosters passion!
• Nationally recognized curriculum
• 56 percent enrollment increase
• Scholarship
• competition

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Engineering Program Builds Road To
CollegeAcademy Opens Doors For Minorities, Girls

• Project Lead the Way engineering program
• Six of the 26 graduates at Wheaton High are
  female, and all but three are minority.
• 1.6 million in college scholarships in 2007
  graduating class at Wheaton
• Six scholarships to Ivy Leagues

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• The BIG Picture

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• Every American youth will complete high
• school with the academic knowledge and
• skills needed to make a successful
• transition to postsecondary education or
• training without needing remediation.
• The Vision for High School
  Transformation

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The Workplace Is Changing Rapidly

• Global society
• Knowledge-based economy
• Technology-driven
• Life-long learning dependent
• Increasing diversity

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Students and the Flat World

• Your income taxes may be done in India
• Your CAT scan may be read in Australia
• Your telephone computer tech assistant may be
  based in China
• Students must prepare to compete for
• work in a competitive flat world. Who
• and where is the competition?
• T. Friedman, The World is Flat

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• Step 1
• Ensure RIGOR
• Step 2
• Provide RELEVANCE
• Step 3
• Build RELATIONSHIPS

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• Step 1
• Provide Rigorous Instruction
• Challenge all students with high expectations

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• Different Models -
• Common Practices
• Small learning communities need to happen in
  tandem with instructional improvements to produce
  lasting gains in student learning.
• This was determined by the Manpower
  Demonstration Research Corporation after studying
  three successful improvement models (Career
  Academies, Talent Development, and First Things
  First).
• Education Week
• 
  May 10, 2006
• 
  Report Roundup

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College and Work Readiness Skills Compared

• A study was conducted by the American College
  Testing (ACT) program.
• Findings indicated college and workplace
  readiness skills are analogous.
• This study encourages a review of high school
  graduation requirements.
• ACT recommends a common academic core that
  prepares all students for college and workforce
  training.
• 
  
  
  Education
  Week
• 
  Lynn Olson
• 
  May 10, 2006
• 
  
  
  

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Moving toward Rigor

• Rethinking High School
• Striving for a model that
• Serves ethnically and socio-economically diverse
  student populations
• Is highly sought after by students of all
  abilities
• Involves students in rigorous and engaging
  curriculum
• Allows for the development and maintenance of
  supportive learning environments
• Ensures that students are highly engaged in
  learning
• Focuses on students and their academic success
• 
  Huebner, Tracy and Corbett, Grace Rethinking
  High School Five Profiles
• of
  Innovative Models for School Success Seattle,
  WA Bill and Melinda
• Gates,
  Foundation 2005

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Moving toward Rigor

• Develop rigorous, standards-based courses that
  prepare all students for college
• National standards
• Interdisciplinary connections academic
  standards
• Honors and Advanced Placement (AP)
• International Baccalaureate Program
• Cambridge International Examinations Program

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Reasons Students Will Stay in School

Education Week Catherine Gewertz March 8, 2006
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Moving toward Rigor

• Sample Dual Completer Programs
• Academy of Health Professions
• Advanced Engineering - Project Lead-the-Way
• Medical Careers
• National Academy of Finance
• National Academy of Hospitality and Tourism
• National Academy of Information Technology
• Source Maryland Report
  Card

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Teacher Academy of Maryland

• Developed as a state model
• Mandatory teacher training
• Curriculum developed by Towson University
• Praxis and ParaPro exams
• College articulations

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Hospitality Management

• Nationally - developed curriculum
• Mandatory teacher training
• Certification exam
• ProStart certificate
• Scholarships sponsored by industry and colleges
• College articulations with fully -accredited
  colleges

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Academy of Health Professions

• Health and Biosciences Career Cluster
• Two foundation courses of Health Science
  Technology I, II
• Three pathways Medical Careers (CNA, GNA)
• Fundamentals of Pharmacy (Pharmacy Technician)
• Requires students to enroll in college
• courses for credit

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Postsecondary Opportunities

• Montgomery College College Institute
• Students take college classes at their high
  school sites
• college professors teach at high schools
• Online Learning
• Students take college and high school courses
  online
• Montgomery College On-Campus Program
• for High School Students
• Courses on the college campus
• Attend during the school day or evenings and/or
  weekends

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• Step 2
• Ensure Relevance in Curriculum and Instruction
• Help students connect their studies to the real
  world

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Seneca Valley High School Small Learning
Communities

• Career Academies
• National Academy Foundation
• Ninth Grade Academy
• Advisories
• Cambridge Program
• College Institute

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What is a Career Academy?

• Most schools use career academies as a SLC model
• The focus is on a broad career area, such as
  Business Management or Information Technology.
• Students learn about careers of interest
• while completing graduation and academy
• requirements as well as related capstone
  activities.
• Students take at least four academy courses
  during a three to four-year period, focusing on
  rigor and relevance.

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Career Academy Staff

• Academy Coordinator
• Academy Lead Teacher for each academy
• Academy staff working closely with School
  Counselors and all Staff

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SVHS Career Academies
Human Services
Science
Arts Media Studies
Business Finance
Technology
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Career Academy Career Pathways
Moving toward Relevance

• Academy of Science
• Biomedicine
• Biotechnology
• Engineering Science
• Medical Careers
• Pre-Engineering
• Sports Medicine
• Academy of the Arts Media
• Studies
• Broadcast Media
• Drama
• Instrumental Music
• Studio Art
• Vocal Music
• Indicates CTE Pathway Program

• Academy of Human Services
• Early Childhood Education
• Justice, Law and Society
• NJROTC
• Psychology Counseling
• Secondary Education
• Academy of Technology
• Automotive Technology
• Computer Programming
• NAF Academy of Information
• Technology
• Web Design
• Academy of Business Finance
• Accounting
• Business Management
• Sports Management

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Ninth Grade Academy

• Connections A course developed by MCPS that
  focuses on study skills, organization, and
  support to provide a seamless and successful
  transition from middle to high school
• Incentives/rewards
• Peer support Eagle Ambassadors
• Teams Monitor student progress
• Motivatation Special assemblies and speakers

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SVHS Career Academy Credentials and Incentives

• An academy cord is worn at graduation.
• An academy medal is given at the capstone
  presentation.
• An academy certificate is awarded with the
  diploma.
• A college letter of recommendation is sent upon
  the requests of students.

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Parents Learn Technology in SVHS Café
Program
Computer Access for Everyone
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Capstone Activity

• All academy students will be required to complete
  a capstone activity.
• Internship
• Research Project
• Senior Project
• College Course

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• Step 3
• Build Meaningful
• Relationships
• Foster supportive relationships
  between students and adults

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Relationships Matter

• "I have come to believe that the teacher
  advisory is the very best idea in the
  middle-level movement," said Chris Stevenson,
  professor of education at the University of
  Vermont and author of Teaching Ten to Fourteen
  Year Olds. Stevenson adds that the advisory
  structure is the element most inadequately
  implemented.
• 
  Creating Small Learning Communities
• 
  International Center for Leadership in Education
• 2004

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Advisories

• Are about relationships
• between adults and students, schools and
  families, and students themselves and thus are
  the glue that binds the school together.
• - Small Schools Project

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Advisories

• Are important for the success of career academies
• Provide a forum for student discussion about
  topics of their interest and concern
• Help students form meaningful relationships with
  at least one adult in the school
• Focus on reinforcing academic skills and
  community building within and outside of school
• Help students learn the relationship between what
  they learn in the classroom and their career
  interests.
• Are comprised of 17 or fewer students meeting at
  least once a week
• Loop advisors through 4 years with students.

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Frost MS and Wootton HS Super Team Advisory
Project

• Focused on vertical articulation, academic
  support and career education
• Based on the belief that all students can achieve
  at a high level
• Utilize technology and research to broaden
  students awareness of careers and college
  admission standards beginning in fifth grade
• Provide necessary intervention to support
  students academic needs
• Build strong relationships in schools between
  students and adults in the building
• Maintain advisories in all schools at all levels

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Moving toward Relationships

• MCPS Educational Partnerships
• Quality K-16 Educational System
• Business Partners
• Community Partners
• Government Partners
• Parents/Guardians
• Teachers, Counselors, Administrators
• Postsecondary Education Partners

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Moving toward Relationships Montgomery County
Business Roundtable for Education (MCBRE)

• One of the greatest opportunities for students
  to be prepared for the future world at work is
  for there to be a dynamic link and understanding
  today among teachers, parents and students about
  the knowledge and skills required by the business
  community. I work with MCBRE because I believe it
  provides that critical link."
• Edmund F. Hodge,
  Executive Vice President, Adventist HealthCare

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Montgomery County Collaboration Board (MCCB)
Moving toward Relationships

• Comprised of all 11 Career Cluster Advisory
  Boards (CABs) presidents
• Industry-based advisory boards
• Jointly-convened with Montgomery College
• Provide leadership in the development of seamless
  transitions from secondary to postsecondary
  education
• Led by MCCB president
• Provide annual reports to the Boards of Education
  and Trustees

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Moving toward Relationships

• Additional Partner Supported Educational
  Experiences
• Parent seminars
• Teacher externships and mentoring
• Take Your Child to Work Day
• National Job Shadow Day
• Career days
• Lunch and learn programs

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Moving toward Relationships

• State-of the-art work-based learning experiences,
  such as internships and job shadowing as part of
  a CTE pathway program
• Professional development conferences for students
• Teams of teachers working with students over an
  extended period of time
• Required advisory boards for CTE career clusters

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Moving Toward RelationshipsState-of-the-Art
Work-Based Learning

• Internships provide
• authentic real-world experiences
• portfolios
• competitive edge for college and the
• workplace
• Career Work Experience Program (CWE)
• awareness of personal characteristics and
  interests
• respect for the diversity of the world-of-work
• workplace skills

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• Next Steps
• Develop four to five model
• academies that are designed to
• address
• Labor demand
• Student interest
• Preparation for AP and/or college courses
• Various academy styles (wall-to-wall,
  school-within-a-school, off-campus, etc.)
• Structures in place to promote consistency

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Top Ten List WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO ENSURE
SECONDARY SCHOOL SUCCESS?
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10 Have Passion

• Believe in what you do.

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9Experiment

• Think
• outside
• of the box.

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8 Put Students First

• Keep your eyes
• on the prize.

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7Find Resources

• Use the talent of your total staff.

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6Involve Stakeholders

• Buy-in from
• students, staff,
• and community
• is important.

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5 Work!

• Be prepared to
• Work!
• Work!
• Work!

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4 Have Flexibility

• Be willing to
• Change.

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3 Know that it takes

• everyone!

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2Design for Collective
Ownership.

• We all own the
  SLCs

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1 Smile!
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DOORPRIZE
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Montgomery County Public Schools

• Division of Career and Technology Education
• Montgomery County Public Schools
• 850 Hungerford Drive, Suite 269
• Rockville, Maryland  20850
• 301-279-3565
• http//www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/cte