Career Connection Academy Executive Summary 2
Career Academy Team for School Year: 2017-2018 3
Career Academy Team for School Year: 2017-2018 4
Mission Statement 6
Academy Highlights: 2016-17 6
Standard 1: Integrated Curriculum 7
Standard 2: Cohort Schedule 8
Standard 3: Program of Study/4 Year Plan 8
Standard 4: Business Partnerships 11
Standard 5: Enrollment 12
Standard 6: Professional Collaboration 12
Standard 7: Recruitment 13
Standard 8: Career Focus/Work-based Learning 13
Standard 9: Marketing 13
Appendix 15
Operating Budget 15
Rationale for Career Academy Cohort Scheduling: Supporting Standards 1 and 2 16
Crosspointe Technical Assistance Paper: How to Enter/Exit Academy Students 17
Academy Ambassador Program SY 17-18 18
Career Connection Academy Ambassador Benefits: 18
Career Connection Academy Ambassador Roles and Expectations: 18
Student Ambassador Application - Sample 19
Since 1994, Volusia County Schools have nurtured thriving career academies. The evolution of the career academy model as a part of high school redesign, continues to adapt to meet the needs of the 21st Century student here in Volusia County. With a total of 41 career academies active for 2017-18 school year, the success of the academy model is directly linked to the outstanding teachers, directors,
business members, school based administrators, district staff, parents and students who have a stake in the rigorous career based curriculum.
Graduating students who have both career experience and high level academic preparation, is the ultimate goal of career academies. The reality of a world with high stakes testing and increasingly high standards for employment required that Volusia build in the highest standards of quality within their academies. Since 2005, Volusia has utilized 9 Standards for Career Academies as a means to evaluate each academy on a yearly basis. Academies must meet minimum standards to retain their gold, silver, or bronze academy status. Integrated curriculum, pure schedule, and common planning are the three key components that separate an academy from any other CTE program. The additional standards further clarify a structure for what an academy should look like. This level of standardization has helped to serve as a benchmark for academies and a way to achieve the goal of measurable outcomes related to academy success.
The following pages will outline the plan for achieving the 9 Academy Standards for SY 2017-18. As much specific detail and follow-up information is contained in this document that should be shared with school based administration, Career & Technical Education Department district personnel, and academy Advisory Committee business partners to ensure the success of the academy and its students.
The plan begins with the academy’s Mission Statement which outlines the goal and purpose of this academy and continues through each of the standards. Each standard is defined and text boxes are given for the academy team to describe their approach to enacting each standard, and tables where appropriate to give more specific detail for their plan. Standards that need additional collaboration with school based administration such as Assistant Principals for Curriculum, Data and Scheduling, Guidance Counselors, and Data Processing Clerks are delineated. Standards that need guidance and participation from Academy Advisory Business Partners are also noted.
Please use this hyperlink www.volusiaacademies.wikispaces.net/Academy+Standards to access further information on the 9 Academy Standards, associated forms, and to further access the Academy Wiki Site.