A New District Approach to
Improving Instruction in Academies
Ken Talley
Director of Career Technology Education
Jefferson County Public Schools
Terry Miller
Ryan Deal
Career Pathways Specialist
Jerry Burke
Jeffersontown High School
Scott Warren
Director of State Initiatives
SREB - HSTW/MMGW
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Welcome
 Who is here?
 This session – Review of a multi-year
approach with two primary goals:
 Build on teacher externship opportunities to
embed project-based learning in career pathways
 Develop district capacity to spread and sustain
the work
 Overview of Career Pathways PBL Process
 Overview of Externship Program
 Presentations of sample projects
 Questions/concerns addressed throughout
the session
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A Look Back
 2007-2012
 SREB supports schools and district through Small
Learning Community and School Improvement
Grants
 SLC focus on 9th grade academies and CTE
instruction
 Five Star Academies Formed in JCPS
 2013
 Pilot Group – Advanced PBL in Summer 2013
 2013 -2014
 Career pathway specialist begin the transition to
role of instructional leaders through Teach 2 Lead
Induction Program for new CTE Teachers
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2014 - 2015
 Double Pilot Group Size (Summer 2014)
 Comprehensive Plan
 Teachers (predominantly CTE) participate in
Externship
 Teachers participate in PBL Training
 Career Pathway Specialists and Literacy/Math
Specialists participate in training plus training
for them to lead the work
 Plan includes regular meetings with school
and district leadership
 See Handout
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PBL Plan
 Ongoing PD – No more Spray and Pray
 Deep Dives for Career Pathway
Specialists and Academic Specialists
 Meetings with Career Pathway Advisory
Councils
 Meetings with Principals
 Dual Goals Emphasized
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PD Training
Dates for
Teachers
Cohort I
PD Training
Specialist Coaching
Dates for
Sessions
Teachers Cohort
Gheen’s Flex A
II
8 – 11 am
District
Principal’s
Meeting
1 pm
Day 1
September 22
September 25
October 1
Day 2
September 23
September 26
October 23
Day 3
September 24
December 3
November 5
Deep Dive for
Specialists
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
December 1
December 2
February 16
December 4
December 5
February 17
December 8
April 29
March 26
Day 8
April 28
April 30
April 15
May 6
May 20
Day 9
Day 10
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December 8
3:00 pm
February 26
February 18
Area/Theme
Principal’s
Meetings
October 23
MHE Theme –
Location TBD
October 23
MHE Partnership
Council
Deep dive for
Specialists
Deep Dive for
Specialists
3 – 4 pm
October 1
January 21
Day 7
Area/Theme
Assistant
Superintendent’s
Meetings
12 – 2 pm
December 8
Areas 1, 2 and 3
Gheen’s 109
January 21
BIT Theme
December 8
Gheen’s 109
January 21
BIT Partnership
Council
February 26
CMA Theme
February 26
CMA Partnership
Council
March 26
ENG Theme
March 26
ENG Partnership
Council - TBD
April 15
Area 4, 5 and 6
Gheen’s 109
TBD
May 20
HSEIS Theme
May 20
HSEIS Partnership
Council
May 6
Best Laid Plans…Lessons Learned
 Teachers needed overview of PBL before
Externships and PD right after
 Multi-day PD is the model, but principals
need to be convinced.
 Career Pathway Specialists need support to
shift into this role
 Watch out for the one and dones!
 Costs are high for ongoing PD and time to
develop projects! Need community support
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2015 – 2016:
 Professional Development following
Externships
 Cohort I – June 25-26
 Cohort II – July 9 – 10
 Cohort III – July 30-31
 Training for New Career Pathway Specialists
and Academic Coordinators
 Two Days TBD
 The Role of Coaching in PBL
 Follow-up PD for all Cohorts
 Flex Day 1
 Flex Day 2
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2015-2016 (continued)
 District Coordination/Sustainability Days
 Four, quarterly meetings
 Morning sessions with Career Pathway Specialists
and Academic Coordinators
 Two after school sessions with Assistant
Principals
 Two after school sessions with Counselors
 2016 HSTW Summer Staff Development
Conference
 Louisville, KY
 July 14-17, 2016
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Lessons Learned
 Flex days do not work
 Principal expectations are key
 College and Career Readiness in
Accountability System helped with some
principals
 Career Pathway Specialists are easing into
roles
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Pause and Reflect
Turn to an elbow partner:
What is a concern you have about
the plan?
What do you like?
What recommendations would you
have to improve upon it?
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PBL in Career Pathways
Quick Overview
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More than Dessert
Buck Institute Model focused on
pathways
Authentic projects with authentic roles
determined with business/industry
involvement
Use the appropriate problem-solving
process
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Authentic PBL – The Transformation!
The Old Model: Teach them and then give the
project.
Project Title: Soldering connects your world
Essential Question: How do you choose the
correct soldering alloy?
Project Description: Take 6 different base
materials and solder alloys; join materials using
the soldering process. Evaluate the process for
strength and connectivity as well as electrical
conductivity.
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Sample Problem-Solving Design Processes
SREB Design
Process
Engineering
Design Process
Troubleshooting
Process
Life Cycle
Design
Ask/Inquire
Identifying the
problem
Diagnose the
Problem
Business
Scientific
Method
Define
Question
Measure
Research
Hypothesis
Define
Requirements
Imagine
Plan
Relevant
Information
Find Possible
Solutions
Design
Analyze
Create
Conceptualization
Take Action
Build
Develop
Test
Experiment/
Evaluate
Evaluation and
Analysis
Evaluate and
Analyze
Improve
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Communicate High
Implementation
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Deliver Final
Product
Test
Evaluate
Implementation
Revise
Analyze
Evolution
Deliver
Communicate
Step One – A new way to engage Business
Assess Business
and Industry Needs
Identify what students must know and be able to
do to obtain and keep a job in the business that
will support a family of four.
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Step Two
Brainstorm Ideas
What authentic project will require students to
master appropriate technical, academic and
21st-century skills to complete successfully?
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Step Three
Develop a Project
Choose one project idea from your list and
develop a draft project description:
• Project Title
• Brief description of what students will
perform or produce
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Project Template
 You are a (insert a real-workplace role).
 You are faced with (insert a problem).
 You must (insert what must be done to solve
the problem).
 Once you have decided on a course of
action, you will (insert an opportunity for
presentation to an authentic audience).
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 Project Description:
 Workplace role or job title
 Authentic problem to be solved
 Identify what students will do
 Tell students how to document solutions
(e.g., presentations, reports, etc.)
 Authenticity:
 Authentic to the field?
 Prepare students for the future?
 Doable in high school?
 Academics: Does the project require practice
of science, mathematics, and language arts
skills?
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Authentic Projects Include:
 Technical Prompt: Design, build and test OR
investigate, conduct, analyze
 Writing Prompt: Research/Report; history;
theory; contemporary use; design and how to
construct electrical motors
 Science Prompt: Design and conduct inquiry of
a testable hypothesis on motor performance
under a variety of conditions
 Math Prompt: Test motor under various
conditions; collect, analyze and chart on
performance and conditions
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Make it the meal!
Project Title: Soldering connects your
world
Essential Question: How do you choose the
correct soldering alloy?
Project Description: Take 6 different base
materials and solder alloys; join materials
using the soldering process. Evaluate the
process for strength and connectivity as well
as electrical conductivity.
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Key Phrase: Design, Build, Evaluate
Science Prompt
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Math Prompt
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Literacy Prompt
PA Example: Blowing in the Wind
Essential Question: Is the answer really blowing in the
wind?
You are a wind turbine technician and you are faced with
working with a design team of wind turbine technicians to
research, design, build and test a working wind turbine
from a ceiling fan rotor (CWFT: ceiling fan wind turbine)
that will charge a battery array and help to reduce the
operating cost of a greenhouse. Your team will need to
research the various designs for wind turbines and build
the most effective, as well as, least expensive wind turbine
possible from a ceiling fan.
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Each member of the team must maintain a professional
log of daily activity and each team will be responsible for
a presentation of the procedures they followed in
designing and building and subsequently testing their
wind turbine. The team must describe the algebraic
formulas and show calculations used to measure the
success of their wind turbine in power production during
testing. An inventory of parts used and accurate costs
must be submitted in the form of a bid proposal that
serves as a final analysis cost estimate of production for
their wind turbine.
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Sample Projects
 Jerry Burke – Jeffersontown High School
 Terry Miller – Career Pathway Specialist
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Essential Question:
 Can students use physical and chemical
properties of metals to inspect, test, and
evaluate a weld made by Shielded Metal
Arc Welding process?
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RESULT
CAREER READY
Brandon
Hayden
Jocelyn
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Essential Question
 Can students identify safe breathing air
based on Safety Data Sheets and OSHA
Permissible exposure levels?
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Aesthetically pleasing courtyard
Chemistry, Geometry, Welding
 Measuring, Testing, Layout, Fabricating,
Mixing, Installing.
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Courtyard continued
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Essential Question:
Can students design and build a security
gate for a local non-profit organization,
Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky?
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Students created and presented a
Business proposal
 We are the pilot program for Ford NGL.
 Combines core classes, Algebra II,
English, etc… with our Welding Career
major.
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Prepare to Build
Mrs. Hogan
Algebra II
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Building Starts
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Welders at Work
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Complete
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Questions
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Thank You!
Every school and every teacher wants to
improve. However, few want to change.
The fact remains that to improve, one
MUST change.
Ken Talley –
ken.talley@jefferson.kyschools.us
Scott Warren - scott.warren@sreb.org
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