The new Grad Plus plan encourages students to earn a credential in one or more of four areas, in addition to meeting the requirements for a high school diploma. The areas are work-based learning experiences, industry certificates, college credit and a Seal of Biliteracy for fluency in a language other than English.
"A high school diploma alone is not preparing our kids for the world they will be entering," Superintendent Rob Anderson said.
Anderson, referencing the "great resignation" that's happened during the pandemic, said the world of work is "changing right underneath our feet." Colleges, he added, are giving less weight to standardized test scores and more to "kids' experiences and what drives them and who they want to be."
The plan includes expanding career and technical education options at all secondary schools, creating pathways starting in elementary school with career exploration and adding more industry certification options. The district plans to start by creating more opportunities in information technology and health care pathways.
Boulder Valley has seen the number of students earning at least one industry certificate increase from 145 in the 2018-19 school year to 752 in the 2020-21 school year.
Other plans include expanding concurrent enrollment opportunities, likely in partnership with Front Range Community College. The number of students taking concurrent or dual enrollment college classes has increased from 714 in the 2018-19 school year to 1,016 in the 2020-21 school year.
The district also wants to expand apprenticeships, begin offering internships across the district and develop mentorship opportunities.
Participation in those options is highest now in the business and marketing program offered at Monarch High. Students also access those opportunities in the construction, pathways to teaching, teacher cadet, outdoor leadership and auto collision programs.
Another goal is for more students to earn the Seal of Biliteracy. For the graduating class of 2021, 582 students earned the designation.
The district is getting feedback from its Equity Council as the plans move forward.
Themes shared by the equity group so far include a need for the district to start early to build career skills and explore career paths. The council also wants the district to ensure that underrepresented students feel a sense of belonging, as well as for the district to remove barriers to accessing courses and experiences.
After hearing the presentation, school board members were supportive, but asked for more time to ask questions and discuss the plan, with another meeting on the topic planned for a still-to-be-determined date in April.
Questions included if counselors will receive more resources as their workload increases, how the district will make sure the added options don't create more stress for students and how it could impact graduation requirements.
In other business, the board agreed, at the superintendent's recommendation, to begin allowing an in-person audience at meetings starting April 12. For public comment, the board plans to use a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and virtual comment.
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