6: What will the students learn that is any different than they are currently being taught?
Students will still be required to meet state and local graduation requirements in order to graduate. The primary differences will come in that students will focus on course work that meets their interests and career preparation goals, as well as, over time, academic content will be adjusted in order to provide additional relevance to the career academy theme(s).
Outcomes
1: Is there reliable evidence that the Career Academy approach will affect the graduation rates or the transition to secondary education and employment outcomes?
There is considerable research and published data regarding the efficacy of schools that transition to Career Academies. On the whole, schools that implement smaller learning communities for their students demonstrate continued improvement in test scores, graduation rates and post-secondary employability and access to further education by graduates. Current data shows that Camden High as maxed its potential for improvement beyond incremental measures. Converting to SLCs can provide more concentrated improvement to smaller instructional groups.
2: What are the advantages to SLC?
Students have the advantage of working with a smaller group of core adults that share similar interests. Teachers have the advantage of being able to integrate instruction and linking their content to the content in another subject area.
3: What are disadvantages to SLC?
For students, it will be that all their friends may be in different academies. Extracurricular events however will be common to all students. For teachers, the initial process of collaboration with teachers in other content areas will be different from the traditional departmentalized organizational structure of the past.
4: Is there a certain class (age group) that the changes will affect more than others and why?
The change to Career Academies will affect current 10th and 11th grade students the most. It will affect next years ninth-graders and seniors the least.
5: Statistically, the schools that have academies, do the students tend to have higher SAT scores?
Yes, although it depends somewhat in what state they are in and whether that state requires the SAT for college or university admittance. They also graduate in higher numbers and pass graduation tests and end of course tests in higher percentages.
Scheduling
1: How does the concept work?
Essentially, students are allowed to choose an academy which fits their interests and career goals and take classes with teachers and administrators that are more personally invested in their academys students. The primary goal of Career Academies is to promote smaller learning communities within a larger educational institution, much as colleges and universities do on their campuses.
2: Does the student stay in the academy the entire day?
That will depend on a students classes. Some classes, in the arts, foreign language and physical education, will be offered to all students, regardless of their career academy assignment. Strengthening a students senior year will be more heavily promoted through joint and dual enrollment and the ACCEL college enrollment program. These programs along with options for work-based learning may reduce the school day at the high school but expand options off site for juniors and seniors.
3: Will the School Day change for the academies?
At this time, there are no plans to change the school day schedule. The Zero period was introduced this year and will still remain an option for those students who wish to enroll.
4: Is there a minimum number of students for each academy? A maximum?
There will not be minimum or maximum numbers of students for each academy, but efforts will be made to balance the student numbers between the five academies.
5: If I'm a senior, will I be able to take the classes I need to complete my planned course? Will I get first choice for the classes I need?
All students will be able to complete their four year educational plan. Seniors that need specific courses in order to graduate are always given preference for admittance to those classes. Seniors are encouraged to seek dual enrollment and work-based learning options.
6: Will I be restricted to only the classes in the academy I choose or can I cross between academies?
Students will be able to cross academies as necessary to take courses that are offered as umbrella courses.
7: Will there be AP and honor classes within the academies or will there be a common group of AP / honor classes that all academies share?
Depending on enrollment, students may have both options.
8: Will there be Honors/Gifted classes in all of the academies?
There will be Honors/Gifted classes in all academies. If a class is not offered that a student needs or wishes to take that is not offered in his/her academy, they will be able to do so in another academy.
9: Will any of the Academies effect the ACCEL Program?
No, the transition to Career Academies will not affect the ability of a qualifying student to enroll in the ACCEL program.
10: If you are a junior in the 11th grade and in the Engineering Academy, can you still go to band? Yes, any student that wants to play in the band may do so (based on the bands admission criterion); regardless of what academy they have chosen. Their participation in band will simply be one of their electives and will count toward graduation just as any other credit does.
11: Are you offering IB classes with more rigorous course offerings for free?
In the future, we hope to be able to offer the IB program as a part of our curriculum and include it as another academy. If this happens, it would be a part of a student normal school day and would be provided at no additional cost (except for the normal fees and costs that students ordinarily pay as part of school participation.)
12: Will virtual schools be offered for free? If there is student interested, is the school willing to pay for it
Georgia virtual school is offered as a school day option at no additional cost up to one class per semester for student that desire to take those courses. A student must be screened to see if they are a viable candidate to take a virtual course prior to enrollment. A student can enroll in additional Georgia Virtual School courses at their discretion for a cost of $600 per class per semester.
13: How will the Academies alleviate scheduling problems for those students who currently desire to take courses that are full?
Scheduling via the academies model will hopefully open more classes for students in each academy.
14: If a student takes 2 AP classes, a foreign language course and 4 academic core classes, will they still be placed in an Academy?
Yes, based on their preferences and prior electives.
15: Are core classes focused on the Academies?
Eventually, it is anticipated that all core classes will reflect the content and interest of the academy theme in which they are taught. This may not happen immediately but is expected to grow out of students and teachers common interests.
16: If a student is enrolled in the Academy do they get the first choice of the core classes? How does it affect them if they cross into another Academy; do they have to wait until those students select their classes?
A student in an Academy will get first choice of classes for that academy, whether they are academic or career tech. If a student is taking a class outside of their academy, they may have to wait until students in that academy have chosen their classes to see if there is room.
17: What will the cost be for updating the different career academies?
While there will be some additional costs for the transition to career academies, additional expense is not projected to exceed current spending for growth in student population.
18: Are there separate facilities for these academies?
While there will not be specific separate facilities for all academy classes, specialized labs and workshops already exist for many career and technical programs. In addition, more classroom, lab space, and technology are being planned for the school that will be used to enhance the experience of students in some classes and some academies.
19: How are these academies being funded?
The academy programs will be funded from traditional school funding sources, including federal, state and local funds. In addition, the school is actively seeking additional funding from potential state and federal grant programs.
20: What kind of equipment will be in these academies?
The equipment in all the academies will be typical of equipment found in most schools. Some of the equipment being added to the new addition will be highly technical and used in classes to provide extensive experiences with state of the art technology.
21: How many schools in Georgia already have academies? Where are they located? Statesboro High School in
Bullock County is the closest that has achieved full implementation. Because SLCs by design can only function in large high schools, most other academy/SLC based schools are in the Atlanta area. Camden County has looked at schools in other states as well as Georgia to find what they have done and seen how it has worked. We have attempted to take the ideas and practices we felt would fit our situation the best and proposed them. System/Facility
1: Will there be a need for more or less teachers with the restructuring?
The possibility exists that a small number of extra teachers might be required, but that issue will depend on the academy's enrollment and enrollment in umbrella courses.
2: When are the Academies going to be implemented?
The current plan is for the Career Academy plan to be completely implemented at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year. This means that planning for the transition is ongoing and will include aspects of this year's course registration and advisement.
3: Is the construction of the new Academy going to impact the start date of school?
At this time, those construction plans are not anticipated to impact the start of school. The transition will take place whether final construction on the addition is done or not.
4: If an ACCEL student wants to take summer classes, does it count toward their credits as those earned ACCEL credit during the school year?
A student cannot take an ACCEL class during the summer due to state regulations. A student could take a collegiate level class during the summer, but it would not count for high school credit. Only those credits earned during the school year in ACCEL or Dual enrollment count in both places.
5: Are there going to be provisions made for more career exploration in the middle school?
This is a desired curriculum decision that we will attempt to have included in the middle school program of study. The state has these types of programs in their middle and high school course guide and we have taught them before.
6: Where will the academies be located?
New classrooms are being added to the west side of the Ninth Grade Center. However, most academy classes will be located primarily within the confines of the existing building.