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part of student learning, not separate
from it. Bob Cushman, Vice President
for Academic Administration at WWU,
reported that more cooperative learn-
ing programs at WWU would help
students gain valuable job experi-
ence prior to graduation. Several high
school administrators noted that
expanded job-shadowing opportuni-
ties could benefit all students. Willcuts
suggested that STEM education could
be enhanced through partnerships
between STEM businesses and educa-
tional institutions to provide a range of
mutual benefits. Administrators at the
high school and postsecondary level
told the Study Committee that the
active engagement of advisory boards
for CTE and workforce programs is
crucial because it helps to align cur-
riculum with labor demand.
Professional development
Many speakers reported that the
quality of teaching matters and
professional development—for
staff and teachers—is central to
providing and sustaining excellence
in education. As one administrator
noted, good teaching helps students
learn in subjects for which they may
have no natural affinity. Professional
development is particularly important
for AVID, where teacher training
is a cornerstone of the program.
Professional development in STEM
education helps teachers gain
confidence to teach subjects outside
their expertise. More opportunities
for professional development for
high school counselors would
enhance efforts to provide adequate
services for all students. Training for
staff and teachers is critical in any
trauma-informed practice, where
behavior is understood as a form
of communication. Professional
development and leadership
opportunities that do not necessarily
lead to purely administrative roles can
reduce teacher burnout.
PERSONAL PATHWAYS
Administrators and educators in our
region’s high schools regard preparing
students for life after graduation as
a significant part of their mission.
Some school administrators say they
are preparing students for “career
and college,” and others talk about
getting students ready to step into
their “five-year plan.” Both entail
helping students define a career
path and identify the steps it will take
to achieve their goals. While some
schools place a greater emphasis
on encouraging students to go to a
four-year college or university, there
is recognition that a four-year degree
is not for everyone. The key is to help
students identify a postgraduation
goal, understand the steps it will take,
and ensure that course work supports
that goal. Speakers highlighted the
importance of engaging students in
the development of a pathway early in
their educational careers and involving
families in the process.
High school guidance counselors
are tasked with leadership in student
advising. Speakers noted that because
the state does not adequately fund
school counselors, they are stretched
too thin in most schools. Dayton Mid-
dle and High School has not had an
academic counselor since 2008; they
hope to create a position through the
passage of a levy in spring 2016. In
order for students to explore career
options, all freshmen at Dayton High
School take a required career class.
At Wa-Hi, there is one counselor for
each grade, which results in a coun-
selor-to-student ratio of 1-to-422; the
American School Counselor Associa-
tion recommends a 1-to-250 ratio.
Since high school counselors also pro-
vide support for struggling students,
most students get no one-on-one
interaction with a guidance counselor
until senior year when they have a
required 10-minute session to ensure
everything is in place for graduation.
Counselors at Wa-Hi provide planning
information through in-class presenta-
tions several times a year. In addition,
a software program, Career Cruis-
ing, provides an electronic platform
for students to investigate careers,
examine colleges, and create online
career portfolios. All students must
develop a fifth-year plan and present it
during their senior year. Students who
participate in AVID at Wa-Hi receive
additional college and career counsel-
ing through their elective class.
Each student at College Place
High School develops a five-year plan
through a variety of activities, includ-
ing counseling sessions, evaluations,
weekly course work, community
service projects, and conversations
with parents. A pathway specialist
works with each grade level to define
interests and skills, identify strengths
and weaknesses, and consider a full
range of opportunities.
The development of a personal
pathway is important at the
postsecondary level as well. At WWCC,
many students falsely believe there is
a general transfer degree that will lead
directly to a program at a four-year
institution. Instead, transfer programs
imply defined pathways and require
specific courses. Thus, students who
do not pursue a specific transfer
path often find they do not have
the required prerequisites for their
intended field of study and that they
have paid for unnecessary credits. The
development of more clearly defined
pathways will help eliminate that
problem.