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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary EducationMassachusetts Department of Higher Education

Innovation Pathways Designation - Preliminary Part A ApplicationApril 2019

For applicants seeking designation in Spring 2020 for school year 2020-2021 enrollment

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Table of Contents

Overview and Vision for Massachusetts High Quality College and Career Pathways.................................3

Innovation Pathways Designation Process..................................................................................................5

Applicant Criteria..................................................................................................................................... 5

Application Timeline................................................................................................................................ 5

Innovation Pathways Preliminary Designation Application...........................................................................6

I. Applicant and Partner Information........................................................................................................6

II. Adherence to Guiding Principles.........................................................................................................9

Appendix A: FY19 Priority Industries List and Descriptions.......................................................................21

Appendix B: Components of a High Quality Career Immersion Experience..............................................24

Appendix C: Intent to Apply for Innovation Pathways................................................................................25

Appendix D: Six Core Components of a High Quality College & Career Pathway.....................................26

Appendix E: College and Career Advising Framework..............................................................................27

College and Career Advising & MyCAP – 9th Grade............................................................................27

College and Career Advising & MyCAP – 10th Grade..........................................................................29



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Overview and Vision for Massachusetts High Quality College and Career Pathways

In 2017, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts launched the “High Quality College and Career Pathways” (HQCCP) initiative. Now in its third year, HQCCP is the outgrowth of complementary bodies of work that began several years ago in Massachusetts, overseen by the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet (WSC). The WSC was created by an Executive Order of Governor Charlie Baker in early 2015 and aligns the Executive Offices of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Housing and Economic Development toward a comprehensive economic growth agenda. To that end, the WSC is charged with creating and implementing a strategy to ensure that individuals can develop and continuously improve their skills and knowledge to meet the varying needs of employers in the Commonwealth.

Among the priorities of the WSC is the development of High Quality College and Career Pathways for residents of the Commonwealth, an effort significantly supported by 1) the state’s receipt of a highly competitive New Skills for Youth (NSFY) grant from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to address the need at a national level for greater career preparation and access to high quality career pathways and 2) the early college work described in “Breaking Down Silos to Put Students on a Path to Success”—a report sponsored by the Barr Foundation, in partnership with the Commonwealth that led to the creation of Early College Joint Committee in 2016. These two newer pathways complement the existing Vocational (Chapter 74) programming. The administration has also committed new resources to Chapter 74 programming, and encouraged the launch of new CVTE programs that align with labor market demand.

The NSFY initiative is designed to support the development of new and effective strategies to scale high-quality career pathways across the country, and significantly expand student access to, participation in, and successful completion of pathways that culminate in meaningful postsecondary and workforce credentials. Its intent is to ensure that many more young people are well prepared to prosper in the competitive global economy, a goal perfectly aligned with the goals of the Commonwealth.1

Massachusetts High Quality College and Career Pathways provide a menu of options for students that are each equally rigorous, effective, and meaningful. The three opportunities—Early College programs, Innovation Pathways, and Vocational Technical (Ch. 74) programs —include varying methods for how students can interact with college and career preparation. The Commonwealth developed a set of guiding principles that provide a powerful context for all HQCCPs, as well as a more specific set of characteristics that define these pathways. The following “five guiding principles” are essential to successful design of HQCCPs, and have become the framework for the designation criteria:

1. Equitable Access2. Guided Academic Pathways3. Enhanced Student Support4. Relevant Connection to Career5. Deep Partnerships

1 CCSSSO based the NSFY initiative on the conclusions of its report titled “Opportunities and Options: Making Career Preparation Work for Students.”

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http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2014/CCSSOTaskForceCareerReadiness120114.pdf

http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2014/CCSSOTaskForceCareerReadiness120114.pdf

http://parthenon.ey.com/po/en/perspectives/breaking-down-silos-to-put-students-on-the-path-to-success--the-promise-of-early-college-in-massachusetts

http://parthenon.ey.com/po/en/perspectives/breaking-down-silos-to-put-students-on-the-path-to-success--the-promise-of-early-college-in-massachusetts

http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Programs/New_Skills_for_Youth.html

http://www.mass.gov/governor/press-office/press-releases/fy2015/exec-order-to-address-workforkforce-skills-gap-signed.html

The Commonwealth has defined two new types of HQCCPs, referred to as “Early College” (EC) and “Innovation Pathways” (IP) that are aligned with these principles.2 In academic year 2019-20 the Commonwealth will again offer its local education agencies and institutions of higher education the opportunity to obtain formal designation for Innovation Pathways.3 This will entail a two-step process described below that will culminate next winter in official designation for those pathways that satisfy rigorous quality standards.

Developed collaboratively with the Executive Office of Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Department of Higher Education, the HQCCP designation processes were designed to provide students in the Commonwealth with supportive, rigorous, and career-relevant academic experiences. These High Quality College and Career Pathways will be the result of collaborative efforts between key stakeholders, including schools, districts, postsecondary institutions, workforce development agencies and employers. They will provide students with equitable access to a pathway deemed a strong individualized fit. Offering varied academic experiences as well as career exploration, students graduate with industry recognized credentials and a robust knowledge of the Commonwealth’s workforce opportunities and realities for employment.

The Innovation Pathway is summarized as follows:

Innovation Pathways

The Innovation Pathway Designation reflects a design to connect student learning to a broadly-defined industry sector that is in demand in the regional and state economy. Participation in this kind of pathway, the hallmark of which is a 100-hour internship or capstone, can lead students to opportunities for meaningful careers in that industry sector and prepare for postsecondary education and training.

Schools, districts, and postsecondary partners will have a menu of options to choose from when providing students with high quality college and career pathways. Each type of pathway contains the necessary elements of a high quality college and career pathway, with program variations designed to fit the unique needs of students, schools, and districts.

These pathways will provide participating students in the Commonwealth with supportive, rigorous academic experiences, career development education relevant to their next steps after high school, and a thoughtful, student-owned individual college and career planning process to ensure that students are ready for success after high school. State agencies will support planning for schools and districts to collaborate and provide students with equitable access to these pathways, with on and off ramps across different pathways throughout high school, and to ensure that they graduate with well-designed post-secondary plans, and a robust knowledge of Massachusetts’ workforce opportunities and realities for employment.

For more information and a graphical representation of the six core components of High Quality College and Career Pathways, please reference Appendix D.

2 To learn more about the Early College model, refer to the Early College summary and designation criteria.

3 For additional information on Early College and the corresponding designation process, see http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccte/ccr/hqccp/.

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http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccte/ccr/hqccp/

http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/resources/EarlyCollegeCriteria.docx

http://www.mass.edu/strategic/ec_home.asp

Innovation Pathways Designation Process

The related Pathway designation approval process was designed collaboratively by the Executive Office of Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Higher Education to ensure that new college and career pathways are carefully designed to offer high quality preparation for college and career.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants for designation must be structured partnerships between at least one K-12 partner (specifically a Massachusetts public high school), a local MassHire Board, and an employer in the chosen industry sector(s). If an applicant is seeking designation for multiple pathways and industry sectors, an employer must be specified for each industry sector. Higher Education partners are welcome but not required; note – these do not satisfy the employer partner requirement. Note that in the preliminary stage, a simple co-signed letter of agreement to partner is required, and must be co-signed by all three partners; at the final stage of the application process, a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the applicant partners will be required. A leading goal for IPs is that the workforce and employer partners be active participants in the ongoing planning effort that is required.

Application Timeline

To assist DESE in managing the application process, interested applicants are invited to submit an “Intent to Apply” (via Google Form) by August 23, 2019. See Appendix C for more information.

The Part A Preliminary Application for a Massachusetts Innovation Pathway is due no later than 5pm on September 13, 2019

Review of Part A Applications will be completed in mid-October, at which time applicants will be notified their status.

Those applicants who have been approved at Part A will be invited to submit Part B Final applications, which will be due January 10, 2020. Between October and mid-December, the departments will offer technical support as qualified applicants prepare materials for submission. Final designation submissions will be reviewed in January, and all applicants who submit Part B materials must participate in an interview with department staff. Areas of focus will be informed by the applicant’s written submission and will be provided to interview participants in advance. Designations will be conferred by the DESE Commissioner by the end of February 2020.

Designations are issued as five-year performance contracts, with annual reporting obligations, participation in technical assistance, and a review/check-in after the first three years.

Questions?

If you are seeking additional information on the designation process, please email [email protected].

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mailto:[email protected]

Innovation Pathways Preliminary Designation Application

PLEASE NOTE: Below you will find the information required for Massachusetts Innovation Pathway Part A Preliminary Application. This form is offered for working and printing convenience; however, all applications must be submitted via WizeHive, our online platform. The platform link will be provided at a future date to all applicants who submit the Intent to Apply form.

I. Applicant and Partner Information

The lead applicant for an Innovation Pathway must be an LEA. The relevant regional MassHire Workforce Board is a required partner. There must also be at least one additional partner; that partner may be either one employer or a group of employers.

Lead Applicant District:(Name of District)

Lead Applicant High School(s):(Name of High School(s))

Lead applicant contact:

Name Title Phone Email

Mailing Address:Street Address

City State ZIP

Phone/Email:Preferred Phone

Email Address

Local MassHire Board Name:

MassHire Board contact:


Mailing Address:

Street Address

City State ZIP

Phone/Email:

Preferred Phone

Email Address

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Employer Partner(s) Name(s): (If seeking designation of multiple pathways, specify an employer or group of employers for each chosen industry sector.)

Employer contact: (Add employer contact information as necessary, for each pathway for which applicant seeks designation.)


Mailing address:

Street Address

City State ZIP

Phone/Email:

Preferred Phone

Email Address

Please indicate the number of Innovation Pathways (industry sectors) for which you are seeking designation.

Indicate the Priority industry sector(s) your pathway(s) will target:(For information on your regional blueprint, see Appendix A and https://www.mass.gov/service-details/view-your-regions-blueprint.)

Please check all Priority industry sectors that apply:

Advanced Manufacturing Information Environmental and Life Sciences Health Care and Social Assistance Business and Finance

How many students do you propose to enroll in the pathway(s), and by when? (If you are seeking designation for multiple pathways, please indicate student enrollment for each industry sector-specific pathway.)

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New for FY20: Designated programs are expected to enroll students no later than beginning of 10th grade, so that participating students receive at least 3 years of pathway services as enrolled students, allowing for some exceptions permitted for 11th graders with appropriate experience. Indicate here whether you will enroll students in 9th or in 10th grade.

9th

10th

Indicate if you applied for planning funding in Spring 2019: Yes No

The Departments will award designation to all applicants who fulfill essential elements of Innovation Pathway program design and provide sufficient evidence that the program has enrolled students as defined by the Designation Criteria, or that the applicant has developed all necessary infrastructure to begin enrolling students upon designation. Note that this is not a competitive process as there is no cap on the number of designations. In contrast, funding will be awarded competitively in accordance with the requirements articulated within a separate application.

Please check the box to confirm agreement:

Does the secondary institution currently offer approved Ch. 74 programming?

Yes No

Does the secondary institution currently receive Perkins funding? Yes No

If YES (the secondary is currently receiving Perkins funding), are you applying for designation of a pre-existing Perkins program?

Yes No

Applicants are expected to register for and send a team to participate in DESE’s MyCAP training next year, concurrently with their participation in the IP designation process. The training will equip them to fulfill IP expectations for high quality college and career advising and MyCAP development embedded in the pathway. Note that there is a planning grant opportunity for IP applicants, and funding received from that source may be allocated to cover costs associated with participation in the training.

Please check the following box to confirm agreement:

Yes, the Applicant high school will register and participate in the College and Career Advising Workshop Series in FY20

The applicant high school has already completed MyCAP training, effective _____________.(Note month, year.)

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II. Introductory Narrative

Please provide an introductory narrative describing your partnership, your vision for this Innovation Pathway, and the desired impact of the program. Describe your reasons for selecting the sector(s), the potential and vision for the proposed Innovation Pathway(s) for your students, your school and campus, and your region; also describe any role your partners played in your choice of sector(s) and in the planning process to date. Further, articulate effective actions aligned to Region’s Workforce Skills Cabinet Blue Print strategies, priority and critical industry sectors, occupation and pathways.4 Field limited to 1,000 words.

II. Adherence to Guiding Principles

The following pages describe the Guiding Principles that are the framework of the Innovation Pathways Preliminary Application Criteria. Please review the description of each of the Guiding Principles, and respond to questions that correspond to the criteria. Each field limited to 500 words.

1. Equitable Access Designated programs should prioritize students with high needs, especially English language learners (ELLs), students with disabilities (SWDs) and economically disadvantaged students, and/or underrepresented in higher education enrollment and completion and/or high demand industry sectors. To facilitate this, programs should be structured to eliminate barriers to student participation. Design might therefore include, but not be limited to, open enrollment without regard to prior academic performance, student supports to promote success, scalability, multiple entry points for students, tuition-free participation in dual enrollment courses, and student supports to prepare students for entry into the program.

4 For more information on the Regional Workforce Skills Planning Initiative, including your region’s blueprint, see https://www.mass.gov/regional-workforce-skills-planning-initiative.

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Preliminary Designation Criteria to demonstrate Equitable Access:

1. Program is designed and funded such that it is offered free for all student participants.

2. Enrollment in program is open to all students in the secondary school, without respect to prior academic performance.5

3. Should student applications exceed program capacity, participation should be determined by a lottery among applicants.

4. The program will present a plan for outreach and recruitment of students with recommended additional strategies to address challenges for students who are traditionally under-represented (low-income students, students of color, English language learners, students with disabilities and potential first-generation college-goers). A plan for outreach to parents, community stakeholders and industry in the region should also be included.

5. Program design aims to reflect admissions and placement policy that ensures that at-risk and other underrepresented students are fully able to participate.

Applicant Questions

A. Provide requested demographic data for the applicant high school(s), including but not limited to: (1) student population as broken down by race and ethnicity, (2) students who are economically disadvantaged/low income, (3) English language learners (ELL), and (4) students with disabilities (SWD). In the same chart, provide a breakdown of the demographic data for the students you propose to serve.6 Please download the Excel template provided and complete a tab for each proposed sector-specific pathway. If you are applying for multiple high schools, complete and upload an Excel workbook for each high school.

Upload document(s) into WizeHive (Attachment(s))

B. Who will your program serve? We expect you to include the categories identified in question A above, as well as any students who may be underrepresented in the industry sector or who may be first generation college-goers.

5 This aspect of program design is subject to and may account for appropriate processes to address suitability for special populations of students, such as those with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Programs may also be designed to require students to meet reasonable benchmarks of participation, engagement, and performance to continue participation. 6 Programs that receive designation will be required to report program demographics by subpopulation at the time of its annual SIMS filing in Fall. Enrollment in designated programs is expected to reflect the demographic mix proposed during the designation process.

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C. Describe the outreach and recruitment strategies you will employ to proactively target students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education or in the selected industry, including students of color, students who are economically disadvantaged, English language learners, students with disabilities, and students who may otherwise not yet have a perception that they are a college-going student and have access to postsecondary opportunities.

D. Confirm that your projected cohort for participation, presented in your uploaded chart, reflects the proportion of students in the high school that are students of color, ELLs, SWDs, and economically disadvantaged students. If it does not, offer an explanation.

Assurances

Please check the corresponding boxes to confirm agreement.

a. The program is designed and funded such that it will be offered free for all student participants—including tuition, fees, and other related expenses.

b. Should student applications exceed program capacity, participation should be determined by a lottery among applicants, or by another method intended to ensure equitable access to the program.

c. Initial enrollment in an innovation pathway should be made without regard to past academic performance.*

d. A written application will be required for student participation in the proposed program(s), and confirmation of program admission will be issued to each student. Program administration agrees to save completed applications for program admission.

e. In rare instances, a student may seek admission into the program in grade 11. In admitting the student, the program affirms that the student will be able to receive all the services expected for the pathway, including experiences the student obtained in earlier grades (e.g., MyCAP). Any exception will be documented by the school.

* This aspect of program design is subject to and may account for appropriate processes to address suitability for special populations of students, such as those with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Programs may also be designed to require students to meet reasonable benchmarks of participation, engagement, and performance to continue participation.

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2. Guided Academic Pathways Designated programs should be structured around clear and detailed student academic pathways from secondary to a range of post-secondary educational opportunities (e.g., college, apprenticeships, vocational certificates, military, training) with regard to coursework, sequencing, and experiences beyond the classroom. Innovation Pathway Programs should offer students substantive exposure to career opportunities in the pathway’s defining industry sector as well as other fields, allowing students to make an informed decision about which career to pursue. Students should also be exposed to the academic rigor of postsecondary education through participation in college level courses. Further, programs should offer experiences intended to acculturate students to the post-secondary experience.

Preliminary Designation Criteria to demonstrate Guided Academic Pathways:

An Innovation Pathway Program must be aligned with career opportunities in a broad industry sector with high employer demand. It should provide students the opportunity to make progress toward obtaining an industry-recognized credential, or college credits toward a Certificate, Associates, or Baccalaureate degree.7 The program must be a clearly articulated, thoughtfully designed, and fully integrated pathway for students, including:

1. Career and postsecondary education exploration, grounded in employability skills and labor market information.

2. Program design reflects an integration of course taking, career exploration and work based learning aligned to a broad industry sector identified by two digit NAICS Codes.

3. The pathway, starting no later than 10th grade, is designed to prepare students for college level courses to be taken in grade 12, if not sooner, and students must complete MassCore by graduation.

4. College and career exploration and course taking is linked with the broader college going experience, such that where feasible, students participate in activities on the campus of a postsecondary partner institution.

5. Program is designed so that at the conclusion of high school, students will have a clear understanding of the postsecondary pathways and courses of study available to them, and how those courses of study will help facilitate their career aspirations.

6. Students will also be fully familiar with, and prepared to pursue, their next steps in postsecondary education (application, admission, enrollment, financial aid, scholarship resources, self-pay), as documented in their college and career plan.

7. An Innovation Pathways program must be rigorous, satisfy MassCore, and include in its scope and sequence of courses a minimum of 2 high school courses related to the industry sector category, and separately, 2 college level courses.8

7 The Department of Higher Education, in collaboration with the three segments of public higher education, has developed “A2B Mapped” degrees in specific disciplines and meta-majors that seek to make create a seamless transition from two-year to four-year institutions. These pathways guarantee the transfer of general education and foundational courses, and a minimum of 60-credits to be applied towards the baccalaureate degree. To the extent possible, high school Innovation Pathway programs and course offerings should be aligned with the “A2B” mapped degrees, and these types of course offerings should be carefully examined as an essential aspect of any Innovation Pathway design process.

8 “Double-dipping” is not permissible. For example, if the two technical courses are offered at a community college, we still expect two other college-level courses (ideally, those are AP or dual-enrollment courses that are in the academic area, e.g. English or Mathematics).

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i. A minimum of 2 of the 4 courses must be technical courses related to the

pathway’s industry sector concentration. ii. A minimum of 2 of the 4 courses must be college-level courses that provide

the student an opportunity to gain college credit. Methods to gain college credit may include articulation agreement, college dual enrollment, or challenge exam (AP, CLEP, PLTW, etc.), and may align to apprenticeship standards. Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to fulfill the college level course requirement with core academic subjects, to better prepare students for postsecondary success

iii. To the extent possible, these courses should fall under the MassTransfer Gen Ed Foundation and align with established “A2B Mapped” Degree Pathways.

Applicant Questions

A. Which of the following pre-selected industry sectors characterizes your pathway (see Appendix A for more information):

i. Manufacturingii. Information iii. Environmental and Life Sciences iv. Health Care and Social Assistancev. Business and Finance

B. Using the text boxes below, describe the high school and college-level courses that the school plans to offer in the pathway, at each grade level, to constitute a rigorous course of study.If the school is applying for multiple pathways, provide a description for each proposed Innovation Pathway. The course of study must reflect completion of MassCore; alignment with career opportunities in the selected industry sector(s); access to college courses; and alignment with graduation requirements, including 4 courses as described below:

1. A minimum of 2 of the 4 courses must be technical courses related to the pathway’s industry sector concentration. Note: In order to ensure coherence, and to offer students in the cohort a shared experience in the program, the pathway may not include more than 4 options of technical courses. In the event these are courses offered by an IHE, to the extent possible, these courses should fall under the MassTransfer Gen Ed Foundation and align with established “A2B Mapped” Degree Pathways. Submission should include local course numbers.

2. A minimum of 2 of the 4 must be college-level courses that provide the student an opportunity to gain college credit. Methods to gain college credit may include AP courses, IP courses, articulation agreement, college dual enrollment, challenge exam. It is strongly recommended but not required that at a minimum one of the college-level courses include English Composition I or the equivalent and a college-level mathematics course for the purpose of college academic skill-building. To the extent possible, these courses should fall under the MassTransfer Gen Ed Foundation and align with established “A2B Mapped” Degree Pathways. Submission should include local course numbers. Describe when and where college coursework will be completed. Note that in the final

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http://www.mass.edu/masstransfer/a2b/home.asp

http://www.mass.edu/masstransfer/gened/coursesearch.asp

http://www.mass.edu/masstransfer/gened/coursesearch.asp

designation application, the college-level courses and process and requirements for students to be awarded college credits must be documented in the application, specifying postsecondary partners when dual enrollment is being offered.

In the boxes below, identify any courses to be offered to students to fulfill the requirements of the Innovation Pathway.

Grade 9 Course Offerings (if starting the program in 9th grade):

Grade 10 Course Offerings:



C. Offer a short description of what the school currently uses to provide individualized college and career planning for all students. This will be the starting point for the school’s My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP), formerly referred to as Individualized Learning Plans implementation. The expectation for MyCAP is that activities will start in grade 9. Note that an applicant is required to involve students in MyCAP even if enrollment in the pathway will take place in 10th grade. For additional information, see the College and Career Advising (CCA) Framework, included as Appendix E. In your description, be sure to specify which on-line platform will be used to manage student plans, including:

- MEFA Pathways (formerly known as Your Plan for the Future)- Naviance- Career Cruising- MassCIS- Other – Provide name of platform

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D. Confirm that all students in the IP(s) will develop a plan for postsecondary education and/or training that will be captured in their MyCAP, and that the school will offer supports to ensure that students matriculate in the postsecondary setting described in their plan.

Yes No

E. Confirm that the high school will develop a system for tracking the use of MyCAP.

Yes No

3. Enhanced Student SupportDesignated programs should incorporate sufficient wraparound services to promote academic success and completion, taking into consideration the needs of diverse populations of students.

Preliminary Designation Criteria to demonstrate Enhanced Student Support:

1. The program identifies potential academic and nonacademic challenges for all potential student participants.

2. Plans for supports for academic, nonacademic, and career-related courses and activities are included. These plans should incorporate evidence-based strategies and consider the supports offered by programs such as Connecting Activities and post-secondary partners.

3. An outline of potential academic supports, such as tutoring, peer mentoring, or career coaching is provided.

4. An appropriate contact for student support is named in the application. Full contact information for this individual is provided, along with a description of the role. If the role requires staff to be hired, a proposed job description is included.

5. Appropriate safety procedures for students related to off school site industry or post-secondary activities are addressed.

Applicant Questions

A. Identify the academic and nonacademic challenges that may arise for students in the proposed pathway(s). List any data mechanisms that are currently, or will be, used for measuring, tracking, and/or evaluating these challenges. Indicate when the mechanism will be deployed during the student experience.

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B. Describe how the challenges you have specified will be addressed, specific to students in the proposed program; include an outline of potential supports, naming those that exist and those that need to be developed. Supports must address counseling, advising, and tutoring needs both at the high school and postsecondary levels. Reliance on existing supports may not be sufficient for the needs of students in these programs, and applicants are encouraged to plan for deeper supports for IP students.

C. Offer some preliminary thoughts about how staff will accommodate students who present behavioral or health and safety concerns, such that they can be included and successful in the program?

4. Connection to CareerDesignated programs should expose students to a variety of career opportunities including greater depth in careers relevant to their selected pathway, for example, by providing opportunities for targeted workforce and career skills development, career counseling, and elements of experiential and workplace learning.

Preliminary Designation Criteria to demonstrate Connection to Career

1. The Innovation Pathway must be developed based on one of the five earlier-indicated industry sectors.

2. A range of well-designed career development education activities, by grade level, are included in the pathway, including exploration, awareness, and immersion, as defined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE).

3. Aligned career and college counseling is a required part of the Pathway Program, including the guided use of MyCAP beginning in 9th grade.

4. Program uses an online tool (i.e., MEFA Pathways, formerly known as Your Plan for the Future, Naviance: Career Cruising, MassCIS) for college and career counseling that aligns to the necessary elements of individual learning plans (as defined by ESE).

5. Innovation Pathway Programs must create an opportunity for student to complete 100 hours of a career immersion experience in either an internship or capstone class, offering structured work readiness activities and work-based learning experiences. This experience must be captured with a SIMS course code, so that it is a part of a student’s transcript and is available for state data monitoring. To ensure the quality of the internship program or capstone, review Appendix B for details.

6. An appropriate staff person for implementing the above immersive experience is named in the application. Full contact information for this individual is provided, along with a description of the role. If the role requires staff to be hired, a proposed job description is included.

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Applicant Questions

A. Describe how the proposed pathway(s) will expose students to career development education, including deeper exposure to many types of occupations and career progression opportunities relevant to their selected pathway sector, and offer information about the progression of these over the four years of high school.

B. Is the program collaborating with Connecting Activities or YouthWorks? (select all that apply):

Connecting Activities YouthWorks

C. State which immersion experience you are electing for your program. (Select all that apply; if seeking designation for multiple pathways, describe the experiences chosen for each in D (below)). Applicants are expected to offer the same immersive experience to all students in a pathway, rather than a choice between them. Internships are preferred as they give the students a better exposure to adults working in the industry.

Internship Capstone

D. Describe your plan for enabling students to complete a minimum of 100 hours of a high quality career immersion experience in either an internship or capstone class (as long as 100 hours are outside classroom with a supervising adult) by graduation. Please complete the corresponding answer field(s) you are electing for your pathway(s).

Internship

Additional characteristics to ensure quality in an internship include:1. Use of the MA Work-Based Learning Plan including pre and post-experience skill assessment.2. Work readiness training provided, using an effective curriculum, before placement.2. Staff liaison to interface with worksite.3. Ongoing and regular student journal-writing that documents and reflects on experiences.4. Creation by student of a culminating product (report, PowerPoint, video, etc.)

AND/OR

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http://www.massconnecting.org/sites/default/files/resources/masswblp.doc

Capstone

Additional characteristics to ensure quality in a capstone project include:1. A well-designed process for identification of individual or team student project that ensures an alignment with the industry sector.2. At least one hundred hours of activity by the student outside of the classroom, in the form of research, service-learning, or other related activity, that supports the capstone project.3. The participation of an advisor with knowledge of the industry sector that defines the pathway, ideally an external partner not part of the school staff, who guides the development of the project.4. The creation of a high-quality end product governed by a rubric, with each student’s product judged to meet or exceed minimums defined by the school.

E. Provide examples of career awareness, exploration and/or immersion activities that will be included in the program across the four years of high school.

F. Identify any relevant credentials that students may earn or prepare to attain. Please specify which are available via (a) local postsecondary partner(s), where relevant.

G. Identify the partnering MassHire Workforce Development Board’s role in supporting connections between education and career in support of the proposed program(s), e.g., addressing career awareness and exploration, the college or other postsecondary setting search, and the development of a postsecondary plan

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H. Identify the partnering employer(s) role(s) in supporting connections between education and career in support of the proposed program(s), e.g., in addressing career awareness and exploration, the college or other postsecondary setting search, and the development of a postsecondary plan.

5. Effective PartnershipsDesignated programs should be a partnership between one public secondary school and/or district, a MassHire board and at least one employer from the relevant industrythat guides program development and implementation. The MassHire board and employer should continue as active partners to support the program once implemented.

Preliminary Designation Criteria to demonstrate Effective Partnerships

1. For Innovation Pathways, the required partners are involved from the outset in the design and implementation of the pathway;

2. Applicant should describe plans for ongoing meetings with required partners, and should additionally begin to identify other employers that will support internships or capstones.

3. Where there is a requirement for local bargaining relating to any aspect of the pathway, local requirements must be followed. The proposal outlines plans to have discussions concerning collective bargaining agreements, at both the K-12 and higher education level, as needed.

4. Each partner has identified personnel empowered with the authority to enter into memoranda of understanding discussions.

Applicant Questions

A. Describe the proposed partnership between the school/district and its partners. Please detail the roles and responsibilities of each major partner, as well as the plan for sustaining meetings and collaboration.

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B. Describe your plan for how the issue of local collective bargaining/labor relations, where relevant, has been or will be addressed, e.g. where dual enrollment is used to satisfy college-level course offerings.

C. Identify additional employers that will support internships or capstones.

D. Identify key costs associated with the program for both partners, including—but not limited to—per credit student support, costs of student placement in immersion experiences, and student transportation. The partners must have a realistic plan to sustainably support a high quality program across all partners, and have identified a necessary funding structure to achieve that goal. Note that a budget will be required as an element of the final application.

E. Submit a letter of intent to partner identifying leadership empowered to make decisions and outlining how the institutions will be fully integrated partners in the program. This letter must be signed by the K12 superintendent, the head of the MassHire Board and a representative of the employer with authority to commit to the partnering work.

Upload document into WizeHive (Attachment)

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Appendix A: FY19 Priority Industries List and Descriptions

Industries are broad groups of businesses or organizations with similar activities, products, or services. Occupations are considered part of an industry based on their employment.

Prioritized industry sectors, as identified below, are evidenced by FY17 Labor and Workforce Development data.

Sector (NAICS Code(s))

Description*

31-33 Manufacturing

The Manufacturing sector comprises establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products.

Establishments in the Manufacturing sector are often described as plants, factories, or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and materials-handling equipment. However, establishments that transform materials or substances into new products by hand or in the worker's home and those engaged in selling to the general public products made on the same premises from which they are sold, such as bakeries, candy stores, and custom tailors, may also be included in this sector. Manufacturing establishments may process materials or may contract with other establishments to process their materials for them. Both types of establishments are included in manufacturing.

51 Information

The Information sector comprises establishments engaged in the following processes: (a) producing and distributing information and cultural products, (b) providing the means to transmit or distribute these products as well as data or communications, and (c) processing data.

The main components of this sector are the publishing industries, including software publishing, and both traditional publishing and publishing exclusively on the Internet; the motion picture and sound recording industries; the broadcasting industries, including traditional broadcasting and those broadcasting exclusively over the Internet; the telecommunications industries; Web search portals, data processing industries, and the information services

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Description*

industries.

The Information sector groups three types of establishments: (1) those engaged in producing and distributing information and cultural products; (2) those that provide the means to transmit or distribute these products as well as data or communications; and (3) those that process data.

52 Finance and Insurance

The Finance and Insurance sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in financial transactions (transactions involving the creation, liquidation, or change in ownership of financial assets) and/or in facilitating financial transactions. Three principal types of activities are identified:

1. Raising funds by taking deposits and/or issuing securities and, in the process, incurring liabilities. Establishments engaged in this activity use raised funds to acquire financial assets by making loans and/or purchasing securities. Putting themselves at risk, they channel funds from lenders to borrowers and transform or repackage the funds with respect to maturity, scale, and risk. This activity is known as financial intermediation.

2. Pooling of risk by underwriting insurance and annuities. Establishments engaged in this activity collect fees, insurance premiums, or annuity considerations; build up reserves; invest those reserves; and make contractual payments. Fees are based on the expected incidence of the insured risk and the expected return on investment.

3. Providing specialized services facilitating or supporting financial intermediation, insurance, and employee benefit programs.

In addition, monetary authorities charged with monetary control are included in this sector.

Environmental and Life Sciences

The Environmental Science sector analyzes, develops, and provides solutions to environmental challenges, including

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Description*

alternative energy systems, pollution control, sustainably and natural resource. Life Sciences comprises establishments that specialize in research and development, commercialization, and manufacturing activities in the fields of biopharma, medical device, diagnostics, and digital health. This description of Life Science is drawn from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, http://www.masslifesciences.com, whose mission is to advance both the scientific and economic development of the life sciences industry in the Commonwealth.**

62 Health Care and Social Assistance

The Health Care and Social Assistance sector comprises establishments providing health care and social assistance for individuals. The sector includes both health care and social assistance because it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the boundaries of these two activities. The industries in this sector are arranged on a continuum starting with those establishments providing medical care exclusively, continuing with those providing health care and social assistance, and finally finishing with those providing only social assistance. The services provided by establishments in this sector are delivered by trained professionals. All industries in the sector share this commonality of process, namely, labor inputs of health practitioners or social workers with the requisite expertise. Many of the industries in the sector are defined based on the educational degree held by the practitioners included in the industry.

* Descriptions are retrieved from O*Net OnLine, which provides a database of the industry sector (NAICS) and information related to the occupation aligned to the industry projected growth, job openings, and the percentage of occupation employed by the industry. Please visit https://www.onetonline.org/find/industry?i=56&g=Go for more information.

** Applicants will need to clarify the primary focus of the program in the Final Part B application submission.

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https://www.onetonline.org/find/industry?i=56&g=Go

Appendix B: Components of a High Quality Career Immersion Experience

Innovation Pathway Programs must create an opportunity for student to complete 100 hours of a career immersion experience in either an internship or capstone class, offering structured work readiness activities and work-based learning experiences. This experience must be captured with a SIMS course code, so that it is a part of a student’s transcript and is available for state data monitoring. To ensure the quality of the internship program or capstone, the following must be incorporated:

a. For Internship experiences9:i. At least 100 hours at a work site, which may be paid or unpaid, with a preference for

paid experiences.ii. Use of the MA Work-Based Learning Plan as a structured assessment tool, with a

pre and post review of the student’s performance in the internship.iii. A staff liaison who supports the student at the work site.iv. Regular and ongoing journal-writing that is reviewed by staff, that provides the

student with the opportunity for reflection, and, where possible, a time during the week when students in work-based learning experiences can share their reflections.

v. An end of internship culminating product created by the student, such as a written report, oral presentation, video, or other product.

b. For a capstone class:i. A well-designed process for identification of individual or team student project that

ensures an alignment with the industry sector.ii. At least one hundred hours of activity by the student outside of the classroom, in the

form of research, service-learning, or other related activity, that supports the capstone project.

iii. The participation of an advisor with knowledge of the industry sector that defines the pathway, ideally an external partner not part of the school staff, who guides the development of the project.

iv. The creation of a high quality end product governed by a rubric, with each student’s product judged to meet or exceed minimums defined by the school.

9 For guidance on high quality internships, see Elements of Model Internship Programs. This resource guide, from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office for College, Career, and Technical Education, provides advice, forms, letters and other materials to support the creation of internship programs. Materials for the guide were contributed by School to Career Connecting Activities partner schools from around Massachusetts.

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http://massconnecting.org/files/resources/Elements_of_Model_Internship_Programs_Resource_Guide_1.0.pdf

Appendix C: Intent to Apply for Innovation Pathways

Parties planning the submission of an application for an Innovation Pathway designation are encouraged to submit an “Intent to Apply” Google Form found on the DESE HQCCP webpage. Submission of this “Intent to Apply” form initiates technical assistance to help the applicant in all stages of the process, beginning with the completion of the Preliminary Part A Designation Application. A sample of the Google Form content can be found below.

[Date]

[Lead Name (e.g. Principal, Head of School, Executive Director), E-mail, Phone Number]

[Lead Partner Name, E-mail, Phone Number]

I am writing as a duly authorized representative of [name of school, district {REQUIRED}] with respect to the application for an Innovation Pathway designation program approval.

The [name of your school] is seeking to partner with [name of partner {REQUIRED}] in order to provide students with the five guiding principles of a high quality college and career pathway: equitable access, guided academic pathways, enhanced student supports, connection to career, and effective partnerships.

We intend to partner to provide students an Innovation Pathway program inclusive of the design principles articulated in the Massachusetts Innovation Pathway Program Preliminary Designation Application.10 [ASSURANCE – CHECK BOX]

Please confirm the above information is true and accurate with an electronic signature [name, title].

10 To access the Innovation Pathway Designation Criteria document, please reference: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccte/ccr/hqccp/.

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Appendix D: Six Core Components of a High Quality College &

Career PathwayComponent Characteristics Distinct to IP

AdvisingStudents participate in a multi-year process of college and career planning starting no later than 9th grade that is guided by counselors, uses an on-line platform to maintain the student’s career and college plan, and includes:

• academic guidance• career awareness and exploration• college search and the development of a post-secondary plan• planning for non-academic challenges that may arise

Labor Market Demand

Align with career opportunities in a broad sector category with high employer demand, based on regional priorities of the Workforce Skills Cabinet or other quantifiable labor market needs, including endorsements by local employers and/or the local Workforce Investment Board. A current, signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that defines an active partnership between the school district(s) and one or more local employers in the applicable sector, including language that outlines the role of the employer(s) in curriculum development, career exploration, mentorship and/or work-based learning.

Integrated Instruction

Must include a scope and sequence of a minimum of 4 courses with:• A minimum of 2 of the 4 courses must be technical courses related to the pathway’s

industry sector concentration, and;• A minimum of 2 of the 4 courses must provide the student an opportunity to gain

college credits through dual-enrollment or AP/IB exams. The 2 technical courses may not overlap with the required 2 college-level courses, so long as there is a 4-course sequence. Students must complete Mass Core requirements by graduation, with the same flexibility afforded students enrolled in CTE programs.

Work-Based Learning

Students participate in structured work readiness activities and work-based learning experiences. Students will complete 100 hours of a career immersion experience in either an internship or capstone class prior to graduation, based on MOUs with local employers.

Credential Preparation

Students progress towards earning an industry-recognized credential or certificate relevant to foundational skills in the applicable sector. Program design should reflect an effort to align with an A2B Mapped Degree Pathway or with the MassTransfer GenEd Foundation.

Post-Secondary Linkages

Students participate in a wide range of college and career awareness and engagement activities and develop concrete plans for post-secondary employment and/or education. A current, signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with one or more institutions of higher education, outlining student access to dual enrollment opportunities and articulation of post-secondary pathways that included stackable credentials.

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Component Characteristics Distinct to IP

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Appendix E: College and Career Advising Framework

Massachusetts CCA Professional Development Series Scope and Sequence Competencies

College and Career Advising & MyCAP – 9th GradeCCA PROGRAM MyCAP

Domain What a Student Should Know, Understand, and Be Able to Do in 9th

GradeNOTE: Statements below are adapted from CDE benchmarks, SEL competencies, and/or ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors.

Implementation Strategies and ActivitiesNOTE: Some of the strategies and activities presented here will benefit from the support of external partners, e.g., institutions of higher education, employers, and/or the state’s Connecting Activities intermediary system.

MyCAP Process and DocumentationNOTE: Journal entries refer to reflections recorded in the journal section of the online platform; if your platform does NOT have this feature, students should complete reflections in Word or Google Docs and upload to their platform account.

Personal Social ● Students will demonstrate knowledge,

understanding, and personal awareness of their individual talents, interests, hopes, dreams, and passions

● Introductory activity where students identify their skills

● “Possible Selves” unit [to explore hopes, dreams, strengths, weaknesses, etc.]

● Introductory lesson orienting students to online platform

● Students complete online surveys

● Students write reflections about their results

● Skills journal entry

● Possible Selves artifact

● Document extracurricular activities

Career Development Education

● Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of career clusters.

● Students will demonstrate critical thinking and informed decision-making skills to match their skills and abilities to particular career interests

● Introduce the concept of career clusters

● Using online platform, have students analyze career clusters in relation to survey results

● Create an activity where students apply cluster analysis to self-identified interests, values, and skills

● Have students attend career fair and/or listen to guest speakers and/or interview someone in a career of interest

● Introduce the concepts of Work Based Learning [e.g., job shadow, volunteer work,

● Save careers of interest

● Upload final project

● Document work and/or community service

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CCA PROGRAM MyCAPcommunity service] and the term “employability skills”

● Have students complete culminating project (TBD by educator)

AcademicCollege and Career Planning

● Students will understand graduation requirements, MassCore requirements, AP options, and early college options.

● Students will create a four-year course-taking plan connected to identified career interests

● Students will understand any available high school pathways and the variety of postsecondary options.

● Students will be able to write a personal postsecondary goal and career goal

● District-developed freshman seminar

● District developed course planning activity

● Post-secondary options lesson created using online tool resources [emphasis on post-secondary vocabulary]

● Online college search activity

● Have students prepare for, participate in and reflect about a college fair and/or a college tour

● Introduce any career pathway or early college options at your school

● Complete four-year plan [using online platform, if possible]

● Complete goal statements [using online platform]

● Save college search results with journal entry

● Journal reflections about college fair and/or tour

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Massachusetts CCA Professional Development Series Scope and Sequence Competencies


Domain What a Student Should Know, Understand, and Be Able to Do in 10th


Implementation Strategies and ActivitiesNOTE: Some of the strategies and activities presented here will benefit from the support of external partners, e.g., institutions of higher education, employers, and/or the state’s Connecting Activities intermediary system.


Personal Social ● Students will understand the concept of “growth mindset” and its importance relative to future planning

● “Growth mindset” lessons, activities, and final product

● Upload “Growth Mindset” final product

● Update extracurricular activities


● Students will develop skills to locate, evaluate and interpret career information

● Students will understand how to access and understand labor market information

● Teach students how to navigate your online platform to conduct career research [ensure understanding of vocabulary]

● Introductory lesson on Labor Market Information

● Have students conduct research into one career of interest including labor market information (LMI) and educational requirements

● Have students prepare for, participate in, and reflect about a Work Based Learning experience at the exploration level (if possible with employer participants)

● Introduce students to resume feature on your online platform

● Save a minimum of 3 careers with journal entries about what they learned from exploring them online.

● Upload research product [LMI and Ed requirements]

● Reflection on WBL experience

● Update volunteer, work and/or community service

● Preliminary work on resume


● Students will understand the importance of high school course and/or program performance in relation to their personal academic and career aspirations

● Teach students how to research career options using online platform and other resources

● Teach students how to navigate the online

● Upload a picture of their “Career Pathway” poster

● Save a minimum of 3 postsecondary options with journal entries about their impressions

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CCA PROGRAM MyCAP

● Students will develop skills to research postsecondary options

platform to conduct college research aligned with personal interests

● Have students create a personal “career pathway” poster

of each

● Update the 4-year course-taking plan and reflection regarding any updates

● Update goal statements


Domain What a Student Should Know, Understand and Be Able to Do in 11th


Implementation Strategies and ActivitiesNOTE: Some of the strategies and activities presented here will benefit from the support of external partners, e.g., institutions of higher education, employers, and the state’s Connecting Activities intermediary system.


Personal Social ● Students will understand the importance of perseverance to achieve long and short-term goals

● Students will understand the importance of resilience in facing academic or work-related challenges.

● Perseverance and resilience lessons, activities, and personal reflections

● Journal entry or upload/link personal reflections on perseverance and resilience

● Update extracurricular activities


● Students will complete a resume

● Students will understand the differences between entry level, intermediate level, and advanced job opportunities within an industry sector of personal interest

● Students will understand the difference between occupations and industries, and will know where to find data about them at national and state level

● Students will identify labor market trends in Massachusetts

● Update/complete a resume on online platform; peer editing; final product suitable for employers, teacher recommendations, scholarships, etc.

● Use online platform resources to teach concepts associated with “career ladders”; have students research and create a possible personal career ladder within an industry sector or occupational cluster of personal interest

● Teach students about labor market trends; have students research LMI trends in an industry sector or occupational cluster of personal interest

● Save or upload/link to a resume.

● Upload/link to career ladder project [photo?]

● Journal entry about labor market trends in a personally selected industry sector

● Update volunteer, internship, community service or paid work experiences

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CCA PROGRAM MyCAP

● Immersive work-based learning experience or capstone project that demonstrates learning


● Students will understand the concepts of reach, safety, and fit regarding post-secondary options and identify personal examples of each

● Students will understand Mass Transfer and other opportunities available at MA public colleges and universities

● Students will identify connections between LMI and programs available at MA public colleges and universities

● Students will be able to recognize financial aid vocabulary and know what options are available to pay for different post-secondary choices

● Teach “reach, safety, fit” concepts and have students conduct research to identify one personal example of each

● Using Mass Transfer website, teach students about opportunities available at MA public colleges and universities; teach students how to connect labor market information to offerings at MA public institutions

● Offer introductory Financial Aid lesson

● Have students complete a culminating project [TBD by educator]

● Journal entry identifying reach, safety, and fit options [at least one of each]

● Upload or link to culminating project

● Update the 4-year course-taking plan and reflection regarding any updates

● Update goal statements

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Domain What a Student Should Know, Understand and Be Able to Do in 12th


Implementation Strategies and ActivitiesNOTE: Some of the strategies and activities presented here will benefit from the support of external partners, e.g., institutions of higher education, employers, and the state’s Connecting Activities intermediary system.


Personal Social ● Students will demonstrate personal responsibility

● Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate and listen effectively in academic and work-related settings.

● Students will demonstrate self-advocacy skills

● Have students conduct a credit review and identify exactly what they need to do to be eligible to graduate on time

● Have students write and present a personal statement [make connections to college essay, cover letters]

● Have other students use a rubric to provide feedback after presentations

● Teach students the process for requesting transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.

● Journal entry summarizing credit review

● Upload/link to college essay and/or cover letter

● Upload/link to letters of recommendation

● Update extracurricular activities, awards, honors, etc.


● Student will demonstrate knowledge of key employability skills, and of the relationship between careers and required post-secondary education

● Immersive work-based learning experience or capstone project that demonstrates learning

● Revisit career interests based on more recent experiences and document any changes.

● In connection with immersive experience, completion of MA Work-Based Learning Plan

● Upload reflection on work experience including identification of key employability skills

● Upload supervisor’s evaluation and letters of reference


● Students will demonstrate the ability to navigate and use a variety of technology tools in order to select their career and college options

● Students will complete the application process for their postsecondary choice[s]

● Students will demonstrate an understanding of FASFA, have access to it, and complete it with other financial

● Have students create a list of safety, reach and fit schools, OR a list of possible employers, OR a different postsecondary option with a rationale for whatever their choices are.

● Have students complete a senior post-secondary timeline

● Provide a variety of workshops for students to be taught the specific information relative

By Sept 15:

● Journal entry with preliminary post-secondary plan [lists] and rationale

● Upload/link to their personalized senior timeline

Ongoing:

● Complete and track applications using online platform [if that feature is available] OR on a

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CCA PROGRAM MyCAP aid applications related to their individual post-secondary goals

● Students will identify and justify their postsecondary plan and develop a financial plan/budget to support it.

to their post-secondary choice[s] [e.g., Common App, FASFA, military, job corps, community college, scholarships, understanding financial aid packages]

● Provide structured time [with adult supports available] for students to work on materials required for their postsecondary applications and financial planning

● Have students identify their final post-secondary plan and provide feedback on the supports they have received to help them develop the plan

spreadsheet that is uploaded or linked to their online account.

● Update their senior timeline monthly

By one week prior to graduation:

● Journal entry describing their post-secondary plan and their financial plan/budget to support it

● Update resume

● Complete senior survey

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