Pellissippi State & Knox County Schools: Building a Strong Partnership for Student Success

Ted A. Lewis Vice President of Academic Affairs Pellissippi State Community College talewis@pstcc.edu Mike North Dean, Strawberry Plains Campus Pellissippi State Community College mnorth@pstcc.edu John Derek Faulconer Principal, Career Magnet Academy Knox County Schools john.faulconer@knoxschools.org

Career and Technical Education Matters According to the US DOE: Over the next decade, 2/3 of all jobs will require a post secondary education In Knox County Schools, 86% of students who are in a structured CTE pathway program in high school obtain at least an Associates Degree At Pellissippi State, Career Programs have experienced a 38% growth rate over the past five years At Pellissippi State, the placement rate for graduates of Career Programs was 94 percent in 2013-2014.

The Opportunity

Knox County Schools Strategic Plan The district’s CTE programs will be rigorous, relevant, project-based, and focused on preparing students for both post-secondary education and careers. We must overcome the misleading perceptions that have become attached to career and technical education or “vocational education.” The Knox County schools will explore the feasibility of developing a career and technical education charter or magnet high school in Knox County.

Pellissippi State Strategic Plan 2020 Innovative Instructional Programs: Pellissippi State will expand instructional programs, diversify delivery options and modes of instruction, and develop new programs for target populations in collaboration with business and industry to address work force needs. Community Connections: Pellissippi State will expand outreach through connections in the community and partnerships with business, industry, and other educational providers at higher education and training agencies.

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act 2013 Reauthorization Alignment: Ensuring that the skills taught in CTE programs reflect the actual needs of the labor market so that CTE students acquire the 21st century skills necessary for in-demand occupations within high-growth industry sectors. High wage, high demand, high skill

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act 2013 Reauthorization Collaboration: Incentivizing secondary schools, institutions of higher education, employers, and industry partners to work together to ensure that all CTE programs offer students high-quality learning opportunities.

Tennessee Public Chapter 967 Enacted 2012 Process dictated by legislation calling for the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Board of Regents to cooperate with secondary schools to adapt college-level courses to be taught within high schools with college-level assessment.

Dual Enrollment Dual Enrollment allows high school students to earn college and high school credit for the same course  Students enroll in college-level courses taught at either their high school or at Pellissippi State Students may take any class for which they meet the prerequisites and/or eligibility requirements and save money in the process.

Dual Enrollment New faculty hired by Knox County Schools Career and Technical Education meet Pellissippi State’s credentialing requirements under the Southern Association of colleges and Schools (SACS) Knox County Schools Career and Technical Education aligned each of the learning outcomes in their courses with those of Pellissippi State’s to facilitate greater opportunities for dual enrollment and articulation Pellissippi State offers several dual enrollment Career and Technical Education courses

Strawberry Plains Campus In 2012, Pellissippi State acquired a three-story 223,000 square-foot facility formerly housing Philips Consumer Electronics’ East Tennessee headquarters, but left vacant for several years The facility is on 32.6 acres in the eastern portion of Knox County and serves an area of the county with limited access to higher educational opportunities Classes began in fall 2012, with 200 students enrolled Fall 2014, 305 students enrolled.

The Partnership

Knox County Schools Career & Technical Education Magnet High School In Fall 2012, Pellissippi State and Knox County Schools began talks about starting a CTE Magnet High School at the Strawberry Plains campus In 2013, the Knox County School Board approved the creation of the CTE Magnet High School

Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Administered a survey to industry asking specific questions about the need for graduates Used economic development strategy as basis for identifying high-demand, high-wage, high-skilled jobs Established a partnership with UT MBA students to help with the recruiting and marketing of the school Responsible for making industry connections and gathering expertise to help build pathway curriculum and secure equipment

Academic Clusters Chosen by Knox County Schools working with the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce in identified areas needing high demand, high wage, and high skill jobs Chosen not to compete with programs currently offered in other high schools across the county Pellissippi State has partnered with the Knox County Schools in the development and delivery of clusters Pellissippi State and Knox County Schools academic content experts meet regularly to develop the curriculum for each cluster

Academic Clusters Advanced Manufacturing Sustainable Living Maintenance Technician Operating Technician Sustainable Living Organic Food Systems Applied Renewable Energy Homeland Security Cyber Security Emergency Services Teacher Prep General Education

Advanced Manufacturing Maintenance Technician Electrical Mechanical Machinist Operating Technician LEAN manufacturing/Quality systems Robotics/automation technician

Sustainable Living Organic Food Systems Field to table (Agri-business) Organic Food Products and processing systems Applied Renewable Energy (LEED) Green design and construction Renewable energy (wind, water, solar)

Homeland Security Cyber Security Emergency Services Computer network systems Programming Network security Emergency Services Criminal justice/Law enforcement Fire Protective services/ EMS

Teacher Prep Only one Cluster Minor option Internship/Field Experience Students will take the general education classes that will be accepted by any 4 year teacher prep program Internship/Field Experience Math Science English Language Learners Special Education Career and Technical Education

Dual Credit/Enrollment Some courses are delivered as dual credit in 9th and 10th grades Many courses will be delivered as dual enrollment in 11th and 12th grades Students will earn at least 15 hours of college credit Depending on the chosen cluster, students can earn up to 33 hours of college credit Most students will earn college certificates upon completion of high school

Educational Space Separate: Shared: The CMA has a separate entrance & facilities on the ground floor 21,815 sf Shared: Lobby 2,432 sf Cafeteria 5,005 sf Mfg Mega Lab 22,522 sf

Mega Lab 20,522 sf manufacturing lab on the ground floor to be jointly shared by: Pellissippi State Knox County Career Magnet Academy Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Knoxville Pellissippi State Business and Community Services

Financial Considerations Knox County Schools: Renovated/remodeled the facilities Pays utilities on a pro-rated basis Provides security for the academy Provides transportation for high school students Provides IT support for the academy Pellissippi State charges Knox County Schools $1 per year for rental of the facility

Benchmarking Best Practices Early College High Schools/Middle Colleges Mission ECHS (EPCC & Socorro ISD) Williamson County Schools Middle College High School (TN) Manufacturing mega lab Henry Ford Community College Repurposing an office building for a multi-institutional educational facility Lone Star College – University Park

Other Educational Partners at Strawberry Plains Campus Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Knoxville provides certificate and one-year diploma programs in various occupational fields and customized training for business and industry Welding HVAC Patient care

Other Educational Partners at Strawberry Plains Campus East Tennessee State University State-supported regional doctoral-level comprehensive SACS- accredited university Education Ed.D in Educational Leadership Future Programs M.S. in Student Personnel B.S. in Special Education B.A./B.S. in K-6 Education B.A. in Human Services B.S. in Psychology B.S. in Computer Science B.A. in Mass Communication

Other Educational Partners at Strawberry Plains Campus King University Presbyterian, master's-level comprehensive SACS- accredited university Nursing RN to BSN Business BBA MBA

Other Educational Partners at Strawberry Plains Campus Carson Newman University Baptist, master's-level comprehensive SACS- accredited university Business MBA Pellissippi State is currently in conversation with other four-year institutions to offer programs

Benefits

For Students Provides multiple opportunities for success Can earn a certificate by the time they graduate high school Can earn (or make considerable progress toward completing) an associate’s degree by the time they graduate high school

For Students Will receive training for a high-demand, high-wage, high-skill job Changes the face of Career and Technical Education Teaches the soft skills and models how to use them Project Based Learning 1:1 technology Emerging culture

For Pellissippi State Additional dual enrollments Additional certificate completers Additional degree completers Increased partnerships Shared resources and expenses Positive momentum and publicity (for all parties)

For Knox County Schools Additional graduates in career and technical education programs A Career and technical Education magnet high school in the eastern part of Knox County Increased partnerships Shared resources and expenses Increased number of first time college students Increased rigor of Career and Technical Education Programs

For the Community A secondary and post-secondary educational institution in an area of the county with limited access to higher educational opportunities A well-trained workforce for high-demand, high-wage, high-skill jobs Greater stewardship of public funds through entities sharing resources

Considerations

Construction Process Architects on retainer PSCC and KCS partnered to develop space to meet both HS and college student needs. Security was paramount in construction considerations Construction began 2/2014, completed 8/2014 John Derek & Melissa

Transportation Run 9:30-4:30 schedule Provide transportation Drop off at KCS safe spots within five mile radius of student homes Transport from every geographic location in Knox County John Derek & Melissa

Master Schedule Built in Spring Revised throughout summer months Developed on scholars needs. (Traditional 4x4 block) Built in Advisory Sessions that focuses on remediation, intervention, and ACT Prep Pathway Fridays allow for cluster explorations John Derek & Melissa

Remediation/Enrichment Happens during Pathway Fridays and Advisory Tailored to scholar needs PSCC Partnership for Enrichment Creative Writers Nursing Education Programs Groups John Derek & Melissa

Recruiting Begins in October of each school year and ends in February Lottery System Ambassadors – Model Scholar We visit every Middle School in KCS Hold open houses for students, both public and private to visit/tour school Weekly tours at 3pm on Thursdays Cameron

Recruitment Who is Model CMA Scholar? Responsible Self-directed Diligent Motivated Capable of self-advocacy Achieved at grade level or higher Seeks challenges Career focused cameron

Recruitment College Emphasis College Courses 9th Grade = 3 dual credit 10th Grade = 3 dual credit 11th Grade = 4 dual enrollment 12th Grade = 4 dual enrollment Traditional HS Courses 9th Grade = 5 10th Grade = 5 11th Grade = 4 12th Grade = 4

Status

Student Demographics 117 scholars are currently enrolled 83 White 27 Black 7 Latino As a magnet academy, the school has scholars from every assigned high school in Knox County

Academics Four of the seven pathway curriculum maps have been completed (we are in the process of finalizing the remaining pathways). Pellissippi State will offer 49 electives to scholars who qualify during their Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year. All students are enrolled in a dual credit college success course their first year

Private Sector Partnerships Students can satisfy internships/apprenticeships/work-based learning/job shadowing/field experiences with: DENSO Republic Plastics ALCOA Sustainable Gardens Proton Therapy Knox County Schools Metro Fire Department TVA

Challenges

Challenges Lower than expected achievement data for many current scholars Funding State funded dual enrollments are for the first 2 ½ courses. Students may use their Hope Scholarships to pay for part of their courses beginning with the fifth dual enrollment course Tennessee Promise does not cover dual enrollment courses Sufficient cafeteria space Scaling up to 500 students & future expansion

Next Steps

Moving Forward A leadership team of representatives from Pellissippi State and Knox County Schools meets regularly to discuss issues of: Security Library usage Cafeteria Information technology Marketing Joint usage of all shared space

Moving Forward Based on PSCC’s “Am I a Good Fit?” philosophy for Dual Enrollment, the leadership team at the career magnet Academy has constructed a set of responsibility indicators (critical success factors) for recruiting students Pellissippi State will begin offering dual enrollment classes in fall 2016 Delivery teams of faculty from Pellissippi State and the Career Magnet Academy to align dual credit curriculum

Key Take-Aways Stakeholder buy-in Frequent communication Consistent compromise Clear vision Rocky

IT’S A COMMITMENT WORTH MAKING! Pellissippi State & Knox County Schools: Building a Strong Partnership for Student Success IT’S A COMMITMENT WORTH MAKING!

Ted A. Lewis Vice President of Academic Affairs Pellissippi State Community College talewis@pstcc.edu Mike North Dean, Strawberry Plains Campus Pellissippi State Community College mnorth@pstcc.edu John Derek Faulconer Principal, Career Magnet Academy Knox County Schools john.faulconer@knoxschools.org