Career Readiness

Our school counselors have been working to identify and develop K-12 learning activities that tightly align with the Academic Standards for Career Education and Work, since 2006.  These standards were designed to guide school districts in developing evidence-based learning activities that promote career exploration to help students determine their potential career paths.  Grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 are the benchmark grades for these standards.

In 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replaced No Child Left Behind.  Career readiness pathways are one of the major components of ESSA. In addition, the Future Ready PA Index will take career readiness into consideration at the state level as one of several measures of student success and readiness for college and/or careers.

During the 2017-2018 school year, Pine-Richland reviewed all of our K-12 learning activities that align with the Career Education and Work Standards.  In an effort to ensure all students are provided the opportunity to participate in each of the district’s career readiness learning activities, we are noting student participation in our assessment database.  The counselors will then reach out to those students who may have been absent during the time of career readiness lessons in order to provide them with an opportunity to participate.

Parents/Guardians of students in grades 8 and 11 may see a “Career Readiness” course that appears in their child’s class schedule in Sapphire.  Grades are not attached to those courses. They are only reflected on the schedule to ensure counselor access to their roster of students to monitor participation in career readiness activities.

As we move forward, Pine-Richland staff will continue to update and improve the career readiness learning activities to help our students identify career options and ultimately their post-secondary pathways.