$
0
TOTAL K12-SWP FUNDING TO DATE
ROUND 1
Funding: $ 11,306,463.00
Advancing Career Counseling in Orange County
A Career Counseling Coordinator will be hired by each Lead Educational Agency. The intent of the position is to identify a point person at every district and embed Career Education systemically into their district and organize school counseling efforts to align with Orange County community colleges. Enhancing Career Education efforts will include early college credit attainment, industry certifications, and work-based learning.
Building CTE Dual Enrollment in Orange County
The intention of this initiative is to build and grow CTE dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment and articulation course offerings/pathway sequences between high schools and community colleges in Orange County. One strategy might be to implement co-teaching between high schools and community college educators. Monetizing through this initiative could offer section reimbursement to school sites for the first two years of CTE dual/concurrent enrollment offerings.
Creating Industry Certification Opportunities for Orange County Students
This initiative seeks to fund industry certifications at a regional level in order to purchase student licenses at the lowest price point. Vertically align (between K12 & CC) the industry certification list (organized by 15 sectors) for Orange County. Embed industry certifications in courses/ career pathway sequences/programs of study, etc.
Designing Career based Student Leadership in Orange County
The intention of this initiative is to build Student Leadership in Orange County beyond just CTSO’s (Career Technical Student Organizations). Efforts include student participation in regional events and competitions that require the student to take a lead role in the coordination and execution of the project/competition or participation in events that expose students to leadership knowledge and strategies.
Enhancing Career Education Pedagogies
This initiative seeks to provide learning opportunities for teachers in career pathway programs at the high schools level and teachers at the K-8 level in career awareness programs to grow in their proficiency in and use of key strategies to equip students with defensible competencies such as: 1) Human Centered Design Thinking, 2) Universal Design for Learning, and 3) Project Based Learning. Students could complete project-based modules to develop skills in teamwork, communication, problem solving, creativity, presentations, and individual career interests that will lead to additional training in middle and elementary school labs.
Forming Orange County Integrated Pathway Teams
Through this initiative, each Lead Educational Agency will build incentives for schools to develop and refine career pathway sequences with multidisciplinary pathway teams; create designated times and trainings to incorporate integrated courses/curriculum (core academic and CTE courses with common integrated projects). Examples include: Biotechnology Authentication, E-Sports Authentication, etc.
Heightening Work-Based Learning in Orange County
This initiative seeks to build upon work-based learning in Orange County from the established practices set by the four Orange County Regional Occupational Programs. Examples include: work with industry/business partners to create and connect secondary students to specific technical and employability skills identified by industry establish and work from a consistent work-based learning continuum for Orange County.
ROUND 2
Funding: $ 3,732,092.00
Automation, New Technologies and Opportunities in Orange County
Wallace Walrod, Chief Economist at Orange County (OC) Business Council has identified that automation and technological trends are transforming the future of work. The education system and educators in OC will have to adapt in order to prepare all students, including our underserved populations for tomorrow’s workplace, by focusing on educational careers in emerging sectors. Today’s educators in particular have a rare opportunity to introduce students to the innovative technologies that will both disrupt and define the labor market.
While new and developing technologies do have the potential to replace many current work activities, an overly negative “jobless or sky is falling” mentality will prevent parents, educators and students from taking advantage of the many opportunities created by new technologies. From custom 3-d printed hearing aids to data analysis, the current industrial revolution offers new jobs, new and improved solutions to longstanding problems.
According to Wallace Walrod, additional research will identify which current technological trends are transforming the future of work by identifying 3-5 emerging technologies that would impact all career sectors. Examples of these emerging technologies include: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, AV/VR, Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), and Blockchain.
- In collaboration with OCBC, we will research the impact automation will have on specific career sectors and share that with all educators, especially those serving our underserved population of students.
- Partner with our regional community college educators and guided pathway initiatives to ensure students are transitioning from career pathways in the K12 system to guided pathways in the community college system.
- Inspire educators about the future of teaching in OC classrooms and how automation becomes an opportunity through each career sector and subject area.
- Provide regional professional development for multiple subject, single subject and CTE Designated Subject credentialed teachers.
- Cultivate defensible skills for all students by ensuring all stakeholders; including school site administrators, counselors, school psychologists, speech therapists, parents and community groups have a clear understanding of automation and defensible skills that make them competitive in the workforce.
- Build awareness of the value of integrated courses and the implementation strategies and best/next practices teachers can use so that students realize the real world application of school and how they apply to individual programs of study.
Business and Entrepreneurship in Orange County
Based on feedback from regional industry advisories and student surveys, strategies have been identified for preparing all students, including our underserved student populations, for the world of work. Strategies that will be implemented as a result of this initiative:
- Apply business/entrepreneurial skills to Project-Based Learning in K-12 classrooms.
- Adopt more UCCI courses into secondary schools.
- Create more engaging and innovative learning spaces in our K-12 schools, providing access to all students, including underserved and/or non-traditional student populations.
- Re-define student learning outcomes through a school-based enterprise lens.
- Equip teachers to deliver instruction that promotes entrepreneurial mindsets and competencies.
- Bridge our Regional Director for Business and Entrepreneurship in Orange County with K-12 educators and the system.
- Increase career exploration, awareness and work-based learning experiences through job shadowing and internships.
ROUND 3
Funding: $ 3,700,000.00
Maximizing K-14 Alignment and Partnerships to Expand High-Quality CTE for Orange County Students
The goal through this initiative is to leverage regional partnerships to cultivate and fund K-14 partnerships to expand online and in-person:
- early college credit
- integrated pathway teams
- rigorous CTE curriculum
- workforce needs through advisories
- college & career readiness
These will be accomplished through real-world application as essential elements of high quality, collaborative, and comprehensive Career Technical Education programs in Orange County
Orange County Educators Enhancing Student Engagement to Develop Essentials Skills for Workforce Readiness
Continue to build opportunities for students beyond Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) in OC through:
- Student Leadership Conferences/Workshops
- Virtual professional engagement
- Gig-Economy opportunities
- Provide industry certification opportunities (virtually and in-person) to students both regionally and locally and further embed these opportunities in:
- courses
- career pathway sequences
- programs of study
- workshops
Building Sustainable Career Education Infrastructure from Elementary through High School to Community College
This initiative will provide enhanced learning opportunities via distance learning for educators in career awareness programs at the K6/K8 level:
- to grow their proficiency and build upon aligning students for secondary CTE
- K6/K8 students will continue to complete project-based modules and develop plans leading to secondary CTE pathways.
Align the established practices set by four Orange County ROP’s both in-person and online to:
- implement and work from a consistent work-based learning continuum for all students in OC.
- clarify technical and employability skills identified by OC business/industry partners.
ROUND 4
Funding: $ 2,895,090.00
Health Science & ICT - Creating Student Opportunities
The Health Science and Information Technology (ICT) – Creating Student Opportunities Initiative will serve the OC region by diminishing gaps in student access to courses and equitable distribution of resources, especially to underserved student populations. The Bioscience and Information Technology sector is identified as one of the top five priority sectors in the LA/OC 21-24 SWP Regional Plan, projected to produce 120,000 middle to high wage jobs in a rapidly growing job market across OC. Emerging technology advances have increased demand in the Health Science sector.
Career Ready & Manufacturing Labs in K12
Manufacturing has been identified as an emerging/priority sector in OC and accounts for 20-25% of the economy. K12SWP funding will provide the implementation/expansion of CTE labs in OC middle and HS classrooms. Lab environments engage students through the structure of synergetic learning and problem solving, while incorporating industry grade technology. Students will be empowered to explore their interests and aptitudes, and build a sense of self-efficacy necessary in the next generation. Students will be equipped with essential employment skills and access to learning experiences in both CTE and GE content areas.
ROUND 5
Funding: $ 3,318,019.00
Cybersecurity
The Cybersecurity Initiative will serve the OC region by aligning efforts with ICT employer needs. Enhancing ICT courses and pathways at the secondary level and aligning with postsecondary pathways will grow the talent pipeline of students whose knowledge, skills, and abilities align with the current and future regional, statewide, and global labor market demand, providing long-term economic security.
Dual Enrollment & Apprenticeship
As Orange County suffers from declining enrollment in grades 7-12 (a 4.45% decrease, per CDE Dataquest 2018-22), dual enrollment and apprenticeship will serve to re-engage students. Many underserved students in OC have not been able to participate in unpaid WBL (internships) because families require them to earn a wage to assist with financial burdens. By offering paid apprenticeships in place of unpaid internships as the preferred WBL experience for high school students in Orange County, we will cultivate and develop programs that reduce equity gaps.
Water & Energy
STEM-related academics exist in OC K-12 classrooms, but in the15 high school districts currently offering OC Pathways curriculum, Energy, Environment, and Utilities (EEU) pathways sequences have yet to be developed. As students’ interest grows in environmental/sustainability issues, it is crucial to provide access points within traditional coursework to bring awareness of opportunities available to them.
OC Pathways creates collaborative space and time for K-12, ROP, postsecondary, and industry partners to prepare students for high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage careers through academics and career readiness. Through K12SWP funding, OC Pathways has joined efforts with the San Mateo County Office of Education to implement project objectives increasing environmental awareness and exposing middle and high school students to career pathways in this sector. We plan to leverage their best practice approach and increase access to in demand jobs in this field for underserved students (48.96% in OC), including women and communities of color, which continue to be underrepresented.
This initiative is the first step for OC to develop new EEU pathways that will create a pipeline to postsecondary EEU programs and green careers, creating new opportunities for students who want to mitigate climate change.