Ed Morrison · BFD Learning Moment: Career Academies

June 27th, 2008


People are often frustrated about what to do with K-12 school systems that do not work very well.

The solution, of course, is to innovate.

One important innovation in high schools is career academies. Ft. Wayne is one city that has committed itself to this strategy, and it will pay off in the long run, as employers continue to look for talent. 

In Washington yesterday, the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation released an important study on the impact of career academies. The report represents the first rigorous evaluation of career academies. The NYT summarizes the report here.

After evaluating graduates from nine career academies, the authors found that eight years after graduation, the career academy graduates had significantly higher employment and earnings than a control group.

The report also dispels one of the more dangerous myths we share today: that career and technical education in high school limits post secondary options.

To quote from the summary (in language that is a bit stilted, but you’ll get the idea):

The findings demonstrate the feasibility of improving labor market preparation and successful school-to-work transitions without compromising academic goals and preparation for college. Investments in career-related experiences during high school can produce substantial and sustained improvements in the labor market prospects and transitions to adulthood of youth. In fact, Career Academies are one of the few youth-focused interventions that have been found to improve the labor market prospects of young men.

There are about 2,500 career academies across the U.S.

You can can read more about the report here.

You can download a copy of the report here.

Connect with the Career Academy Support Network at UC Berkeley and the National Career Academy Coalition to learn more.

Another innovation: New Tech High. We are working in Indiana to become a national center for this whole school reform model. New Tech High emphasizes project-based learning, and it is another evidence-based model of school reform that works. We should have an announcement on this initiative September.

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Category: Economic Development
2 Comments »

2 Responses to “BFD Learning Moment: Career Academies”

  1. J Murray Says:
    June 27th, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    Great stuff, Ed. Thanks. This supports the ECity approach being taken in Cleveland, and harkens back to the days of apprenticeship in a trade. Going to an elite college is not the best outcome for every (or maybe even most) high school student(s). Young people need to learn how to go to work and be reliable, as much as they need to learn philosophy or trigonemetry.

  2. Ed Morrison Says:
    June 28th, 2008 at 11:52 am

    Thanks, Joanthan.

    Late last year, the Urban Institute produced an important report, called “America’s Forgotten Middle Skill Jobs”. The report makes the important point that the demand for jobs in the so-called “middle tier” of skills will remain strong. These are jobs that require postsecondary education but less than a four year college degree.

    About half of our national employment falls in the jobs in the middle-skill range. At the same time, about 45% of all job openings between 2004 and 2014 will fall into job categories in the middle skill range.

    The authors of the report highlight the fact that policy often focuses too much on the 25% of jobs that require a four year college degree in above. Not enough attention is paid to these middle skilled jobs which comprise almost half of our workforce.

    A recent article in Maine highlighted the importance of middle skilled jobs in that state. Here’s a similar view from Wisconsin

    You can download a copy of the Middle Skill report here .