Personal%20Pathways%20to%20Success

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The Personal Pathways SystemEmpowering All
Students to Shape Our Future Through the SC
Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA)
Presented by Donna Elmore
Associate Vice-President Orangeburg-Calhoun
Technical College
Orangeburg, South Carolina
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2005 South Carolina Education and Economic
Development Act (EEDA)

• Spanned the administration of two governors in
  its development
• Received input from over 2,000 educators,
  parents, business and governmental leaders, and
  postsecondary leaders
• Benefited from South Carolina business leaders
  refusal to allow the proposed legislation to be
  defeated
• Gained strong support from SC Chamber of Commerce

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2005 South Carolina Education and Economic
Development Act (EEDA)

• The legislation grew out of a Governors
  Workforce Education Task Force report titled
  Pathways to Prosperity presented to the SC
  General Assembly in 2001.

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Challenges The Workforce Gap
19981999 State Department of Education Special
Survey
Source DAmico, C. Workforce 2020.
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Key Requirements of the EEDA

• Focus on helping students connect education to
  the careers of their choice
• Establish articulation agreements to make K16
  education seamless
• Increase the number of guidance staff to a 3001
  student to staff ratio (524 GCDF-certified career
  specialists)
• Establish clusters of study and Individual
  Graduation Plans (IGPs) for students
• Include parental review and approval of IGP

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Key Requirements of the EEDA (continued)

• Create 12 Regional Centers to connect students,
  educators, employers, and community
• Establish dual enrollment agreements for high
  school and college course work
• Align requirements for high school graduation
  with college entrance
• Identify at-risk students and provide programs to
  increase graduation rate
• Establish Coordinating Council to oversee
  implementation of EEDA

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How Personal Pathways Work
Steps to Success
Employment Career Advancement Continuing
Education and Lifelong Learning
Postsecondary Career Preparation Achieving
credentials college, certification,
apprenticeship, military
9-12 Career Preparation Academics and technical
courses, intensive guidance, individual
graduation plans
Grade 8 Transition Choosing a career cluster and
major (can change easily at any time later)
6-8 Career Exploration Discovering interest areas
K-5 Career Awareness Introduction to the world
of careers
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How Personal Pathways Work

• Grades K8 Career awareness and exploration
• Grade 8 Transition
• Use information gained in awareness and
  exploration activities
• Choose Career Cluster and Career Major
• Students are not locked into choices forever
• Develop an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) with
  parental support

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What Is an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP)?

• A document that captures decisions about the
  direction in which the student wishes to go in
  high school and postsecondary education
• Specifies cluster, major, postsecondary goals,
  planned high school schedule, planned
  out-of-class activities, and more
• Reviewed at least annually throughout high school
  by students, parents, and guidance counselors
• Puts students and parents in control of education
  and career decision-making

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How Personal Pathways Work

• Grades 912 Career Preparation
• Rigorous academics
• Required academic core and electives remain in
  place
• Career major courses chosen from electives
• Out-of-class learning experiences for all students

• Students can easily change majors as interests
  and goals evolve

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How Personal Pathways Work

• Postsecondary Education Continued Career
  Preparation
• Four-year college, two-year college,
  state-approved apprenticeships, the military, or
  on-the-job training
• Dual credit and other articulation agreements
  create a seamless path through postsecondary
  education and into the workforce

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This presentation and more resources related to
the EEDA can be found at www.teachscpathways.org