Connecting Activities
An Effective Practice
Description
Connecting Activities (CA) is an initiative of the state education department that aims to drive and sustain the statewide school-to-career system. CA provides paid worksite learning experiences that are connected to classroom teaching for high school students participating in school-to-career initiatives, with priority given to those who are academically at risk. State officials have allocated funds to CA since 1998. Funds flow through local workforce investment boards and pay for staff to recruit employers, prepare and place students in work-based learning, and structure those experiences.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this program is to give students the academic, technical/technological and employability skills necessary to compete in higher education and high performance workplaces.
Results / Accomplishments
During fiscal year 2006, Connecting Activities generated the following outcomes:
- Employers invested $36,804,581 in wages to support students in structured internships.
- 12,612 students were place in brokered internships at 5,610 employer sites.
- 10,368 (82%) students utilized the Massachusetts Work-Based Learning (WBL) Plan on the job. The MA WBL Plan structures learning and productivity at the worksite and formally connects classroom lessons (MA Curriculum Frameworks) to work.
- 13,152 students participated in Job Shadowing experiences at 2,573 employer sites.
- 490 teachers participated in teacher externships.
- Employers invested $36,804,581 in wages to support students in structured internships.
- 12,612 students were place in brokered internships at 5,610 employer sites.
- 10,368 (82%) students utilized the Massachusetts Work-Based Learning (WBL) Plan on the job. The MA WBL Plan structures learning and productivity at the worksite and formally connects classroom lessons (MA Curriculum Frameworks) to work.
- 13,152 students participated in Job Shadowing experiences at 2,573 employer sites.
- 490 teachers participated in teacher externships.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Massachusetts Department of Education
Primary Contact
Keith Westrich
MA Department of Education
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-3902
kwestrich@doe.mass.edu
http://www.doe.mass.edu/connect/
MA Department of Education
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-3902
kwestrich@doe.mass.edu
http://www.doe.mass.edu/connect/
Topics
Economy / Employment
Economy / Income
Education / Educational Attainment
Economy / Income
Education / Educational Attainment
Organization(s)
Massachusetts Department of Education
Source
Finance Project
Date of publication
Apr 2006
Date of implementation
1998
Location
Massachusetts
Target Audience
Children