A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING
CAREER PLANS THAT BEST FIT
YOUR STUDENTS
PRESENTED BY
KAREN L. ALEXANDER, PH.D.
CINDY MILLER, M.ED.
ACHIEVETEXAS PROJECT
KAREN.ALEXANDER@TTU.EDU
COPYRIGHT © NOTICE
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
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reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution may be charged.
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For information contact: Office of Intellectual Property, Texas Education Agency, Room 2-186,
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A NEED IN TEXAS
• What makes a student college and career ready?
• How are today’s students different than students of
the past?
• What are some of the challenges of this current
population?
With permission from © 2013 Texas College & Career Readiness Center
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ACHIEVETEXAS
COLLEGE AND CAREER INITIATIVE
•Created around Career Clusters®
•Improve learner achievement – both
academic and technical
•Promote successful transitions from
secondary to postsecondary education
•Support workforce and economic
development
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ACHIEVETEXAS SUPPORTS ALL 16 CAREER CLUSTERS®
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Career Clusters®
and the
Endorsements
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STEM ENDORSEMENT
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BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ENDORSEMENT
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PUBLIC SERVICES ENDORSEMENT
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MULTIDISCIPLINARY ENDORSEMENT
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ACHIEVETEXAS IS BASED UPON…
Concept - Students can succeed in school,
career, and life if they plan their own individual
college and career success.
Philosophy - No career option is intrinsically
better than the other. Whether the choice is
right or not depends on the personal goals of
the student.
Goal - To prepare students for college and
career, and allow them to choose the options
that are best for them.
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COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS
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READINESS VS. ELIGIBILITY
• Readiness and eligibility are two different goals
• More students are going to college than ever
before and this trend is likely to continue
• Two-year colleges have seen a noticeable
enrollment increase
With permission from © 2014 Texas College & Career Readiness Center
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ACTE DEFINES CAREER READY
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT SPANS ALL GRADES
Steps to Success
Employment: Career Advancement
Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning
Postsecondary: Career Preparation
Achieving credentials: college, certification, apprenticeship, military
9-12: Programs of Study Related to a Career Goal
Academics and technical courses, intensive guidance, individual graduation plans
Grade 8: Career Exploration and Transition
Develop graduation plans based upon personal interest/cluster areas
6-8: Initial Career Exploration
Discovering interest areas
K-5: Understanding the Importance and Value of Work and Jobs
Introduction to the world of careers
ACHIEVETEXAS IS DESIGNED TO…
•Work for students to support their career
goals
•Initiate early career awareness
•Expose students to all available career
opportunities through career exploration
•Help students transition successfully to
postsecondary education and
career
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EIGHT STEPS FOR SYSTEM BUILDING
1. Decide to implement AchieveTexas
2. Span all grades
3. Add Programs of Study for all students
4. Enhance guidance and counseling
5. Build seamless connections
6. Establish extended learning
7. Build strong partnerships
8. Support intense professional
development
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QUESTIONS?
PROGRAM OF STUDY MODEL COMPONENTS
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ACHIVETEXAS FRAMEWORK AND RESOURCES
• Tools to help you
and your district
with the local
implementation of
the Foundation
High School
Program
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HB 5: SECTION 28.02121
 A principal of a high school shall designate a school
counselor or school administrator to review personal
graduation plan options with each student entering
grade nine together with that student ’s parent or
guardian. The personal graduation plan options
reviewed must include the distinguished level of
achievement and the endorsements. Before the
conclusion of the school year, the student and the
student ’s parent or guardian must confirm and sign a
personal graduation plan for the student.
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HB 5: SECTION 28.02121
 A personal graduation plan under Subsection (c) must
identify a course of study that:
1. promotes college and workforce readiness and
career placement and advancement; and
2. facilitates the student's transition from secondary
to postsecondary education.
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WHY PROGRAMS OF STUDY?
 Programs of study can be the centerpiece of the
guidance program—support HB 5 expectations.
 Programs of study help students plan an
individualized coherent educational path.
 Programs of study can be the basis for your Personal
Graduation Plans for all students.
 Teachers, especially CTE teachers, can help you!
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Texas Labor Market
Transportation,…
STEM
Marketing, Sales & Service
Manufacturing
Law, Public Safety &…
Information Technology
Human Services
Hospitality & Tourism
Health Science
Government & Public…
Finance
Education and Training
Business, Management,…
Arts, AV Technology &…
Architecture & Construction
Agriculture, Food, Natural…
0
Labor Market
5
10
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TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION DEFINES…
High Skill is any further training past high school.
High Wage is determined as $15.14/hour or
higher.
High Demand is an occupation that is in high
need, i.e. supply is less than the demand.
May vary by region and/or community..
PROGRAMS OF STUDY IN TEXAS
• 122 models are available at www.achievetexas.org
• Models illustrate various career goals in all 16 career clusters
• Components:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Middle school connection
Requirements for the High School Graduation Plan
Secondary certifications
Extended learning opportunities, including CTSOs
College credit opportunities
Postsecondary linkages
Career opportunities from entry level to advanced
Professional associations
• Recent revisions include more postsecondary detail
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COHERENT SEQUENCE OF COURSES…
Four credits
Districts determine these locally
All sequences should be coherent and connect
back to a student’s career goal
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Specific POS career goal
is listed first. Related
career goals are listed
with the assigned O*NET
Code. Hyperlinked to the
specific occupation as
described in the
Occupational Outlook
Handbook.
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Districts can list courses offered
for high school credit at the 8th
grade, such as Algebra I or the
various Principles Courses. This
cell might also include your
Career Portals or Exploring
Careers—use these courses to
create the initial PGP students
will need for high school.
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POS reflect changes
resulting from Texas
HB 5 (2013) and
promote the
Foundation Plan with
an Endorsement.
Distinguished Level
of Achievement
requirements are
also included. CTE
courses that could be
selected by the local
district to be used in
a coherent sequence
are listed.
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Career and Technical Student
Organizations (CTSOs) have
hyperlinks to take students to the
organizations’ website. CTSOs are
curricular organizations supporting
the related CTE courses. This
section promotes the community
outreach expectation for school
accountability.
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Districts may customize this
section by listing all of the
college credit opportunities
available on the local level
while students are enrolled in
high school. Section will be
important for student
performance
acknowledgement.
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Examples are
provided of
practicum and workbased learning
expeiences and
certifications that
are available at the
secondary level.
Certifications will be
important for student
performance
acknowledgement.
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Postsecondary section is
hyperlinked to additional pages
providing more details about
programs. Sample career options
are provided with each degree
level. Occupations reflect entrylevel through professional-level
positions that require advanced
degrees.
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IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Perkins requires CTE programs have POS that…
• Align rigorous academic standards and student achievement
standards;
• Include academic and CTE content in a coordinated, nonduplicative progression of courses;
• Are relevant and challenging at the secondary and
postsecondary level;
• Lead to employment in high skill, high wage, or high demand
occupations;
• Offer opportunities for dual credit; and
• Lead to a degree, certificate, or credential.
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ALL 16 CLUSTERS IN EVERY SCHOOL?
Local districts choose which Career Clusters® to
implement based on the needs of the students,
community, and local economy.
Not all schools will be able to offer all 16 clusters.
Goal is to use advanced technology to give students a
sample of each career cluster and enhance their
opportunities for high-demand, high-skill, or high-wage
occupations.
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MINIMUM REQUIREMENT
TAC§74.3 Description of a Required Secondary
Curriculum states that a district must offer career and
technical education courses selected from at least
three of the eight (sixteen) career and technical areas
(clusters) taught on a campus in the school district
with provisions for contracting for additional offerings
with programs or institutions as may be practical.
Perkins grant requirement—at least one POS
in each of the three locally selected clusters.
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GO BEYOND THE MINIMUM!
Even small districts can offer more than three clusters and multiple
endorsements.
Former CTE Program Names
Family & Consumer Sciences
Career Clusters
Education and Training
Human Services
Agricultural Sciences
Hospitality & Tourism
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Business Education
Manufacturing
Business Management & Administration
Finance
Information Technology
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WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH…
Academic Behaviors?
Contextual Skills and
Awareness?
 College and Career
Planning Guides
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Support for School
Counselors
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CAREER GUIDANCE AND ACADEMIC COUNSELING
Perkins IV defines as…
• providing access for students (and parents, as
appropriate) to information regarding career
awareness and planning with respect to an
individual’s occupational and academic future; and
• providing information with respect to career options,
financial aid, and postsecondary options, including
baccalaureate degree programs.
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BENEFITS FOR COUNSELORS
• TEC §28.0212—Personal Graduation Plans
(PGPs)
• TEC §33.007—Counseling Public School
Students Regarding Higher Education
• TEC §33.005—Model Comprehensive,
Developmental Guidance, and Counseling
Program
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COMPREHENSIVE, DEVELOPMENTAL
GUIDANCE, AND COUNSELING PROGRAM
Four core components:
1. A guidance curriculum
2. A responsive services component
3. An individual planning system
4. System support
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ACHIEVETEXAS RESOURCES
Counselor Guide
and
Counselor Kits
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CLUSTER GUIDES AND OTHER RESOURCES
 College and Career
Planning Guides
 Career Development
and Planning
LiveBinder
 Programs of Study
Models
www.achievtexas.org
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RESEARCH INDICATES…
“The process of creating individual
learning plans…helps engage students in
their own development, a critical
component in their success.”
Chait, R., Muller, R.D., Goldware, S., & Housman, N.G. (2007). Academic interventions to help
students meet rigorous standards: State policy options. Washington, DC: Institute for
Educational Leadership.
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ARE YOU POISED TO LEAD…
Administrators
Business and
Industry
Postsecondary
Partners
Teachers
Engaged
and
Motivated
Students
Parents
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WITH ACHIEVETEXAS…
• We can build a college and career ready culture.
• We can better inform parents of opportunities for their
students.
• We have an opportunity to impact ALL students.
• We can improve the coordination between core and
career-related electives.
• ALL students will benefit from a focus on academic and
technical skills.
• ALL students can focus their future.
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QUESTIONS?
FOR MORE INFORMATION
• Visit these websites
• www.achievetexas.org
• www.tea.state.tx.us
• www.careertech.org
• Email Dr. Karen Alexander at
karen.alexander@ttu.edu or
• Cindy Miller
cynthia.l.miller@ttu.edu
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