Giving Compass' Take:

• MDRC evaluates ESSA student career readiness programs and how career academies (career-themed learning communities within high school) have seen success. 

• How can educators share best practices under ESSA guidelines? How are you supporting career readiness programs in your local school district?

• Read about why ed-tech is the key to early-career readiness. 

MDRC evaluations offer evidence on a range of educational programs and interventions, including career and technical education, that empower schools, school districts, and states to make evidence-based decisions about the programs they choose to implement.

Thirty-five states (and counting) have ESSA accountability systems that include measures of career readiness as their flexible indicator of school quality and student success.

Here is one example of how a school district might effectively strengthen students’ career readiness:

Position your students for college and career success. Position your district to meet ESSA accountability standards in your state.

A Potential Solution:

Career Academies are career-themed small learning communities often situated in larger high schools. Entry into an academy is voluntary and accessible to every student.

Career Academies support students in meeting career goals while also providing high-quality academic preparation.

  • College-prep sequential curriculum with a career theme
  • Small groups of students taking classes together
  • Partnerships with employers, colleges, and the community

MDRC conducted a rigorous random assignment evaluation of Career Academies.  Career Academies produced sustained earnings gains that averaged 11 percent per year or almost $17,000 over 8 years, in 2006 dollars.  Earnings gains were concentrated in young men — their gains averaged 17 percent per year or nearly $30,000 over eight years, in 2006 dollars.
Career Academy students graduated high school and acquired college credentials at similar levels as non-Academy students.

Read the full article about evaluating student career readiness programs at MDRC.