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Redesigning the Ninth-Grade Experience - Southern Regional Education Board

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Reduce Failure, Improve Achievement and Increase High School Graduation Rates

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Overcoming Obstacles is a free, award-winning, and research-based life skills curriculum that provides educators with the tools to teach elementary, middle, and high school students the skills necessary for success. With hundreds of easy to teach activity-based lessons covering more than 30 critical social and emotional skills, students learn how to communicate effectively. They learn how to make informed decisions. They learn how to set and achieve goals, resolve conflicts, solve problems, respect one another, and more.

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Overcoming Obstacles is a free, award-winning, and research-based life skills curriculum that provides educators with the tools to teach elementary, middle, and high school students the skills necessary for success. With hundreds of easy to teach activity-based lessons covering more than 30 critical social and emotional skills, students learn how to communicate effectively.

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Home - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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At a glance

MTSS is a framework many schools use to provide targeted support to struggling students.

The goal of MTSS is to intervene early so students can catch up with their peers.

It screens all students and aims to address academic and behavior challenges.

MTSS stands for multi-tiered system of supports. It's a framework many schools use to give targeted support to struggling students. You may also hear it called the MTSS framework, the MTSS process, or the MTSS model.

MTSS is designed to help schools identify struggling students early and intervene quickly. It focuses on the "whole child." That means it supports academic growth, but many other areas, too. These include behavior, social and emotional needs, and absenteeism (not attending school).

The tiers of support are a huge part of MTSS. They get more intense from one level to the next. For example, a child getting small group interventions may need to "move up" to one-on-one help.

MTSS supports the adults at the school, too. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - the main education law for public schools - cites MTSS as a way to increase teacher effectiveness. ESSA gives states funding that can be used for professional development to help teachers use MTSS.

MTSS isn't the same thing as response to intervention (RTI). MTSS is more comprehensive. But it may include the three tiers of RTI.

About the author

About the author

Peg Rosen writes for digital and print, including ParentCenter, WebMD, Parents, Good Housekeeping, and Martha Stewart.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Melody Musgrove, EdD served as director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education.

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MTSS stands for multi-tiered system of supports. It's a framework many schools use to give targeted support to struggling students. Read about the MTSS model and process.

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People have been asking us for years about a curriculum, but we've hesitated to just throw something together. Let's be real: a) Not our style (but we are listening!) and b) Educators are some of the most discerning people we know! Now that our new book was released last year addressing educator wellness, we feel like we truly have all the necessary pieces & resources for a doable, comprehensive approach to social-emotional learning & wellness. Here are a few of the things we've been passionate about in formalizing our training and resources into this curriculum:

Latitude (scope for freedom of action or thought)

Autonomy (self-directing freedom)

Practitioner-Developed & Reviewed (Joe has 30+ years in education, and we have been intentional with getting input from practitioners currently in the field to provide a doable, meaningful framework)

Sustainable (the capacity to endure in an ongoing way...We know the demands are high for your time, energy, and attention, so the last thing you need is something that feels too complicated to integrate into the fabric of everyday life)

These are a few of the things that make this curriculum unique, but here's another: There are lots of great programs out there geared toward changing behaviors, but our goal is to look at belief systems. If a person doesn't have H.O.P.E., they will not benefit from any well-intentioned initiative for behavior or self-care (yes, this is absolutely for the grown-ups, too). Click below or contact us for an overview of the curriculum and various training options.

Download H.O.P.E. Collaboration Options & Info

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People have been asking us for years about a curriculum, but we've hesitated to just throw something together. Let's be real: a) Not our style (but we are listening!) and b) Educators are some of the most discerning people we know!

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As younger adolescents move from the smaller middle school setting to the larger and more diverse high school environment, many kids experience anxiety and worry about the shifting dynamics and expectations. According to researchers Mizelle, Phelan, Yu, and Davidson, "Young adolescents [...] are concerned about being picked on and teased by older students, having harder work, making lower grades, and getting lost in a larger, unfamiliar school."

Common Struggles for New 9th Grade Students

As they move to the high school setting, many 9 th grade students commonly experience a significant decline in both grades and attendance. This often occurs as a result of the new social opportunities, the greater option of choices for the young students, in addition to the pressures of fitting in and finding their own comfortable peer groups.

In addition, according to ERIC Digest, these students tend to "view themselves more negatively and experience an increased need for friendships." This is a relatively universal experience for the young adolescents, as studies reveal this to be true for even honors or "high achieving" students.
How Can You Help Keep Your Child on Track?
To help young students transition to the new school setting, recent studies reveal that students who take part in middle school "transition programs" are able to move through the shifting school settings with less far less of a struggle.

As Eric Digest explains, "Research has found [...] that when middle school students took part in a high school transition program with several diverse articulation activities, fewer students were retained in the transition grade." Paired with this, "middle school principals indicated that they expected fewer of their students to drop out before graduation when the school provided supportive advisory group activities or responsive remediation programs."
What is a Transition Program?
A transition program is a collaborative attempt on the behalf of middle schools to prepare their students for high school. As The National Middle School Association (NMSA) explains, "Successful transition programs must involve collaboration between eighth and ninth grade buildings/personnel [...] schools should communicate to identify [...] the distinctive features of academic, social, and organizational logistics and philosophies in middle school and high school."

With this approach, many middle schools are now collaborating with the corresponding 9 th grade teachers to ensure that the 8 th grade instruction is establishing the appropriate scaffold and foundation for 9 th grade's information and experiences.

As NMSA further explains, "Transition programs that consistently ask students to reflect on and to experience the complexities and nuances of the distinctive features of high school will have greater impact than isolated information sessions." In asking students to individually reflect and process the potential changes that they will encounter from one school to the next, students are able to anticipate and uniquely comprehend the impending shifts and transitions.
What Information Should a Successful Transition Program Provide?
Not only should transition programs prompt students to reflect on the upcoming high school experience, NMSA also asserts that successful transition programs should "address the information gap by providing students and families with a wealth of information about the academic, social, and organizational similarities and differences between middle school and high school."

While each middle school is unique in its practices, some successful programs provide 8 th graders with an opportunity to visit the high school and meet new students before the beginning of the school year; some schools invite high school teachers to speak with 8 th graders prior to entering high school, while other schools provide students with a mentoring program, so that 8 th graders have a high school student who can help show them around, provide advice and tips.

Ultimately, as NMSA supports, since the high school dropout rates are significantly lower in districts and schools with successful transition programs, school communities and leaders should ensure that both young adolescents and parents are provided with the appropriate tools and information to ensure individual care for each student. NMSA states that all transition programs should address issues of "curriculum (e.g., academic rigor of courses); facilities (e.g., location of classrooms, restrooms); and safety and discipline (e.g., rules and discipline code); and provide accurate information (e.g., organization and logistics)."
Does Your Child's School Have a Transition Program?
As each public and private school has its own unique curriculum and academic requirements, not all schools have successfully implemented transition programs. The best approach, for parents is to speak with the teachers, department chairs, and principals at the middle school level. In establishing communication, parents can be informed about the preparedness of their children for high school, and can also strive to become involved in any developing or already established program.
What to do if Your Child's School Does Not Support the Transition
As transition programs are highly effective for young teens, parents can look into alternative transition opportunities if a school's current program is lacking in support, or has not yet been implemented.

There are many summer opportunities and programs for students to learn more about transition strategies, such as Anne Bracken's program known as "The Possibility Project." As Bracken explains, this project "offers group and individual expressive arts coaching programs for adults in life transitions as well as enrichment and academic programs for adolescents." Bracken's 15 years of educational work and therapy has provided her with the skills to lead interactive workshops for adults and teens, specifically one focusing moving towards high school, called: "Stepping into Success: Successful Transition to Middle and High School."

Bracken is just one of the many educators who provide transition workshops around the country. Workshops are also often set up as overnight camps or day camps for young adolescents, which enables them with an opportunity to branch out of their comfort zone prior to entering the new high school atmosphere. Parents can find out about alternative transition opportunities by speaking with middle school counselors and advisors, or by also searching for local summer camps, seminars, and workshops in the area.

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Transition Programs from Middle School to High School - PublicSchoolReview.com

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As younger adolescents move from the smaller middle school setting to the larger and more diverse high school environment, many kids experience anxiety and worry about the shifting dynamics and expectations. According to researchers Mizelle, Phelan, Yu, and Davidson, "Young adolescents [...]

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When implemented well with a systems-thinking approach, these 10 best practices can help superintendents and district leaders improve outcomes cost-effectively for students with special needs and all students who struggle.
Improving special education is challenging. All school districts want to close the achievement gap and improve outcomes for students with special needs and for students who struggle, but school and district practices are not always aligned to meet this objective most effectively.

But there is reason to be hopeful. Best practices exist that, when implemented well with a systems-thinking approach, can help school districts of all sizes and types achieve dramatic gains in achievement and inclusion and expand services for students with disabilities. DMGroup has developed our top 10 best practices for improving special education based on extensive research by the What Works Clearinghouse, the National Reading Panel, John Hattie's Visible Learning, numerous major research studies, and our own hands-on work with hundreds of school districts. Surprisingly, the cost of this approach is no more, and in some cases less, than current efforts. One note: these best practices are appropriate for most students with mild to moderate disabilities or no disability at all. Other students need a different approach.

1. Focus on student outcomes, not inputs

In too many districts, if last year's efforts didn't work as well as desired, the response is to add more staff, more paraprofessionals, more co-teaching, and more hours of service. These changes seldom help students and always cost more. Over the past decade, districts constantly increased the number of special educators and paraprofessionals, and yet achievement levels have barely budged.

If the current approach isn't achieving great outcomes, current practices must be reviewed and modified. The districts that have successfully raised achievement for students with special needs and other students who struggle are the districts that keep the focus on results.

2. Effective general education instruction is key

Effective general education instruction is key: higher performance of general education students correlates to higher performance of students with disabilities, as shown by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Students with special needs and students who struggle spend most of their day in the general education classroom; therefore, core instruction provided by the classroom teacher must meet most of their needs. In some districts, a culture has emerged where special education staff take the lead in serving students with disabilities. In many schools, elementary school children who struggle to read are pulled out of the core reading block to be taught by a special education teacher or paraprofessional.

While well-intentioned, these common practices are not what's best for students with special needs and students who struggle-students are best served academically when their general education teacher takes primary responsibility for their learning. Beyond core instruction, even interventions are often best provided by general education staff, which is the hallmark of RTI. Fundamentally, RTI and efforts like it embrace general education as the foundation for all students' success.

3. Ensure all students can read

In many districts, up to half of the referrals to special education are, at their root, due to reading difficulties. Referral rates jump in third through sixth grades when reading problems make it difficult to learn math, science, and social studies. An overwhelming majority of students who have not mastered reading by the end of third grade will continue to struggle throughout high school and beyond. These students tend to have increased rates of behavioral problems in later grades and are less likely to graduate from high school or to enroll in college.

In order to raise achievement for all students who struggle, districts need to faithfully implement best practices for teaching reading and ensure that students with mild to moderate disabilities are benefiting from these best practices.

4. Provide extra instructional time every day for students who struggle

Students who have difficulty achieving grade-level standards often need more time for instruction in order to catch up and keep up with their peers. At both the elementary and secondary levels, this additional time can be used to pre-teach materials, reteach the day's lesson, address missing foundational skills, and correct misunderstandings.

In many schools, struggling students are provided extra adults, but not extra time. Struggling learners may receive additional support from a teaching assistant, paraprofessional, special education teacher, co-teacher, etc. while staying in the same classroom as their peers for the same duration. Some schools have specialized instruction in place, but it is typically not in addition to the regular period. Struggling students, for example, may be assigned to a "replacement" class, a lower-level general education class that covers less content with less rigor. Extra "help time" should not be confused with extra instructional time. It is common for students with special needs to have a resource room period or a support period where a special education teacher provides ad hoc help or test prep across multiple subjects, grades, and courses. This is not the same as a daily dedicated extra period focused explicitly on math skills, for example.

Districts that have successfully closed the achievement gap and significantly raised the achievement of students with and without special needs provide extra instructional time each day in addition to core content instruction time.

5. Ensure that content-strong staff provide interventions and support

As standards have risen and the complexity of the content has increased, staff's having a deep understanding and mastery of what they teach becomes even more important. A teacher who has engaged in extensive study and training in a particular subject is more likely to have a wider repertoire of ways to teach the material. However, in most districts, extra instruction is provided either by paraprofessionals, or by special education teachers, who have expertise in pedagogy but often are generalists without specialized expertise in teaching subjects such as math, English, and reading.

Districts that have made the most significant gains among struggling students have done so by providing these students, whether or not they have IEPs, with teachers skilled in content instruction during extra instructional time.

6. Allow special educators to play to their strengths

Districts that have made strides in improving services for struggling students have focused on ensuring that teachers are able to play to their strengths. For example, some special education teachers may have expertise in specific content areas, while others may be very efficient and skilled in assessing and managing the IEP process.

It is highly beneficial to leverage these areas of expertise:

Content-Specific Expertise

Teachers who have particular strengths in academic content areas (e.g. reading instruction, math instruction) should focus on maximizing their time supporting students in their academic area of specialization.

Pedagogical Expertise

Teachers with pedagogical expertise should coach general education teachers on accommodating the needs of students with disabilities and on using scaffolding, differentiation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), chunking, and other teaching strategies.

Social-Emotional Expertise

Special education teachers with a strong background in providing social-emotional or behavior supports to students should focus on delivering these important supports.

Case Management Expertise

Some special education teachers are particularly efficient and effective in managing the IEP process. These teachers should focus on case management responsibilities and thereby allow other special education teachers more time to serve students.

Making these shifts in roles enables teachers to focus on applying their particular strengths to benefit students. Specialization of roles also simplifies professional development for special education teachers; teachers can develop deeper skills in one area rather than having to master many different skills and specialties.

Focus paraprofessional support on health, safety, and behavior needs, rather than academic needs

Across the country, the number of paraprofessionals supporting students has been steadily increasing in recent years. Paraprofessionals play a critical role in the lives and education of many students, especially those with severe needs, autism, or behavior issues, and have helped expand inclusion. However, paraprofessionals have also been given a growing role in supporting academic needs.

This seemingly logical, caring effort actually runs counter to many of the best practices. Students with special needs and students who struggle need to be receiving instruction from content-strong teachers, and they need to be receiving extra instructional time rather than having additional support during core instruction. What's more, the presence of an aide can actually decrease the amount of instruction a student receives from the classroom teacher; it is not uncommon for a classroom teacher to feel that a student with an aide already has 100% of an adult's time, and therefore to focus attention on those students without aides. As a result, students with the greatest needs receive the least attention from a teacher certified in the subject.

It is important that districts focus paraprofessional support on health, safety, and behavior needs, and have certified reading teachers, RTI interventionists, and other trained specialists focused on academic and other specific needs. Fortunately, most districts can shift their staffing to better meet the needs of students in a cost-neutral way.

Expand the reach and impact of social, emotional, and behavioral supports

Addressing students' social, emotional, and behavioral needs is critical, and many districts have responded to a growing need for these services by adding counselors, social workers, or paraprofessionals but still feel more is needed. The key is to expand the reach and impact of existing staff, expand staffing by shifting resources, and partner with others to provide free or low-cost services.

Some districts have managed to double the amount of student services delivered by existing staff by streamlining meetings and paperwork. But even if all non-student work were streamlined, many districts still would be understaffed. Fortunately, many districts can improve and expand social, emotional, and behavioral supports within their existing budget by shifting to having fewer lower-skilled paraprofessionals but more staff with the highly specialized skills required, such as certified behaviorists. Finally, some districts further expand social and emotional services by partnering with local nonprofit counseling agencies, teaching hospitals, graduate psychology programs, or even insurance-funded mental health counselors.

Provide high-quality in-district programs for students with more severe needs

In the past, many mid-sized and smaller districts decided against providing in-house special education programs; these districts felt they lacked sufficient numbers of students at any given grade level to justify the cost of such services. This needn't be the case. If a district has at least three students with similar needs within the same age range, it may be more cost-effective to establish an in-house program than to place the students in an out-of-district program. Of course, the savings resulting from decreased tuition payments and transportation costs must be invested in providing enhanced in-district services.

The key to providing effective and cost-effective programs is to hire staff with the right skills and training, to adjust staffing levels throughout the year as enrollment shifts, and to provide dedicated leadership for these programs.

Know how staff spend their time and provide guidance on the effective use of time

To implement best practices at-scale and in a cost-effective manner, districts must have a detailed understanding of how staff, including special educators, related services providers, and RTI staff, are currently serving students. Then, the district must work collaboratively to establish expectations regarding the service delivery model and to set guidelines on the amount of time to be spent with students.

Given the vast range of tasks that staff perform, it is challenging for districts to develop an in-depth understanding of how staff spend their time. When districts utilize schedule-sharing technology to gain a deep understanding of current practices, both staff and administrators are often surprised at how much time is spent in meetings, how much service is provided 1:1 or 2:1 even though the IEPs call for small groups, and how much instruction is provided by paraprofessionals. Armed with a detailed understanding of current practices, districts can thoughtfully plan what is the best use of time for each role, grade level, and student need.

Finally, school and district leaders must assist principals and special education and intervention staff to build thoughtful schedules in accordance with best practices. Too often, the master building schedule forces teachers to pull students from core instruction in reading or math, prevents grouping of students with like needs, or demands attendance at too many meetings.

Scheduling is both an art and a science, and effective scheduling is key to ensuring that student needs are best met. There is no reason to believe every teacher or principal is an expert scheduler; even if they are, their schedule is impacted by dozens of other people's schedules, so efficient and effective schedules cannot be built in a vacuum. Coordinated scheduling is essential to ensure that time is being used most effectively.

Implementing these best practices is not easy or quick, but it is worth the effort

While implementing these best practices can have a significant positive impact, to say that implementation is easy would be misleading. It takes time and hard work to effect large-scale shifts in service delivery, staffing, scheduling, and roles and responsibilities. It takes time, much communication, and attentiveness to foster buy-in and ensure fidelity of implementation. It requires participation from leaders across all functions of the district as well as dialogue with key stakeholders such as parents. Clear goals, careful planning, and lots of communication can help to pave the way.

Taking a close look at current practices and taking a systems-thinking approach to implementing best practices can make a significant difference in student outcomes. It is hard work, and a time-consuming process, but well worth the effort to improve the lives of students with special needs and students who struggle.
Want to dive deeper into these best practices for improving special education and supports for students who struggle? Check out these resources:

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Improving Special Education: 10 Best Practices for School Districts

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When implemented well with a systems-thinking approach, these 10 best practices can help superintendents and district leaders improve outcomes cost-effectively for students with special needs and all students who struggle. Improving special education is challenging.

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How to Get Community Support for Your Child’s School

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Use these 10 ideas to get your community more involved with the local school system.

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Locally Focused. Nationally Active.

28 STATES + DC

current network span

3,270

schools and community sites served in the 2021-22 school year

1.8 MILLION

students reached in the 2021-22 school year

Unlocking Public Dollars for Local Impact

In February 2023, CIS announced an unprecedented $165 million philanthropic investment that matches public sector funds to bring CIS' in-school, integrated student supports services to Title-I schools across the country. This fund will be available to school districts that plan to invest in implementing the CIS model of integrated student supports.

Together, We Can Support More Students

to help us create equitable learning environments
that benefit and support all students.

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At Communities In Schools, we surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

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2024 State of the Future U.S. Workforce for insights into top career fields for which middle and high school students have a strong aptitude. We also uncover top certifications and exposure gap information for male, female, Black, and Hispanic students.

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Career Guidance for Students using Aptitudes | YouScience

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YouScience offers the only career guidance for students that's based on aptitudes to align students with in-demand careers and CTE certifications.

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The ASVAB Career Exploration Program helps young people identify their skills and interest, explore occupations, and develop postsecondary plans to realize those goals.

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Starting high school is an incredibly exciting time for students and their families, but the transition period can also create some anxiety.

Teachers face the challenge of helping new students to settle into this time of life and play a big role in their experience of high school. Here are some strategies you can use to support students who are struggling with the move to high school.

Provide a safe space for students

Students will be faced with many changes and challenges as they find their way around their new school, including experiencing information overload. It's important, therefore, that students have safe places they can go to, to take a break or seek help.

While the classroom should always foster social inclusion, acceptance, active listening and understanding, the school library and student services building are typically quieter places where students can retreat to if they feel overwhelmed.

Make sure that your students are aware of these locations early in their high school experience, so that they can make effective use of them.

Check in with other teachers

If you identify a student who could be struggling with high school life, share your concerns about them with other teachers so that they can help, too.

Regularly check in with colleagues to track how students are progressing during their transition and to see if things are improving. If a student appears to be having a hard time for a prolonged period, it's important to refer them to the available support services, and to touch base with their parents or carers to see what's going on.

Having an allocated time for teachers to get together and share information about their year group can help in identifying students who need more support.

Be available to your students

It's important to have a good understanding of who your students are as individuals. This includes being aware of their personalities, typical moods, interests, and learning strengths and weaknesses. It's essential that students feel comfortable enough to approach their teachers, so be approachable and open to any questions they may have. If a student opens up to you about how they are feeling, validate their thoughts.

Telling them that everything will be okay can come across as dismissive. Instead, take the time to really listen to them and understand their point of view, and work with them to come up with solutions they could try that might improve their situation.

For example, if you notice that a student regularly forgets their workbooks, you could suggest they try using a multi-subject exercise book, so they then only have to remember to bring one notebook for all their classes.

If a problem is more serious, and you suspect the student is struggling emotionally, it's important to refer them to your school's support services.

Provide helpful information

New students face the challenge of remembering a lot of information as they adjust to their new environment and high school routine.

Teachers need to communicate study expectations, rules, tasks and timetable information simply and clearly, so that students have the best opportunity to learn.

You could provide them with an easy-to-understand welcome pack that includes the basic information your cohort needs in order to start their high school journey. This might include a map of the school grounds, advice on how to create a study routine and how to access support, and suggestions for extracurricular activities.

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Starting high school is an incredibly exciting time for students and their families, but the transition period can also create some anxiety. Teachers face the challenge of helping new students to settle into this time of life and play a big role in their experience of high school.

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09/01/2017

Responding to Students' Career Development Needs by Promoting Career Literacy

By Amanda M. Galvan and Aracely Negrete

There is a significant gap between the transition from high school to college in terms of career decision-making guidance. "Too many students can't see a clear, transparent connection between their program of study and the tangible opportunities in the labor market" (Symonds, et al., 2011). A survey conducted confirms the existence of this gap. One hundred and fifty-one college students were surveyed. Results indicated that students were not adequately determining entering goals. An alarming 54% of first-time freshmen reported receiving no career decision-making guidance in high school; 59% reported not taking a career assessment. We also found that 56% of respondents would like assistance making an informed career decision. From the results of this survey, we determined that evidence-based intervention is indicated. This article aims to encourage high school counselors and educators to address these needs through the establishment of career literacy interventions program.

Career Literacy Defined
Career literacy has been defined as any program aimed at "providing students with the capacity to make informed decisions about choosing a career and deciding the best course of action to reach their goals" (Blake, 2015). This includes teaching students how to use the internet for career development purposes. Career literacy can be infused into the student experience by involving peer mentors. Overall, research indicates positive effects as a result of including peer mentoring as part of the guidance and counseling process, such as increasing mentees motivation and self-esteem (Haizan, 2015).

A Career Literacy Program
In response to the survey results, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMU-K) designed a Career Literacy program to promote early career planning. Peer mentors were a key part of the success of the literacy program. Peer mentors learned how to utilize career literacy in combination with career planning tools to help first-time freshmen discover and articulate their academic and professional goals. In addition, the peer mentors were trained to deliver career literacy guidance using Hooley's 7 Cs of digital career literacy (Hooley, 2012). Peer mentors were also trained in the standards of the International Mentor Training Program Certification. Thirty matriculated students served as peer mentors offering office hours to students enrolled in the freshmen seminar course. Instructors who taught seminar courses encouraged participation in the Career Literacy program by offering extra credit or included participation as a class assignment. Through peer mentoring sessions with a focus on career exploration and planning, students were informed on a variety of possible career paths. First-time freshmen met with peer mentors to discuss a variety of academic programs as well as available career and experiential learning opportunities connected to each major. The objective was to increase the number of underclassmen utilizing career decision-making resources. Career decision-making resources included accessing career interest assessments, ONetonline.org and other online tools. Participants gained knowledge regarding experiential learning opportunities such as internships, national scholarships, study abroad programs, and co-curricular activities. Sample questions on the activity sheet included:

Did you take a career assessment to explore your interests as they relate to majors and jobs?

What careers are related to your major?

Do you need an advanced degree to pursue your intended career choice?

Do you know where to find internship and job postings?

Have you met with a career advisor?

Program Outcome
As a result of the TAMU-K career literacy program, the number of incoming students accessing career guidance resources increased by 263%! Students were asked to reflect on what they learned, a few of the responses included:
"There are so many career choices under my major that I didn't know about."
"I learned how important transferable skills are in the workplace."References
"I learned about websites that can link me with potential job titles that I might not be aware of."
"I learned how many jobs are now requiring at least a bachelor's degree and how to find a job on so many different websites."
Follow-up assessment of program outcome (effects) after completion of program participation is essential to understanding the effectiveness of the Career Literacy Program on retention and career readiness. TAMU-K will continue to actively engage in program evaluation to assess outcomes of program participants.
This project is partially federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education under grant number P031S150096. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by the U.S. Department of Education.
Call for Action
Career and vocational guidance can no longer be seen as a discrete service offered to young people at the completion of their high school education. To ensure students have the required knowledge on which to base critical decisions regarding the career journey they are about to undertake, school counselors and educators must help fill the career literacy gap by providing students with critical information during their post school transition. Involving peer mentors to provide career guidance to students as they enter and progress through high school would ensure the success of the literacy program. Peer mentors, who are themselves in the midst of making career decisions, are able to relate to the students, as well as reap the secondary reward as they develop soft skills and experience goal realization while providing mentorship.

Blake, C. (2015). Career Literacy: An Essential Skill for all Students. Retrieved from http://online.cune.edu/defining-career-literacy/

Carnevale, A. P., Landis-Santos, J. (2017). Beyond Career Assessment: Preparing Students for Life After High School. Retrieved from http://careerconvergence.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/133670/_self/CC_layout_details/false

Haizan, T., Fauziah, H., Mastura, J., & Mardian, S., (2015). Peer mentoring module: The effect of an intervention of academic mentoring program towards motivation and self-esteem among foundation students in Malaysia. Universal Journal of Psychology 3(3), 80-83. DOI10.13189/ujp.2015.030304

Hooley, T. (2012). How the internet changed career: Framing the relationship between career development and online technologies. Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling (NICEC), 29.

Symonds, W. C., Schwartz, R., & Ferguson, R. F. (2011). Pathways to prosperity: Meeting the challenge of preparing young Americans for the 21st century. Cambridge, MA: Pathways to Prosperity Project, Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Retrieved from https://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/4740480

Amanda M. Galvan, MS, LPC, is Academic Career Counselor and Program Coordinator of the Academic Career Literacy Program at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a certified educator who has taught elementary through collegiate level students. Amanda has 7 years experience in student development services. Her experience includes developing career guidance programs and working with undergraduates, graduates, and alumni of all majors. She also works with pre-collegiate age groups during summers. Contact: amanda.galvan@tamuk.edu

Aracely Negrete, MBA, serves as the Undergraduate Research Coordinator at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She has nine years experience assessing student development programs. Her experience also includes enhancing study and research areas on a college campus. She can be reached at aracely.negrete@tamuk.edu.

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Responding to Students' Career Development Needs by Promoting Career Literacy

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09/01/2017 There is a significant gap between the transition from high school to college in terms of career decision-making guidance. "Too many students can't see a clear, transparent connection between their program of study and the tangible opportunities in the labor market" (Symonds, et al., 2011).

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Boys Town National Training | Boys Town Education Model
(current)

The Boys Town Education Model®

is a school-based intervention strategy that focuses on managing behavior, building relationships, and teaching social skills. It emphasizes preventive and proactive practices rather than reactive responses to deal with student behavior.

Based on the Boys Town Model,® the Boys Town Education Model® puts Boys Town's research-proven child-care methods to work in a variety of educational settings. It gives classroom teachers, administrators and support staff the tools to implement key Model components:

A curriculum of specific life skills taught as expectations in the classroom

Teaching methods that support the life skills curriculum - specific ways to teach the life skills to students

Administrative intervention - a method for dealing with students who are referred to the office from the classroom because of disruptive behavior

Focus on student competencies - creating a positive classroom environment by encouraging teachers to see the value of developing a positive relationship with each student and praising students' positive behaviors and successes

These components are part of a complete system-wide approach to creating and encouraging respectful staff-student relationships by changing the way schools address student behavior.

For more information on how to implement the Boys Town Education Model® in your school or district, click here.

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Boys Town National Training | Boys Town Education Model

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Boys Town National Training | Boys Town Education Model (current) is a school-based intervention strategy that focuses on managing behavior, building relationships, and teaching social skills. It emphasizes preventive and proactive practices rather than reactive responses to deal with student behavior.