The state Department of Education has developed a series of courses connected to career pathways students will be required to choose this fall.
Created with input from business and higher education officials in Georgia, the courses are supposed to help students determine what they want to do after high school and prepare them for that choice.
Students will select “pathways” that lead to two- or four-year colleges, technical schools or directly to the workforce.
They will have the option of picking multiple pathways, and they can change their pathway.
This new system was created after the General Assembly voted in 2011 to have Georgia students follow the Career Clusters Framework, a curriculum offered in schools across the country.
“Too many students drop out of school because they can’t make the connection between what they’re doing in class and what they want to do after graduation,” State Superintendent John Barge said. “We want to make high school relevant for students.”
Georgia students will have the option of 20 career pathways covering such areas as agriculture/food and natural resources, energy, fine arts, manufacturing, information technology and finance. Other areas include government and public administration, business management, education and training, and marketing, as well as STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Charles Gardner, who will serve as principal at McClarin High in Fulton County this coming school year, said having students choose a career pathway will sharpen their focus.
“My experience with high school students tells me the successful ones are those who can look outside their four years,” Gardner said. “It’s always good to make school meaningful.”
Debra Murdock, principal at Cherokee High School in Canton, agreed.
“We are witnessing an evolving job market that will be built on students who have not only a strong academic record but also a great base in career readiness and preparation,” she said. “The initiative will be important to future success of our students. In order to help prepare our students for the 21st century work force, it is important that career exploration and preparation begin during the school years so that our students can make wise choices for their future.”
Joseph Harrison, a culinary arts student at The Newton College and Career Academy in Covington, told state Department of Education officials that he considered dropping out of school before figuring out what career path he wanted to follow.
“Attending The Newton College and Career Academy this year was an eye-opening experience for me,” Harrison said. “Prior to attending NCCA, I had a very dim outlook on the world of academia. School seemed somewhat pointless to me, and I had no drive or goals. I found something I truly love to do and am utterly excited for the future now that I have discovered this passion.”
Gardner said Fulton County Schools, now a operating as a charter system that has been given organizational and instructional flexibility in exchange for agreeing to meet specific educational goals, is particularly well-positioned to work with officials in business and higher education to help students.
He said he does have one worry about the new system: changing pathways. “One question I would have is, how late is too late to change?” he asked.
Matt Cardoza, spokesman for the state Department of Education, said changing pathways after a student’s sophomore year could delay that student’s graduation if he or she needs additional classes for the new pathway.
Gardner said his concern about the pathways system does not obscure its benefits.
“I’ve seen first-hand that, when a kid finds an area of passion, they perform better,” he said.
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