Final Version – For Distribution to Schools

2-24-2012

Application Overview

(Please review before completing your application)

Application Options

Traditionally the CTE College and Career Academy (Academy) application has focused on offering high schools the opportunity to apply for their school to become part of the Academy model. Applying to house an Academy requires schools to demonstrate their dedication to providing a significant number of high-quality CTE programs to their student population.

CTE has received valuable feedback from high schools that they would like to offer a limited number of high-quality CTE programs to their students, but cannot meet the requirements to become a full Academy. As a result of feedback, CTE is offering a new application option for high schools allowing them to apply for a new Program that the school does not currently offer. The option allows schools to apply for the supports and infrastructure to host CTE program(s) without belonging to the traditional Academy.

To support the school district’s goal to have every student, in every school and in every neighborhood, college and career ready, CTE will be accepting applications for high schools to: (1)Add College & Career Academy(ies)or (2). Add College & Career Program(s) to their school. Please refer to the chart below if you are unsure of which option your school should consider.

OR

School Profile considerations:

If you are unsure of which option your school should consider, please contact AdrienneScherenzel-Curry, Senior Manager of Strategy, Planning and Enrollment in CTE, at

College and Career Application Option Comparison

Supports offered to Academies and Programs are similar. The goal of the new College and Career Program option is to openadditional high-quality CTE programs in CPSschools that may not be able to offer the Academy model but where students can still benefit from CTE coursework. College and Career Programs must exhibit strong commitment to the implementation of best practices outlined for Academies.Schools applying to open College and Career Program(s) for the 2013-2014 school yearshall complete the same application as College and Career Academy applicants unless stated otherwise.

Supports Offered / College and Career Academy / College and Career Program
Capital investment to build state of the art facilities (if needed) / X / X
Split funding for a dedicated Academy Coordinator position for first four years / X
Funding for required supplies, equipment and industry-recommended industrial materials / X / X
Periodic industry-specific professional development for CTE teachers / X / X
Day-to-day industry technical support from CPS CTE program coordinator / X / X
Instructional coaching and professional development for CTE teachers conducted by CTE instructional support tem / X / X
Professional development to support integrated instruction activities between core and CTE teachers / X
Access to industry relationships and support in identifying work-based learning opportunities for students / X / X
Access to postsecondary relationships and support in identifying articulation opportunities, including dual credit, for students / X / X
Support for marketing programs to incoming students / X / X
Recruitment and support for citywide admissions of incoming students / X
Teacher recruiting assistance / X / X
Technical support regarding ISBE CTE guidelines and other CTE policies and procedures / X / X

Background Information

(Please review before completing your application)

Overview of College & Career Academies and Programs

College & Career Academies and Programs are comprised of sequenced, academically rigorous coursework that isfocused on a specific Career & Technical Education (CTE) industry area and prepares students for post-secondary success. Programs and Academies are designed in partnership with local industry, community, and higher education partners, and in many cases lead students directly to earning industry-recognized credentials or college credit while in high school.

CTE is committed to a model of quality programming that provides students a rigorous, career-focused curriculum that prepares themfor post-secondary success incollege and careers. Our model is achieving results.CTE students are graduating high school and enrolling in college at higher levels than the students not enrolled in CTE programs.

The following chart describes the ~40 CTE programs (e.g., Allied Health, Carpentry), organized within 12 career clusters (e.g., Health Sciences, Architecture & Construction), which are currently offered at Chicago Public Schools. College & Career Academies may be comprised of a variety of combinations of these programs; in addition, new program ideas are also welcome and will be considered on an individual basis.

CTE Programs Currently Offered at CPS

College & Career Academy and Program Best Practices

College & Career Academies and Programs share the following characteristics:

  • Structure and Size Guidelines: Program Structure / CourseSequencing– Every academy should enroll enough students to sustain at least 2 teachers, based on CPS entitlement formulas as defined by OMB, which implies at minimum 2 programs in any academy (e.g., 1 section of students in Allied Health and 1 section of students in Medical & Health Careers could comprise a Health Science academy), or 2 sections of students in a given program (e.g., 2 sections of students in Allied Health could comprise an Allied Health academy). In most cases, each CTE program within a College & Career Academy follows a 3-year course sequence consisting of: ‘orientation’ beginning in the 10th grade for one (1) period per day, ‘training’ in the 11th grade for two (2) periods per day, and ‘advanced training’ in the 12th grade for two (2) periods per day. This implies an academy should have at least 56 sophomores, 56 juniors, and 56 seniors in order to sustain 2 teachers when fully enrolled. Additional programs/sections of students would imply additional teachers. In addition, students in College & Career Academies must also pursue all core courses required for high school graduation (e.g., Math, English).College and Career Programs may be smaller in size than Academies, e.g., 1 teacher per program when fully enrolled. CTE highly recommends that College and Career Programs follow the above stated structure and course sequencing. CTE is open to modified program course sequencing for College and Career Programapplicants.
  • Integration of College and Career Preparation: Successful College & Career Academiesand Programs offer an integrated college and career preparation curriculum built around rigor, relevance, and relationships.

Rigor

  • High expectations exist for all students
  • All students complete college preparatory core curriculum as well as CTE course work. For each CTE program, a recommended Program of Study (POS) provided by the Office of Pathways to College & Career will outline core academic courses that should be taken in tandem with CTE coursework (e.g., 4 years of Math is recommended for all CTE Pre-Engineering students). The POS will also describe opportunities that may exist to earn industry-recognized credentials and postsecondary credits in each program.
  • CTE curriculum meets or exceeds state standards, college entrance requirements, and industry standards
  • Collaboration occurs between core curricular and CTE teachers
  • Students get the supportneeded from industry-certified teachers

Relevance

  • Academies and Programs industry focus is linked to local workforce needs
  • Academies and Programs provide pathways to post-secondary education
  • Students choose to enroll in Academy or Program based on life goals and career interests
  • Students are motivated by applied, contextual, project-based teaching and learning
  • Workplace experience and/or community service are incorporated into students’ learning
  • Students develop skills critical to success in careers, life, and society – not just in academics

Relationships

  • Small Learning Community (SLC) structures group students together over multiple years with teachers, allowing for students and teachers to know each other well
  • Employers serve as role models, mentors, and advisors
  • Offer ‘Soft’ Skills Training: Success in college and careers requires students to possess both industry-specific technical skills and more general ‘soft’ or employability skills. Soft skills include areas such as punctuality, business ethics, time management, professional communication, and resume writing. Model College & Career Academiesand Programs incorporate soft skills training into all of their CTE courses.
  • Offer Significant Work-Based Learning (WBL)Experiences: ModelCollege & Career Academiesand Programs provide internships during the school year and/or over the summer, thus providing students with exposure to the professionalworld and a chance to develop specific skills. Such extensive work-based internships build on “job-shadow,”“guest lecture,” and service-learning experiences. Internship opportunitiesenable faculty to connect their students to the outside world of work and encourage students to take their classroom work more seriously, as faculty recommend students for internship placements. In addition to employer outreach conducted by district administration, school faculty members develop their own relationships with employers as they supervise students, and this enriches and provides professional development to the school’s teachers.
  • Focus on High Demand, High Skill, High Wage Industries:Model College & Career Academiesand Programs educate students forcareers in sectors that are in high demand, are high skilled, and provide high wages based on Chicagoland labor market needs and global market/economic trends.
  • Offer Industry-Recognized Credentials Based on National Standards: High-paying jobs open to high school graduates place great value on industry credentials, as credentials offer an objective, standardized, external assessment of a student’s level of skill attainment. For most industry areas (or “career clusters”), College & Career Academiesand Programs prepare students to earn industry-recognized credentials in their respective areas of study, either during high school or through a postsecondary program.
  • Industry and Postsecondary Partnership/Participation: Industry and post-secondary partnerships are built at the district- and school-level for College and Career Academies and Programs. Partners in model College and Career Academies and Programs assist with areas such as providing work-based learning experiences and dual credit opportunities for students; supporting curriculum development; offering teacher professional development and student mentoring; informing facilities development; and, general fundraising.
  • Expected Results: College & Career Academyand Program success is measured based on a variety of criteria, including but not limited to:
  • Student enrollment
  • Certified teachers
  • Business and postsecondary partnerships
  • Program retention and completion
  • Work readiness and experience
  • Skill-attainment/ Certification and licensure / Dual credit
  • High school graduation
  • Postsecondary education enrollment and completion (certificate, associate's, bachelor's)
  • Employment and earnings
  • Academyof Choice for Students: Every College & CareerAcademy is a program of choice, wherein a student must apply to attend based on his or her interest in a particular career path. High Schools with College and Career Academies enroll students into each Academy through a centralized citywide application and admissions process managed by the Office of Pathways to College and Career (OPCC) and the Office of Portfolio. All interested students must apply during their 8th grade year.
  • Preference will be given to students that have a minimum stanine of 5 in math and reading on their seventh grade standardized tests. Preference will also be given to students who reside within the school’s attendance or proximity boundaries, to achieve at least a 30 percent neighborhood component of the program’s enrollment.
  • Where there are more applicants than available seats, a computerized lottery process will be used when applying a preference category.
  • The district may reserve additional seats for students who reside within the school’s attendance boundaries based on an annual determination of anticipated building overcapacity.
  • Medical & Health Careers, Law & Public Safety, Oracle Database Programming, and Cisco Networking will have additional, more selective application requirements. The criteria for these programs are currently being revised for the 2013 application.
  • Note: The approach to citywide CTE admissions is subject to change pending any changes to CPS’ district-wide approach to high school student admissions.
  • Program of Choice for Students: Every College & Career Program is a program of choice, wherein a student mustdemonstrate interest in enrolling in a particular career path. High Schools with College and Career Programsmust develop their own application or admissions process that draws from students currently enrolled in their school.
  • Citywide boundaries: College & Career Academies offer citywide boundaries so that any student within Chicago city boundaries may apply for the opportunity to enroll in the academy. The centralized admissions process reserves a minimum of 30% of seats for attendance area students, or a 2.5 mile radius proximity to the school if the school does not have an attendance area (note: this minimum may be raised above 30% based on annual analysis of school capacity utilization and projected enrollment).

Contributions Expected of School

While CPS will provide a variety of resources to support CTE in schools, schools are accountable for effective implementation of their College & Career Academies and Programs. School ownership of College & Career Academyand Program success is reflected in a variety of expectations for schools – for each school housing a College & Career Academy and Program, these expectations are defined in the Guidelines for CTE College & Career Academies and Programs (see attachment). These Guidelines must be agreed to and signed by any school Principal hosting academies as well as the school’s Chief Network Officer.

Application Process

Please complete the following application form. One copy of Section A must be submitted for each College & Career Academy or Program proposed. To apply for a College and Career Academy and Program you must also submit one copy of Section B for each school. i.e., a school that applies to house three academies must submit three separate Section A’s and one Section B.

Applications must be submitted to the Office of Pathways to College & Careers by FridayMarch 30, 2012.

Please send completed applications via email to Adrienne Scherenzel-Curry, Senior Manager ofStrategy, Planning and Enrollment in CTE, . If you have questions regarding this application form or process, please contact Adrienne via email or at (773) 553-3503.

Applications will be reviewed by the CTE selection committee, and finalists will be notified by April 13th to participate in a facilities review. Final decisions will be made in May 2012, based on both the application and the facilities review.

Please note that this application is for College & Career Academies and Programs that will open in Fall of the 2013-2014 school year. Decisions will be made in May 2012 to enable capital and admissions planning. Facility build-out work for approved academies and programslikely will occur during summer 2013.

Chicago Public Schools

College & Career Academy and Program Application Form*

SECTION A: ONE SUBMISSION PER ACADEMY or PROGRAM

* Schools applying for the College and Career Program option must complete the same application as College and Career Academy unless stated otherwise.

Please check the appropriate box to indicate the type of application you are completing:

Academy Application

Program Application

1. Industry Focus

Referring to the list below of 12 career clusters currently offered at CPS, indicate the cluster(s) that represent(s) the main industry focus/foci for your proposed academy. (Note: Some academies may include programs within more than one cluster; however, most academies offer programs within one cluster.) Clusters in bold-type have been identified as CPS priority industries (based on labor market opportunities) and thus may be given greater consideration for approval. Applications are also welcome in career paths not currently offered by CPS.

Agricultural & Horticulture

Architecture & Construction

Broadcast Technology and Digital Media

Business & Finance

Education & Training

Health Sciences

Culinary & Hospitality

Human Services

Information Technology

Law & Public Safety

Manufacturing

Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics

Other (Please Describe)*: ______

*Note: Applications for academies in any career paths not currently offered at CPS (e.g., Government & Public Administration, Green Technology) are welcome and will be considered on an individual basis. These ‘new’ career paths should be listed in the “Other” line above and also require completion of question 7 on this application form.

2. Program Focus and Course Sequencing

  • Indicate the CTE program(s) you plan to offer in your College & Career Academy or the individual CTE program(s) you plan to offer in your College & Career Program model. Please refer to the Background Information section for a list of existing programs (e.g., Carpentry, Electricity, Architectural Drafting & Design) offered within each career cluster (e.g., Architecture & Construction). Please note that every academy must enroll enough students to sustain at least 2 teachers, based on CPS entitlement formulas as defined by OMB, which implies at minimum 2 programs in any academy (e.g., 1 section of students in Allied Health and 1 section of students in Medical & Health Careers could comprise a Health Science academy), or 2 sections of students in a given program (e.g., 2 sections of students in Allied Health could comprise an Allied Health academy). CTE highly recommends that College and Career Programs follow the above stated structure and course sequencing. CTE is open to modified program course sequencing for College and Career Program applicants.

Also, please describe below the CTE course sequences you will follow for each program in your academy. The CPS Office of Pathways to College and Careerhasprovided information around recommended course sequences for all CTE programs currently available in CPS at CTE Course Code Guide. Please contact Adrienne Scherenzel-Curry (773-553-3503 or )if you have additional questions.

Note: Blank tables are provided below – you may add or delete tables to fit the number of programs you are proposing.