“‘Why do we need to learn this?’ That was always my question. But (in the Linked Learning academy), they’re showing us that we’re actually going to need these skills when we get to the real world. Now I see I’ve always liked learning. I see there’s a future for me, so I actually apply myself.”
Construction Tech Academy, San Diego
Overview
The reality in California today is that our high school education system is not working for the majority of our students. Almost one-third of new ninth-graders will never finish high school, while another third will graduate deficient in the academic and technical readiness needed to succeed in college or the workforce. Only one-third of our high school students will graduate on time and transition easily to postsecondary education and career success. By any measure, California cannot afford this situation. The correlation between income and education is greater than in any previous period in our state’s history, and California’s future is contingent on its ability to cultivate a workforce that can successfully compete in a rapidly globalizing economy.
The expansion of the Linked Learning approach in California has the potential to make high school a more cohesive and engaging experience for students and improve a wide spectrum of student outcomes. Linked Learning expands students’ options and opportunities; it makes high school an exciting learning environment where students are engaged, challenged, and confident, understanding that what they’re learning will prepare them for 21st century careers.
Efforts to advance Linked Learning have been supported and developed by The James Irvine Foundation. In 2006, The James Irvine Foundation launched ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career to serve as a statewide hub for innovative practice, policy and research to expand the number of Linked Learning pathways available to high school students. With additional support from the Irvine Foundation, ConnectEd has launched the California Linked Learning District Initiative which provides planning and implementation grants as well as technical assistance to school districts.
Linked Learning is a flexible approach that can be implemented through various models such as California Partnership Academies, career academies, charter schools, and small-themed schools to name just a few. Today in California, 500 California Partnership Academies are organized around one of the state’s California’s 15 major industry sectors, and another approximately 300 career academies are in operation. Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCPs) play an important part in many of these academies. In many other high schools, ROCPs are experimenting with innovative approaches to integrate academic and technical education.
