Programs of Study
A College and Career Readiness Tool
Background Information
A Program of Study is a comprehensive structured approach for delivering academic and career and technical education to prepare students for post-secondary education and career success (US Department of Education). Programs of Study are based upon the 16 National Career Clusters. Information from these documents provide college and career planning information to students and families, increase relevance and impact of a student’s middle and high school education, and help students gain skills, technical knowledge, academic foundation and real-world experience to secure high-skill, high-demand, high-wage careers.
Programs of Study suggest rigorous academic coursework including 4 years of math, science beyond the graduation requirement and two years of the same world language. A student who completes a program of study would be qualified to attend most four-year universities AND be a Career and Technical Education Program Completer (completing four semesters in a program area).
In the State of Washington currently, every Career and Technical Education class falls into one of 16 “career clusters.” A career cluster is a group of occupations that are related by skills or products. Within each cluster, there are cluster “pathways” that correspond to more specific courses and training opportunities to prepare students for a given career. The 16 career clusters were established at the national level by theStates' Career ClustersInitiative and are recognizable across the United States in middle schools, high schools, community and technical colleges, and the workforce.
Career and technical education courses are meant to prepare students for careers in the current workforce and not just to fulfill an elective graduation requirement. According to the Washington State Career and Technical Education Program Standard #5, CTE programs of study assist students with career planning and development, transitions, employment and post-secondary options.
Programs of Study provide a way to intentionally plan high school course selection beginning in middle school. A program of study provides a deliberate, intentional sequence of courses and a mixture of academic and technical high school coursesto prepare students for post-secondary education and career success. They increase the relevance and impact of a student’s high school education, improve graduation rates in high school and college, and focus on current demands in a global economy. Finally, they fulfill the graduation requirement for a High School and Beyond plan.
Using the National Career Cluster and Pathway model as an organizational structure, Auburn School District has identified 20 different Programs of Study based upon courses currently offered in middle and high school. This means these Program of Study documents are currently available to students to guide and inform their path towards college and career readiness.