In 2010 the California Department of Education published 'Multiple pathways to student success: envisioning the new California high school' [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 138.111], which described a multi-faceted model of college and career pathways and encouraged their further development, based on existing evidence that 'Pathways ... that effectively integrate both academic and career technical content, problem-based instructional strategies, work-based learning opportunities, and support services have the potential to transform our state's public high schools into twenty-first century le
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In 2010 the California Department of Education published 'Multiple pathways to student success: envisioning the new California high school' [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 138.111], which described a multi-faceted model of college and career pathways and encouraged their further development, based on existing evidence that 'Pathways ... that effectively integrate both academic and career technical content, problem-based instructional strategies, work-based learning opportunities, and support services have the potential to transform our state's public high schools into twenty-first century learning centers that effectively prepare all students to pursue multiple options beyond high school graduation' (p. i). New evidence and policy developments since 2010 have reinforced this rationale, adding to the drive to enroll more students in these integrated pathways.
This paper will describe recent developments, and point to some current challenges. Specifically, the paper: (1) summarizes recent policy commitments to prepare students for 'college and careers'; (2) explains how integrating college and career preparation solves a long-standing dilemma for high schools; (3) reviews evidence on student benefits from integrated pathways that blend college and career preparation with work-based learning (WBL) and student supports; and (4) reviews evidence that high school career and technical education (CTE) by itself does not produce as much benefit for students as pathways that combine CTE with college-prep coursework along with WBL and student supports. Recent policy developments, and recent evidence, both reinforce the value of combining career and technical education (CTE) with other elements in a pathway format.
Edited excerpts from publication.
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