EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
BUsiness Horizon Quarterly
PARTNERSHIPS WITH PROMISE RELEVANCY IN SCHOOLS THROUGH WORKPLACE LEARNING
BY DR. LAZARO LOPEZ ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 214, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS
LEARNING
W
hat was once a rite of passage in our
This is substantiated in the 2009 High School Survey
collective coming-of-age-stories—the
of Student Engagement, conducted by the Center for
summer job—has quickly succumbed to the
Educational Policy at Indiana University. With 350,000
weight of the recession, and with it, countless experiences
students surveyed across 40 states, 66% said they were
essential to the academic development of our nation’s
bored on a daily basis, with the most common causes cited
youth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
being that the “the material was NOT interesting” or that
summer labor participation rate for all youth (16-24)
there was a “lack of relevance of the material.”3 Consider
declined from a high of 77.5% in 1989 to 60.5% in
the impact the lack of engagement in school or exposure
2013. This downward trend in youth employment
to career opportunities has on a student’s ability to identify
has the potential to have a significant economic and
and pursue a post-secondary degree or certification
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academic impact. These early workplace experiences provide students with valuable insights into their areas of interests, along with ample opportunities to apply and develop personal skillsets. Consider their added value when purposefully structured within a defined career pathway to build a network of professional contacts necessary for future employment in the field. Even more importantly, these experiences aid in answering the eternal question we ask every teenager in high school: “What are you going to do with your life?” Early workplace experiences, whether a summer job or focused internship, provide a
FOR OUR NATION’S HIGH SCHOOLS TO BE RELEVANT IN THIS NEW ECONOMY, THEY MUST SERVE AS AN INTEGRAL PART IN A STUDENT’S PROGRESSION TOWARD A CAREER PATHWAY INFORMED BY WORKPLACE LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
foundation to discovering one’s future and an essential pathway to relevancy for schools. Colleges and universities have discovered that workplace experiences in the form of internships or pre-professional requirements lead to more marketable students and higher rates of employment for their graduates.2 Workplace learning is not new to schools as cooperative education programs (which combine classroom lessons with practical work experiences) certainly have a history in secondary education. These programs, however, have been relegated to the cursory few as elective opportunities without a direct and purposeful connection to the college and career goals of the student. As a result, there is little perceived relevance by students in what they do in the classroom and their future.
program that aligns with their skills. With the rising cost of college tuition, changing majors or entering college undecided now comes with an unsustainable price tag. The New York Federal Reserve reports student debt tripled between 2004 and 2012, reaching close to $1 trillion. Students can no longer afford to go to college without a clear pathway discovered long before the freshman year in college. With a 70% increase in the number of borrowers and average debt per person, our nation’s economy can’t afford it either.4 If we can connect the dots between what students are excited about in their future and the classes they take, they are more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to challenge themselves with honors or advanced placement. For our nation’s high schools to be relevant in
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
BUsiness Horizon Quarterly 2. External experiences take on a multitude of forms,
THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL LEADER REQUIRES AN INNUMERABLE SET OF SKILLS, BUT TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THIS EFFORT ARE STEWARDSHIP OF A VISION AND SUSTAINING THE SCHOOL CULTURE.
including problem-based learning, internships, site visits, competitions, real-world challenges, summer enrichment, and anything else that brings authenticity to the classroom and informs a student’s career choice. Person-to-person engagement and interaction is the most essential component to ensuring relevance and engagement in the classroom and requires the school leaders to engage in myriad partnerships. At a minimum, graduating students should have an opportunity to participate in a microinternship related to their selected program of study.
this new economy, they must serve as an integral part in a student’s progression toward a career pathway informed by workplace learning experiences.
ENGAGEMENT THROUGH RELEVANCE There are 16 nationally recognized career clusters, each with a common set of foundational knowledge and skills represented in the Illinois Career Cluster Framework.5 Restructuring high schools through the lens of the career cluster framework requires leadership willing to engage the broader business community in a direct and meaningful way with the school’s academic programs. The result is students leave our high schools not just meeting traditional graduation requirements but with what we call a “Diploma Plus,” which includes industry credentialing, early college credit, and workplace learning experiences that lay the foundation for a post-secondary career. Three non-negotiable principles guided our work in the Programs of Study structure: 1. Sequence of courses that leads beyond high school. Every elective course serves a purpose to advance a student along one of the career pathways within the 16 career clusters in the Illinois framework. While every school and district cannot feasibly offer every pathway in each cluster, every school can set a goal to provide career pathways represented by every cluster.
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3. Career certification and dual college credit opportunities are embedded in each program of study. It is the combination of external experiences with stackable credentials and early college credit that ensure students leave high school with a resume ready to engage in the next steps in their career pathway. In key career pathways for our community, industry partners serve on advisory boards providing curriculum feedback, guidance on facility renovations, and providing workplace-learning experiences. These experiences may be a traditional 16-week internship with the student earning a grade. It could also be a micro-internship, generally only a few weeks in duration, focused on a specific project or activity. In a larger school district, micro-internships can be scaled much more quickly and efficiently, avoiding some of the challenges of a long-term placement while still providing students with an opportunity to engage in an industry of interest. Other partners provide site visits, mentors, or design problem-based learning challenges for teams of students to solve.
SCHOOL LEADERSHIP School leaders considering establishing a career pathway structure at their secondary institutions should begin by engaging the leading industries and employers in the area. The capacity for relevance in the school is maximized in
LEARNING
the development of enriching external experiences. These experiences provide a venue for authentic audiences and allow for the integration of career pathways. In determining where to begin, school leaders must start with the strengths of the school and build upon that foundation. Are there natural partnerships nearby? What fields or occupations are most in demand in your region’s economy? There are other questions to be asked as well, but one of the best resources for a school leader
THE ABILITY OF THE SCHOOL LEADER TO FOSTER A POSITIVE CULTURE, IS IN MY EXPERIENCE, DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE ORGANIZATION’S ABILITY TO FULFILL ITS VISION.
is the local and state economic development office. Their mission is to be connected with the needs of businesses
because it is the common vision that drives every facet
in the community and those of potential businesses they
of school improvement. It provides the underpinning
are seeking to recruit. A deep and collaborative relationship
for a collective ownership of successes and failures that
between the school and the economic development office
engages each stakeholder.
of its community can serve as an economic catalyst for the area they serve.
Second, and equally as important, a school leader must purposefully sustain a school culture that is
By any measure, the most impactful relationships
committed to providing each student every possible
for students with a business partner must be based on
opportunity to discover his or her future from the
mutually beneficial goals. If it’s not a win-win, it’s not
moment they enter the school doors. Ultimately,
sustainable. Embedded in the school experience should be
leadership is about the power to influence, and the
ample opportunities for career exploration and discovery
ability of the school leader to foster a positive culture
through multi-tiered systems of support, which provides
is directly correlated to the depth and breadth of the
both enrichment and intensive interventions for students
organization’s ability to fulfill its vision.
unable to determine a career cluster of interest.
IMPACT OF RELEVANCY
The role of the school leader requires an innumerable set of skills, but two of the most important in this
High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, Ill.,
effort are stewardship of a vision and sustaining the
encompasses 6 comprehensive high schools serving
school culture. It is the leader’s ability to successfully
8 communities and 12,000 students. Each has been
apply these skills that lays the foundation for all that
recognized by national publications as among America’s
is accomplished in the school. First and foremost, a
most successful high schools. Students who graduate
school leader must be able to coalesce the staff around
with a Diploma Plus leave high school more competitive,
a common vision of relevance and external engagement
already building his or her resume through dual college
for the school. The vision must be reinforced and
credits, industry certifications, and access to substantive,
communicated in a multitude of forms (both written
real-world workplace learning opportunities.
and verbal, from large group presentations to individual conversations) on a regular basis. This is essential,
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized the value of this experience in his recent visit to one // P A R T N E R S H I P S W I T H P R O M I S E | 55
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
BUsiness Horizon Quarterly
THE CAPACITY FOR RELEVANCE IN THE SCHOOL IS MAXIMIZED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENRICHING EXTERNAL EXPERIENCES. THESE EXPERIENCES PROVIDE A VENUE FOR AUTHENTIC AUDIENCES AND ALLOW FOR THE INTEGRATION OF CAREER PATHWAYS. of the nation’s first high school nanotechnology labs,
to address the demand for workers in computer science,
located in the district at Wheeling High School in
the district partnered with industry leaders to redesign
suburban Chicago. Students enrolled in Introduction to
an Information Technology Career Pathway that is
Nanotechnology earn dual-credit in this capstone course
contextualized within a cybersecurity lens. In partnership
within the Research and Development Career Pathway.
with Mobile Makers in Chicago, a new computer science
The project was made possible through partnerships
orientation course will train high school freshman how
between the district, the Illinois Department of
to code for app development on their IOS devices,
Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Illinois
followed by the acquisition of several CompTia industry
Science and Technology Coalition. Course content and
certifications and early college credit coursework.
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student research experiences have been developed through a coalition of large corporate partners and small start-ups.
In examining the value of career pathways as an effective education model, we must understand how
As a result of partnerships with countless local
it impacts students. Many of these workplace-learning
manufacturers and affiliate organizations—such as
experiences lead to employment with the relationships
the SME Education Foundation, the Technology
continuing well into the student’s post-secondary
and Manufacturing Association, and the Illinois
experience. A recent graduate of Wheeling High School,
Manufacturers’ Association—the district’s Project Lead the
Mallory, entered the engineering/manufacturing career
Way (PLTW) engineering curriculum is enhanced with
pathway with a small spark of interest in how things are
three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. Students in
made. Her experiences in the PLTW Computer Integrated
the Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Pathway
Manufacturing class, the district’s robot rumble challenge,
can earn National Institute for Metalworking Skills
and the opportunity to design and manufacture her ideas
(NIMS) Certification, Manufacturing Skill Standards
into reality led her into an internship at Swiss Precision
Council (MSSC) Certification, and up to 22 semester
Machining. Even as she began attending the University
hours of dual-credit through Harper College.
of Southern California, pursuing a degree in aeronautical
One recent partner, Panek Precision in Northbrook, Ill., designed a three-week rotating internship experience that provided students with a chance to engage several handson areas within their manufacturing facility. In an effort
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engineering, she still returned to Swiss Precision in the summers to work. Today, while Mallory continues her education, she has an internship with the Air Force Research Laboratories in California. She credits her machining experience and coursework for her success.
LEARNING Francisco, another Wheeling High School graduate,
So, what role is your business playing in keeping schools
worked extremely hard, staying after school at least three
relevant and helping youth in your community discover
days a week to get one-on-one time on the machines.
their future? Q
At the end of the class, Francisco took the MSSC and NIMS certification exams, earning entry-level credentials. It was the work ethic he developed that inspired many industry partners to give him an interview. He landed his first job at Holbrook Manufacturing, where he is regarded as a “model” employee. Today, Francisco is still thrilled about manufacturing. He was able to purchase his first car, a healthcare plan, and has had multiple raises in his short 12-month career. Francisco was proud to be able to contribute financially to his family, noting that he was actually making more than his mother, who was struggling to support them. As of today, Francisco plans on saving enough money to attend the local community college and earn an Associate’s degree, specializing in machining. In a time of fiscal insecurity and high unemployment, this work in schools is essential and scalable. By being responsive to the global economy, partnering with business, and remaining flexible in the development and delivery of curriculum that is relevant to its students, public education can work for students. The career pathway structure provides the business community with an opportunity to shape education in partnership with school leaders by providing students with meaningful workplace experiences, advice on industry trends, and a relevant preparation for postsecondary life. Preparing students for the future is a growing challenge— evolving industries, changing technologies, and shrinking economies require us to prepare students for a world we can’t even imagine. The career pathways model is a different and effective way to approach secondary education. It exposes students to a wide range of opportunities, and it challenges their intellectual curiosity. For career pathways to be successful, however, businesses must be a partner to schools, develop substantive hands-on experiences for students, and
Dr. Lazaro Lopez is Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning at High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The nationally recognized district is the state’s second-largest high school district, serving more than 12,000 students from eight suburban Chicago communities. In his previous role as Principal of Wheeling High School, Dr. Lopez led the effort to integrate STEM and 21st century skills and career pathways within a comprehensive Title I high school, forging innovative community partnerships and optimizing grant funding to create an onsite medical lab and advanced manufacturing facility for students. The effort, which included the fall 2013 launch of the nation’s first-of-its-kind nanotechnology lab in a public high school, earned him the title of 2013 Illinois Principal of the Year. Wheeling High School has received state and national recognition as a model STEM school. Dr. Lopez has spoken nationally on STEM education, advocating for a high school education that delivers a “diploma-plus”: the opportunity to earn college credits and career certifications while engaged in internship experiences in a wide range of career fields. He is a member of the Illinois Educator Leader Cadre, the Midwest Principal’s Association Governing Board, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation Board and past chair of the Illinois ACT State Organization and 10th Congressional District Education Advisory Board. REFERENCES 1 U.S. Department of Labor. “Employment and Unemployment Among Youth - Summer 2013,” USDL-13-1698. Accessed July 1, 2014. http:// www.bls.gov/news.release/youth.nr0.htm; 2 Brian Burnsed, “Degrees Are Great, but Internships Make a Difference,” U.S. News & World Report, April 15, 2010, accessed July 1, 2014. http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/04/15/ when-a-degree-isnt-enough 3 Ethan Yazzie-Mintz, “Charting the Path from Engagement to Achievement: A Report on the 2009 High School Survey of Student Engagement.” Center for Evaluation & Education Policy, Indiana University. Accessed July 1, 2014 http://ceep.indiana.edu/hssse/ images/HSSSE_2010_Report.pdf 4 Donghoon Lee, “Household Debt and Credit: Student Debt” Federal Reserve Bank of New York accessed http://www.newyorkfed.org/ newsevents/mediaadvisory/2013/Lee022813.pdf 5 Programs of Study: Illinois Career Cluster Framework accessed July 1, 2014. http://64.107.108.147/ programsofstudy/clusterframework.html 6 Jonathan Sapers, “Magnifying Learning,” Scholastic Administrator, Winter 2014. http://www.scholastic. com/browse/article.jsp?id=3758318
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