Using Key Train and Work Keys for Student Credentialing

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Using Key Train and Work Keys for Student
Credentialing

• WEXFORD-MISSAUKEE AREA
• CAREER TECHNICAL CENTER

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Successful Educational Programs

• There is no magic formula for success, but most
  successful educational programs -- those that
  result in higher student performance -- share
  certain common components

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The First Component

• Successful programs have clear and shared common
  goals that are understood and embraced by board
  members, administrators, teachers, students, and
  the general public

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The Second Component

• Successful programs use data to determine
  instructional priorities that will result in
  raising performance standards for all students

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The Third Component

• In successful programs, instruction is relevant
  students understand the need for learning the
  material, and the teacher conveys how and when
  students will actually use what they are learning

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The Fourth Component

• In successful programs, a positive relationship
  exists between the teacher and the student
• Without this, the third component cannot happen

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Learned Lessons and Survival

• If CTE is to survive as a viable educational
  delivery while the current emphasis is on
  academic rigor, lessons learned and successes
  achieved from past initiatives have to be built
  upon.
• These include such initiatives as Tech Prep,
  Schools That Work, and School-To-Work/School-
  to-Career.

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Successful Initiatives

• Tech Prep focuses on academics delivered in
  applied and contextual ways
• High Schools That Work focus on eliminating the
  general track and on measuring and documenting
  student academic achievement
• School-to-Career focuses on the growing
  complexity and sophistication of the American
  workplace and the need to connect education to
  work

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CTE Commonalities with Other Successful Program
Deliveries

• CTE coursework includes academics that are taught
  using both applied and contextual methodology
• CTE measures academic achievement as part of
  demonstrating occupational competencies
• CTE addresses the complex technologies in the new
  and emerging world of work
• CTE directly connects education to work

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Challenges for CTE

• CTE has weathered many storms in the recent past,
  but new challenges resulting from the latest
  Michigan school reforms and the newly legislated
  high school graduation requirements, in addition
  to misconceptions about the rigor in its
  coursework, are substantial.

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The Biggest Challenge for CTE?

• All the components necessary for program success
  are imbedded in Career and Technical Education
  delivery, but a major challenge is a perception
  by some that CTE coursework is less rigorous than
  general education coursework

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Addressing the Challenges

• Students enrolled at the Wexford-Missaukee Area
  Career Technical Center have an opportunity to
  attain status as a credentialed student if they
  demonstrate competency in three specific rigorous
  and workplace relevant skill sets.

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Skill Set Credentialing

• These 3 skill sets include
• Occupational Skill Attainment
• Academic Preparedness
• Workplace Readiness

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Occupational Skill Attainment

• The 1st skill set is occupational skill
  attainment for which CTC is best known
• Students develop specific occupational skills to
  prepare them for work, further training,
  apprenticeships, college, and/or military service
• To be credentialed, students must complete a CTE
  program with a 2.0 GPA (letter grade of C) or
  better

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Academic Preparedness

• The 2nd skill set is academic preparedness
• Students are assessed upon entry into their CTC
  program using Key Train and/or ACT Work Keys
• They are assessed in 3 areas
• Applied Mathematics
• Reading for Information
• Locating Information

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• Students have opportunities to improve their
  academic skill levels in both the CTC classroom
  and in the learning lab using Key Train software
• They are assisted by instructors, support staff,
  para-professionals, and staff assigned for that
  purpose only

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• CTC has 2 school-wide NCA goals related to
  academic skill attainment
• All students will attain at least a level 3 in
  all 3 Work Key assessment areas
• All students will attain a Work Keys academic
  profile consistent with the career they are
  pursuing

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• To be credentialed in this skill set, students
  must attain a level 3 or higher in all 3 areas
• The number of students successfully attaining
  this rate over the past 3 years has been very
  high even with a special education student rate
  of almost 20 (Hand-out)

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• Students are assessed using Key Train during
  their first 2 weeks at CTC
• At the same time, each student chooses a
  career-related path based on his/her career goal
• The Work Keys profile for career-related path is
  provided to the student
• This profile becomes the individual academic goal
  for the student

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• If the entry level Key Train scores do not meet
  or exceed the academic profile, an academic
  development plan is created
• During the following two years, the student will
  systematically work with Key Train to attain the
  academic profile goals
• The student may work on this in either the
  classroom/lab or in the Work Based Learning Lab
  with the WBLL aide

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• The MME Work Keys scores are reviewed as
  benchmarks at the end of the junior year
• For seniors who have participated in Key Train
  academic development activities during their
  enrollment at CTC, their last Key Train
  assessment scores are considered to be their exit
  scores
• However, they can take a Work Keys test to
  qualify for the NCRC

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• Data from an assessment done last year, though
  limited, tend to indicate a positive correlation
  between Key Train scores and Work Keys scores
  (Hand-out)

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Academic Preparedness Continued

• Students whose entry scores exceeded their target
  scores and have not participated in Key Train
  academic development activities during their
  enrollment at CTC are given a three-part Work
  Keys assessment to obtain exit scores to use to
  compare with entry scores for measuring academic
  gain and for qualification for the NCRC

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A Side Note About Work Keys

• The 6 areas in the Self Directed Search interest
  inventory by John Holland have been
  cross-referenced with Work Keys scores.
  (Handout)
• Students whose interest is surveyed using the SDS
  can also get a quick idea of the math and reading
  levels needed for success in related careers as
  identified by Work Keys

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Workplace Readiness

• The 3rd skill set in the credentialing processes
  is workplace readiness
• Attitude is as Important as Skills has been a
  long-standing motto at CTC
• Workplace Readiness is measured by evaluating
  students in 3 sub-sets
• Employability Skills and Work Ethics
• Career Awareness and Research
• Employability Documents

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Employability Skills and Work Ethics

• CTC instructors evaluate students in 10
  employability and workplace readiness areas
• They use a rubric scale of 1 (basically poor)
  through 5 (basically excellent)
• CTC staff determined the areas to evaluate and
  the rubrics as part of the school improvement and
  NCA process
• Students are evaluated within the first 9 weeks
  of their enrollment and regularly afterwards
  until they complete

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Employability Skills and Work Ethics Continued

• Employability Skills and Work Ethics include 10
  areas)
• Cooperation Teamwork Respectfulness
  Self-Discipline Punctuality and Attendance
  Finishes Timely (Timeliness) Preparedness
  Self-Motivation Responsibility and Use of Time
  (Hand-out)

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Employability Skills and Work Ethics Continued

• To be credentialed in this skill set, students
  must have a minimum average score of 3 or a total
  score of 30 or more for the 10 areas
• A student may have a score of more than 30 and
  still not be credentialed if s/he has any 1s or
  2s
• This credentialing is more subject to the
  instructors discretion than the other areas
• This has been the area where students have been
  the least successful, especially in 4 sub-areas
• Punctuality and Attendance
• Finishes Timely
• Self-Motivation
• Time Management

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Career Awareness and Research

• Career Awareness and Research activities are
  intended to ensure that students are exposed to
  the world-of-work and understand career options
  available to them before graduating from high
  school
• This is accomplished by students being involved
  in any number of activities
• Career Fairs Job Shadowing and Work Exploration
  Workshops Field Trips Cooperative Education
  Career Research on the Internet or Career
  Cruising Military Days College Nights and many
  others

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Career Awareness and Research Continued

• To be credentialed in this skill set, students
  must have been involved in a minimum of 4 career
  awareness and research activities (hand-out)
• The number of students successfully attaining
  this rate over the past 3 years has been very high

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Employability Documents and Related Activities

• To be workplace ready, students must be prepared
  for job interviews with various documents
• They should also be involved in mock interview
  activities
• Employability Documents include
• Creating of a Resume Writing a Letter of
  Application Writing a Letter of Inquiry Writing
  a Follow-Up to an Interview Letter Completing a
  Job Application and Practicing a Job Interview

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Employability Documents and Related Activities
Continued

• To be credentialed in this skill set, students
  must create a minimum of 3 employability
  documents that meet or exceed business and
  industry standards or complete 4 related
  activities (or both)
• Many students create all the employability
  documents, complete the job application, and have
  a mock interview
• Most students earn this credential

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Student Credentialing Goal 1

• All students will be credentialed in all areas
• All students will attain occupational
  certification through competencies relative to
  their career goals and aspirations

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Student Credentialing Goal 2

• All students will be credentialed in all 3 areas
• All students will have Work Keys scores that meet
  or exceed their Work Keys target scores relative
  to their career goals and aspirations

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Student Credentialing Goal 3

• All students will be credentialed in all areas
• All students will be workplace ready as
  demonstrated by having workplace readiness scores
  that equal or exceed 3 in all areas with no 1s
  or 2s in any area

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Student Credentialing Ultimate Goal

• Local employers will participate in a
  Credentialed Applicant Program wherein CTC
  students receive preference that involves a
  guaranteed interview for a job opening related to
  their training

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The Next Steps

• Make employers and the public aware of what
  credentialing is all about
• Inform CTC Program Advisory Committee Members
• Inform cooperative education employers
• Write an article in the Chamber of Commerce
  magazine
• Buy advertisements in the local newspapers
• Getting a television story during Vocational
  Education month
• Informing the local business and industry
  associations
• Making presentations to local service clubs
• Write articles for the ISD newsletter

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In Conclusion

• There are 3 types of people -- those who make it
  happen, those who watch it happen, and those who
  wonder what happened.
• Tommy Lasorda

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Presenter and Contact Information

• Mike Blanchard, Director, Wexford-Missaukee Area
  Career Technical Center, 9901 East 13th Street,
  Cadillac, MI 49601, Telephone [phone], FAX
  231-876-2212, email mblancha_at_wmisd.org
• Website http//wmactc.wmisd.k12.mi.us/