Career and college readiness programs

The middle school years are a vital time to teach the importance of college and career readiness and the linkages to success in life. This issue brief discusses how afterschool programs offer a key opportunity to expose middle school students to higher education options and career paths and to teach them skills that can unlock doors to future career prospects. The afterschool hours offer time for apprenticeships, guest speakers and project-based activities that are not always available during a school day focused on a core curriculum.

Middle school is a critical time to ensure that youth are on a clear path to a productive future, and afterschool is an essential support to help middle schoolers move ahead to success in higher education and careers. This brief is a fourth in a series of four Issue Briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues.

Schaefer, M. College and career readiness in the middle grades. Middle Grades Research Journal, 7 3 , 51— The Career Institute consisted of a series of interventions that helped middle grades students relate personal, social and academic considerations to college and career.

Students demonstrated an expanded and expanding sense of possibilities related to careers; became more specific and realistic about their career and college goals; and became more self-reflective in thinking about college and career opportunities.

Advisory teachers believed that the Career Institute helped students prepare for college early and with a career goal. Facilitating college readiness through campus life experiences. Research in Middle Level Education, 37 7 , 1— This research study reports on findings related to two different college-middle school partnerships involved in a College Immersion program.

Literature on college and career readiness suggests that the middle school years are critical for future academic success, especially for the kinds of vulnerable populations that are involved in this study. Taking middle grades students to college offers them authentic experiences that facilitate college readiness.

After participation in a College Immersion program, students in both college-middle school partnerships demonstrated aspects of college readiness as outlined by Conley Following a weeklong experience of immersion in college life, students imagined a future that included post-secondary possibilities, developed college knowledge, and cultivated deeply positive feelings about college.

Ting, S. A preliminary study of career education in middle school. Journal of Career and Technical Education, 27 2 , 84— Implications on career education programs in middle schools and research as well as limitations of the study were discussed. Wu-Rorrer, R. STEM education means integrating science, technology, engineering, and math into a single meta-discipline. According to the author, surveys of students have revealed lack of STEM career awareness and links to job opportunities.

The following keywords and search strings were used to search the reference databases and other sources:. We searched ERIC for relevant resources. ERIC is a free online library of over 1. Additionally, we searched Google Scholar and PsychInfo. This memorandum is one in a series of quick-turnaround responses to specific questions posed by educational stakeholders in the West Region Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah , which is served by the Regional Educational Laboratory West at WestEd.

Its content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of IES or the U. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.

Click continue to proceed to the REL Southwest website. Click Cancel to remain on the main REL website. Home Ask A REL Research and programs for college and career readiness in middle school Research and programs for college and career readiness in middle school Following an established REL West research protocol, we conducted a search for research reports and resources on college and career readiness in middle school.

Research References ACT. Many counselors have made screencast videos walking students through the process of completing various activities in Xello. While we wait, watch, learn and plan for the future, many district leads, educators and counselors are exploring college and career readiness possibilities. We have the answers. While they vary by state, common elements include:. Just like defining college and career readiness, measuring it varies among states and even districts.

According to the Education Trust , currently 34 states publicly report having some form of career-focused measures, each with some limitations. The Education Trust reports that some signifiers of college and career readiness include:. A holistic approach that covers all facets of college and career readiness is often found in programs that start young and culminate in the senior year of high school. Districts that use future readiness software like Xello have a streamlined approach to college and career readiness available to them starting in Grade 3 and progressing through to high school.

Age-appropriate lessons focus on social-emotional learning like communication, collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking. They also cover important skills like time management and financial literacy. Many of these lessons correspond with state and district mandates. An example of a Skills lesson within Xello. In the Skills lesson, students explore how everyday activities build a variety of useful skills, as well as making the connection between their skills and future goals.

Using Xello, middle and high school students can create an individual profile where they store future-ready information. They take personality and learning quizzes to become more self-aware. A Matchmaker test provides them with a list of 10 careers that fit their interests and aptitudes. Students are even afforded an inside-look of what a typical day on the job is like, how much money they can expect to make and whether the demand for each career is rising or falling.

Students can also review comprehensive colleges and post-secondary training programs by location and program of study. This often results in increased engagement rates. College and career readiness in elementary , middle and high school starts with an awareness of the self, manifested through guided reflection, and progresses into an understanding of careers and the world around them.

Search form Search site. All students should graduate from high school ready for college, careers, and life, prepared to pursue the future of their choosing. Additional Resources. College- and Career-Ready Graduation Requirements. Who We Are Achieve is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit education reform organization dedicated to working with states to raise academic standards and graduation requirements, improve assessments, and strengthen accountability.