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SuccessBound Continuum

Elements of a Quality Pathway Programs

Business & Community Engagement

Industry, secondary & postsecondary education, and community partners are engaged in developing and supporting all aspects of the pathway.

Quality Indicator
  1. Community-wide stakeholders drive, support, and sustain educational system transformation through pathways.

  1. Experiential learning opportunities are provided by stakeholders.

  1. Stakeholders are active in mentoring students.

  1. Stakeholders and educators evaluate pathways for continuous improvement.

Pathway Design

Pathways include sequences of courses and supports designed to prepare students for lifelong learning and aligned to provide all graduates with post-secondary credit or credential of value. A process for continual evaluation exists for pathway development and improvement.

Quality IndicatorS
  1. Pathway courses integrate academic and technical content, and are aligned to postsecondary pathways.

  1. Students engage in experiential learning opportunities based on career aspirations and competency with assistance from instructors, guardian, and/or employer.

  1. Students have opportunities to perform knowledge and skills in events, activities and projects.

  1. Student’s technical and academic knowledge & skills are evaluated and assessed.

  1. School administration utilize local, state and/or national performance data, economic development, and career outlook data for pathway selection, planning and evaluationin cooperation with stakeholders.

EducatorCollaboration

All educators are engaged in pathways to promote high academic achievement, technical knowledge and skill development in all students.

Quality Indicator
  1. Educatorsgrow professionally through quality professional development experiences.

  1. Educators are active in local, state and national professional education/industry associations.

  1. Educators collaboratively integrate curriculum in all aspects of the pathway.

  1. Educators engage with industry and embed authenticlearning opportunities in to curriculum.

  1. Learning outcomes and student performance in the pathway is communicated to guardians and stakeholders.

  1. District and building policies and leadership support and sustain pathways.

Learning Environment & Culture

Pathways serve all students through collaboration, while also including individualized supports for career advising.

Quality IndicatorS
  1. Pathways are embedded throughout the culture of the school.

  1. Scheduling supports student progress through and completion of pathways.

  1. School counselors are informed on pathways and actively encourage and direct students.

  1. Students have support including career advising or counseling to assist in the pathway choice.

  1. Instructional program, including in virtual environments, uses relevant materials and resources, including current technology and equipment, to provide quality delivery of the technical and academic content of the career pathway.

Quality Element: Business & Community Engagement

Standard Statement: Pathways serve all students interested in preparing for a career in any of Ohio’s in-demand sectors through collaboration and imbedded academics, while also including individualized supports for career advising.

Quality Indicator / description / local status
  1. Community-wide stakeholders drive, support, and sustain educational system transformation through pathways.
/ Business, community, school and after-school personnel, Post-Secondary personnel, military, family and student representatives participate in an advisory committee that meet quarterly. The Advisory Committee provides survey results and meeting minutes to the community through the district/community school/ESC website. They organize regular events to highlight present pathway options for specific groups.
  1. Experiential learning opportunities are provided by stakeholders.
/ All students are engaged in experiential learning or work-based learning experiences related to their pathway partnered with a business/industry stakeholder.
  1. Stakeholders are active in mentoring students.
/ Each student in the pathway is assigned a career mentor who meets with the student more than once a year. Mentoring sessions address student’s progress toward career goals and aligns to the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal among other topics.
  1. Stakeholders and educators evaluate pathways for continuous improvement.
/ Pathway evaluation conducted annually, using performance information with state measures, Quality Elements, and initiates stakeholder surveys to provide data for discussion and decision-making on present pathways. This data also is used to determine future pathway options and the elimination of out-of-date pathway options. Strategies for improvement are developed. The annual pathways evaluation results are shared with all stakeholders along with the next year's improvement strategies. Any future new pathways options and plans are also shared.

Quality Element: Pathway Design

Standard Statement:Pathways include sequences of courses and supports designed to prepare students for lifelong learning and aligned to provide all graduates with post-secondary credit or credential of value. A process for continual evaluation exists for pathway development and improvement.

Quality Indicator / Description / local status
  1. Pathway courses integrate academic and technical content, and are aligned to postsecondary pathways.
/ Courses are integrated throughout the pathway. Students learn academic principles in real-world context and coursework is aligned to postsecondary pathways andcredentials when applicable. Students will also be eligible for employment.
  1. Students engage in experiential learning opportunities based on career aspirations and competency with assistance from instructors, guardian, and/or employer.
/ Pathway students plan, develop, and manage experiential learning or work-based learning experiences with assistance of their instructor, guardian, mentor and/or employer that is based on their career aspirations and asks the student to demonstrate competency in professional and technical skills to ensure alignment to the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal.
  1. Student’s technical and academic knowledge & skills throughout coursework and experiences are evaluated and assessed.
/ Formative and summative evaluation of academic & technical skill competency throughout all aspects of the student’s career pathway is rigorous and relevant. Results of assessments are utilized for personalized and differentiated instruction.
  1. Students have opportunities to perform knowledge and skills in events, activities and projects.
/ A documented balance exists between inquiry-based classroom and laboratory instruction, experiential learning and cross-curricular real-world problem-solving projects. Students have opportunities to perform skills at various events (e.g. invention convention, CTSO competition, science fair, etc.).
  1. School administration utilize local, state and/or national performance data, economic development, and career outlook data for pathway selection, planning and evaluation in cooperation with stakeholders.
/ Pathway evaluation conducted annually, using performance information with state measures and input from the advisory committee. The district leadership team or community school leadership team, along with the district’s Business Advisory Council and stakeholders, developstrategies for improvement. The annual evaluation results are shared with all stakeholders, along with the next year's improvement strategies. Any future new pathways options and plans are also shared.

Quality Element: Educator Collaboration

Standard Statement:All educators are engaged in pathways to promote high academic achievement, technical knowledge and skill development in all students.

Quality Indicator / description / local status
  1. Educators grow professionally through quality professional development experiences.
/ Educators participate in professional development activities that supports the breadth and depth of the pathway philosophy. Industry and postsecondary partners play a key role in professional development of pathway instructors (e.g. industry tours, higher education institution tours, externships, and technical learning).
  1. Educators are active in local, state and national professional education/industry associations.
/ Educators participate in national, state, or local leadership functions for industry and educational associations, committees, and other opportunities.
  1. Educators collaboratively integrate curriculum in all aspects of the pathway.
/ Educators collaborate regularly or team teach courses to provide maximum integration of technical and academic content. Technical and academic standards are aligned to provide reinforcement of content in all areas and award simultaneous credit where applicable.
  1. Educators engage with industry and embed authentic learning opportunities in to curriculum.
/ Educators regularly collaborate with business and industry to find ways to utilize their work specific scenarios and materials in the classroom and to engage their expertise in developing course scope and sequence. Classroom expectations resemble the work place in terms of "job"/school performance.
  1. Learning outcomes and student performance in the pathway is communicated to guardians and stakeholders.
/ School provide ongoing communication, through multiple media, student classroom experiences in pathway and the connections to careers, credentials and postsecondary opportunities the pathway provides.
  1. District and building policies and leadership support and sustain pathways.
/ School policies (e.g. attendance, transportation, credit flexibility, College Credit Plus, etc.) support and sustain student participation in pathways. School board, district and building administration support continual growth of pathway options.

Quality Element: Learning Environment & Culture

Standard Statement:Pathways serve all students through collaboration, while also including individualized supports for career advising.

Quality Indicator / description / Local status
  1. Pathways are embedded throughout the culture of the school.
/ Schools cultivate a culture of career pathways in which teachers, counselors and leaders share the goal of graduating students college-ready and/or, career-ready with graduates earning a credential or degree of value, maintaining employment, or entering the military post graduation.
  1. Students have support including career advising to assist in the pathway choice.
/ Teachers and counselors deliver academic and career advising and facilitate exploratory experiences that help students and parents achieve a deeper understanding of their interests, aptitudes and opportunities and set postsecondary and career goals. Students courses are selected based on these goals.
  1. School counselors are informed on pathways and actively encourage and direct students to enroll.
/ School counselors apply knowledge on all career pathway options and consult additional pathway leaders when assisting in enrolling students in pathway courses, based on the student’s career interest and aptitude.
  1. Scheduling supports student progress through and completion of pathways.
/ Teachers and counselors work with students and parents to develop a personalized pathway that prepares the student for both college and careers. These plans span high school and continue through employment.
  1. Instruction, including in virtual environments, uses relevant materials and resources, including current technology and equipment, to provide quality delivery of the technical and academic content of the career pathway.
/ Use of the most current technology and equipment pertaining to the pathways industry sector is emphasized, either within the school district or through business and community partners. The environment (either virtual or physical) is conducive to student learning and interaction.

Version 2 | October 19, 2017