1. Myra Pannell Research and Curriculum Unit Mississippi State University
Career Pathways and Innovative High School Models: Methods to Increase Retention
Myra Pannell
Research and Curriculum Unit
Mississippi State University

2. Why Pathways to success?
Assist students in selecting their appropriate graduation pathway
Increase attendance rates, high school GPA, and scores on statewide tests in secondary schools
Increase enrollment in dual-credit courses
Higher rates of postsecondary (PS) enrollment and completion
Decrease remediation at the PS level
Higher skilled employees in the workforce

3. See this handout on Mississippi Students’ Pathway to Success.

4. Every step along the Pathway is crucial to making each student’s future a success
Employment: Career Advancement
Continuing education and lifelong learning
Post-secondary: Career Preparation
Achieving credentials: college, certification, military
9–12: Career Preparation
Academics and Career and Technical education courses, intensive guidance, individual Career and Academic Plans
8: Individual Career and Academic Plan
Choosing a career cluster and career pathway(can change easily at any time)
6–8: Career Exploration
Discovering areas of career interests and aptitudes
K–5: Career Awareness
Introduction to the world of careers

5. Career clusters
Career Clusters are groupings of similar occupations and industries.
Mississippi uses the 16 national clusters.
Example:

6. 16 Career clusters

7. Career pathwayS
Are broad groups of careers that share similar characteristics within a career cluster
Example: Early Childhood Education is a career
pathway in the Human Services cluster.

8. WHY Career pathwayS? Prepare today's students for tomorrow’s jobs
Connect students with knowledge and skills for success in college and career
Motivate students to enroll in more rigorous and relevant courses
Guide students from high school into career

9. Program of Study (Major)
District-developed, sequential set of courses
Includes academic core courses
Coherent, challenging and relevant to real-world situations
Aligned to common core standards
Includes elective courses
Logical and challenging
Aligned to industry-recognized standards
Aligned to College Readiness Standards

10. Program of Study (Major)
Leads to multiple exit points
Associate’s or bachelor’s degree
Certificate at the postsecondary level
Industry-recognized credential
Aligns to
Articulated credit opportunities
Dual enrollment opportunities

11. Individual career and academic plan
A student’s guide that helps him or her establish and achieve career and academic goals for success after high school
Provides mentoring and guidance to assist students in career pathway planning
Helps identify correct graduation pathway options
Supports changes to meet student needs and ambitions
Transitions into a profession or postsecondary educational major

12. Individual career and academic plaN
Students will be introduced to career options in the 6th-7th grades.
Spring pre-registration
All 8th grade public school students in Mississippi
Should select a program of study (major).
Develop an iCAP based on this major with input from counselors, mentor teachers, and parents.
In the following years, iCAP will be developed for all incoming 8th graders.
Students will revise iCAP each year in grades 9-12.

13. Graduation pathway options
Multiple pathway options to a standard diploma
Career Pathway Option
(21 Credits LAW) (MS Code ) Or
Traditional Pathway Option
(24 Credits minimum)
District Pathway Option
(21 Credits minimum)
MS Early Exit Exam Option
Applies only to students in a State Board of Education (SBE) approved
Innovative Program
(17.5 Credits minimum)

14. graduation pathways
See Handout on Graduation Pathways

15. So how can a high school put Pathways into practice?
Innovative High School Models
Traditional high school route
Excellence for All
Career Academies
Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment
Early College High School (ECHS)
MS Works

16. Excellence for All Open to all high school students
May include a cohort of students
May include all students at school
Students may exit after successful completion of lower division OR
Students may continue the high school experience in the upper division
Locations
Corinth (Cambridge)
Clarksdale (Cambridge)
Lamar County (ACT)
Columbia (ACT)
Gulfport (ACT Innovations)

17. Career Academies Open to all high school students
May be a cohort of students (pocket academies)
May include all students (wall-to-wall academies)
Students exit the Career Academy in the typical four years required for high school
Locations
Rankin County
Meridian
Gulfport
Madison County
Lamar County
Clinton
Lincoln County
George County
Hattiesburg

18. Dual Credit/ Dual Enrollment
Open to all high school students who meet entrance criteria established by college
Dual credit/dual enrollment does not impact exit time unless combined with another option
Locations
Many schools offer opportunities for dual credit/dual enrollment
, 42 MS school districts awarded dual credit

19. MS Works At-risk students or recent dropouts
Students must be between ages 16 and 21
Students exit the MS Works program at the point they earn their high school diploma or at age 21
All community colleges must implement
MS Works Task Force recommendations ready by Fall 2013
Locations
Hinds CC/Rankin-Pearl
Copiah-Lincoln CC/Lincoln County

20. Early College High School (ECHS)
Open to all students in school
Targets at-risk or first-generation college students
Implementation involves a cohort group meeting specified criteria
A new small high school usually located on a college campus
Students enter in 9th grade after selection based on specified criteria and application
Last two years are almost all dual-credit college courses
High school and college provide extensive student support services for success in college courses
Support available through the Early College High School Initiative
Students enter the ECHS in 9th grade; programs are designed to complete high school and AA/AAS degree in four to five years
Locations
In planning stage

21. Contact information
For information concerning Pathways to Success or MS Innovative High School Models, please contact:
Myra Pannell
Research and Curriculum Unit
Mississippi State University