Narrative: III. a. 2. H.

The Vermont General Assembly recently legislation requiring flexible pathways toward college and career readiness for all Vermont public students (Act 77, 2013). Several components of this legislation are directly relevant to improving access to post-secondary credentials for Vermonters. First, personalized learning plans for all middle and high school students are mandated to be in place. As of November 2015, all seventh and ninth grade students have a personalized learning plan in place. A core component of these learning plans, typically crafted with school advisee-advisor periods, will be discussion of relevant workforce opportunities for students along with educational pathways that are necessary to obtain such opportunities. The core partners will work together to ensure that relevant employment information, including the findings from the workforce assessment work, are made available to middle and high school educators so they may use this information to better inform students. Ensuring that graduating students have a clearer sense of exactly what type of post-high school educational credentials or high-quality certifications are necessary for specific jobs is critical to ensuring workforce success statewide.

Vermont also offers a robust, state-funded dual enrollment system to all high school students. Students are eligible to take two courses for college credit while they are still enrolled in high school, using these experiences to get a jump start, both experientially and financially, on their post-secondary endeavors. Some students leverage these dual enrollment opportunities with work-based learning in apprenticeships and industry shadowing opportunities to develop quite sophisticated personalized learning plans that have them on their way to college completion and workforce success upon high school graduation.

These models will be shared among the WIOA network in order to increase knowledge and logistics information regarding opportunities for students. Another component of Act 77 fosters increased use of Career and Technical Education (CTE) coursework for all students, in an effort to enhance the technical and practical skills of Vermont’s high school students and ultimate workforce. Discussed previously, our CTE system is working closely with the VDOL, Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation Services to better map CTE programmatic offerings with the Career Pathways designated as “high priority” for Vermont. This work involves developing non-duplicative sequences of secondary and postsecondary courses within a CTE program of study to ensure that students transition to postsecondary education without duplicating classes or requiring remedial coursework. It also involves developing clear, easy to understand systems of stackable credentials for students to learn and strive for. The AOE will regularly share with WIOA partners its list of industry-recognized certificates available via secondary and postsecondary CTE programs statewide.