Redesigning Education for the 21st Century Workforce in Mississippi

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Redesigning Education for the 21st Century
Workforce in Mississippi

• Mississippi Department of Education

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Overview

• Economic and workforce development has reached a
  tipping point in Mississippi causing the MDE to
  take a closer look at the delivery of workforce
  education in our state.
• A variety of research and feedback from
  stakeholder groups has been analyzed to develop
  this plan.
• This plan will outline the proposed
  research-based new direction for the 7th 9th
  grade Discovery courses, Career Centers, and
  career pathways for Mississippi.

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Why Change?

• Forty percent drop-out rate
• Graduates unprepared for the 21st century
  workforce
• NCLB technology literacy requirement
• Federal (Perkins) and state (HB214) laws
• Increasing need for postsecondary remediation

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On Target with a New Direction
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Research

• Articles
• Reinventing the American High School for the 21st
  Century A Position Paper. (2006). ACTE
• Report Gives Voice to Dropout. (2006). Bill
  Melinda Gates Foundation Web site
• Rigor and Relevance Framework. (2005). Intl
  Center for Leadership in Education
• Job Outlook

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Seven MS Pathways

• Health Care
• Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Construction and Manufacturing
• Transportation
• Business Management and Marketing
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
• Human Services

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Dual Credit Options

• High School and College Computer Applications
  Requirement Fulfillment
• Online Vocational and Academic Course Options at
  the Secondary and Postsecondary Levels
• Select Vocational Courses Count for Academic
  Credit

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Flexible Requirements

• Graduation Requirements
• Industry Entry
• Community College Entry
• Institutions of Higher Learning Entry
• Three-year Option
• Flexible Scheduling
• Competency Based Learning

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Vocational Program Modifications

• Streamlining the 49 two-year Secondary Vocational
  Programs to
• Approximately 10 introductory courses (retaining
  6 Family Consumer Sciences courses)
• Approximately 20 two-year vocational programs
• Continuation of Postsecondary Vocational Cluster
  Programs

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Counseling Component

• Adult Support for all Students by Pathway
• Peer Support for all Students by Pathway
• Career Enhanced Curriculum 7 12
• Targeted Aptitude and Academic Diagnostics and
  Options
• Parental Involvement
• WE WORK Center

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WE WORK Center Workforce Education With Online
Learning for Real-world Knowledge

• Online Career Counselor and/or Crisis Hotline
• WE WORK Website
• Career Resources
• MS Industries
• Postsecondary and Higher Education Information
• Resume Samples, Cover Letters, Interviewing
  Skills, etc.
• Career/Industry Certifications
• Virtual High School/Virtual Community College
• Modules
• Drop-out prevention
• Employability skills
• Basic Industrial Skills
• Quality Management Skills
• Academic Testing (ACT/PSAT)

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Integration of Workforce Education in High School

• Vocational Education Courses
• Integrate academic, workforce, and technology
  skills in all secondary vocational curriculum
  frameworks to the level that vocational courses
  can count as a math or science credit for
  graduation
• Face-to-face and online professional development
  opportunities dedicated to increasing the Rigor
  and Relevance curriculum enhancement will be
  available to academic and vocational educators
  

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Professional Development

• Methods of ICT
• New Licensure Endorsement
• Methods of STEM
• New Licensure Endorsement
• Methods of Career Pathways
• Administrator, Counselor, Media Center, and
  Special Population Training

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Partnerships
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