Career Academies refers to both the National Career Academy Coalition and the Career Academy Support Network. Students in Career Academies (CAs) take both career-related and academic courses and acquire work experience through partnerships with local employers. CAs are characterized by:
Small learning communities in which clusters of students share several classes each year and teachers collaborate around student needs
A focused curriculum with a career theme relevant to local industry and economic needs
Partnerships with employers, higher education institutions, and community
According to What Works Clearinghouse, CAs have been found to have potentially positive effects on completing school and progressing in school for high-school aged youth.
Tier 1, Grades 6-12, Post-Secondary Planning