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Career and College Readiness

Summary

When families and schools partner to support career and college readiness, it benefits students by opening up opportunities to learn about and experience a wide range of career choices for the future. Families are often cited as the top source for students to learn about career and college readiness. A partnership between home and school allows students to plan their education and career path around their personal goals for the future with current, valid, and reliable information. 

Family Engagement in Career and College Readiness includes:

  • Inviting family members to Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Boards.
  • Ensuring that program recruitment strategies reflect the diversity of and languages spoken in the community.
  • Including family members in the Educational Development Plan (EDP) process and in the planning of the Career Development Model.
  • A smooth transition from middle to high school, where college and career readiness options (CTE programs, Early Middle College, dual enrollment, and AP courses) are reviewed with families and students.

Considerations

  • What barriers might exist for access to quality programming?
  • Is there a conflict between what the family wants for the student, and what interests the student?
  • What are the college and career experiences of each family?
  • Will a student be a first-generation college student?
  • Do resources represent the races and ethnicities of the community? Do they need translation?
  • Is there a mindset in the community that all students attend college, or that no students attend college?

Suggestions

  • Begin conversations about college and career throughout a student’s entire educational experience, beginning in early childhood.
  • Participate in the FAFSA Challenge and College Application Week in October.
  • Promote Early Middle College and other community college opportunities.
  • Provide updated labor market information to families on a regular basis.
  • Invite family members into the classroom to share their experiences and volunteer.
  • Make sure families and students feel welcomed and respected.
  • Allow for families to ask questions and provide feedback.
  • Incorporate suggestions from the Michigan Career Development Model.
  • Seek out paid work-based learning opportunities for students to reduce strain on family resources.
  • Provide family transportation to events and classroom activities.

Resources