K12 SWP Pathway Coordinator Timeline and SOW

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO), in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE), is pleased to announce annual funding to implement a regional technical assistance structure to assist teachers and industry partners in implementing high-quality CTE programs. Education Code 88833 appropriates $12,000,000 in annual career technical education funding to support the establishment of Career Technical Education Key Talent field positions to support both the CTE Incentive Grant Program and the K-12 component of the Strong Workforce Program with the positions of K14 Technical Assistance Providers and K12 Pathway Coordinators.  Funding is inclusive of eight K14 Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) (one per California Community College regional consortium) and 72 K12 Pathway Coordinators (K12 PCs) (one per California Community College district).

ROLLOUT AND IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE FOR 2019-20 K12 PATHWAY COORDINATORS:

The proposed timeline for applications, selection, and on boarding and training of K12 Pathway Coordinators is as follows:

Table 1. Implementation timeline for K12 Pathway Coordinators.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF K12 PATHWAY COORDINATORS

The distribution of K12 Pathway Coordinators per legislation is 1 per community college district.  The chart shows the regional distribution.  To leverage past investments in technical support for CTEIG, selected LEAs will be pre-approved to transition CTEIG TAPs into the K12 Pathway Coordinator positions. The Regional Consortia will reach out to the pre-approved LEAs to confirm their willingness to transition the CTEIG TAPs into this new role.

KEY OBJECTIVES

The K12 Pathway Coordinator seeks to improve the performance of the K14 CTE programs within her/his service area as measured by the CTEIG, K-12 SWP Metrics and guided by the K14 Pathway Quality Rubric. This is done through: providing direct support to, and  helping to link and align the program development efforts funded by CTEIG,  K-12 SWP  and Community College Strong Workforce Program investments in the service area; through drawing attention to and engagement with labor market and program performance information and the region’s workforce development plan; and through coordination with other regional key talent including the K-14 TAP, Regional Directors for Employer Engagement, the Centers of Excellence, Guided Pathway Regional Coordinators, and the Regional Consortium.

The following are the minimum required objectives for this job; others may be added to meet project objectives. 

1. Act as a point of contact for and work with high school and community college CTE programs, Regional Directors for Employer Engagement, the Centers of Excellence and other workforce development stakeholders to effectively and efficiently engage employers and industry representatives with the intent of building and strengthening K14 pathways that respond to industry needs and facilitating industry connections with K–14 career technical education programs.
2. Provide technical assistance to inform the development and implementation of CTE curriculum. Support faculty collaboration to ensure sequential CTE courses align with regional post-secondary pathways.
3. Facilitate the use of data to identify existing pathways and gaps among K12 and community colleges and help make recommendations for furthering pathway development.
4. Inform and support the development and implementation of college and career exploration. Liaise with LEAs to ensure college and career exploration are embedded within CTE courses.
5. Support postsecondary transitions and completion. Encourage and facilitate the intersegmental work between LEAs and Community Colleges.
6. Provide technical assistance to inform the development of work-based learning opportunities.

REQUIRED ACTIVITIES

The following are the minimum required activities; others may be added to meet project objectives.

1. Engagement with the regional consortia
   1. Regular engagements with Regional Consortia Chair, K14 TAP, Regional Directors for Employer Engagement and other Technical Assistance Professionals associated with the work to ensure consistent reporting and accountability.
   2. Participation in the region’s annual process for developing and revising its regional plan.
2. Partnerships with local education agencies
   1. Support connection with feeder K12 administrators, counselors, and teachers.
   2. Work with LEAs to increase knowledge and use of labor market data supplied by the CCCCO Center of Excellence.
3. Data use
   1. Facilitate the use of data to identify existing pathways and gaps among K12 feeder districts and help make recommendations for furthering pathway development.
   2. Assist LEAs and community colleges with using Cal-PASS Plus to assess student’s transitions from K12 to community college.
   3. Identify and use indicators to self-assess.
   4. Identify and use data to review K14 pathway development and implementation.
4. Dissemination of Model Pathways and Curriculum
   1. Assist K12–community college network development by identifying, documenting, and disseminating examples of emerging, promising, and best practices for pathway development and pathway improvement initiatives.
   2. Plan and implement training and professional development for local districts and schools.
5. College and career exploration
   1. Participate in on/off-campus student outreach and recruitment activities related to K-14 career pathways, including pre-enrollment advising, application workshops, college presentations, campus tours, campus visit programs, outreach conferences, college fairs, and other support services.
6. Post-secondary transition and completion
   1. Encourage high-quality implementation and expansion of early college credit.
   2. Coordinate with local community college’s Office of Outreach to support a comprehensive program of student outreach and recruitment services for prospective students from feeder K-12 school districts.
   3. Coordinate with Student Services in advising and support services designed to facilitate course registration for concurrently enrolled high school students; collaborate with instructional divisions to develop and coordinate course offerings at area high schools.
   4. Develop and direct programs to inform K-12 students, teachers, counselors, parents, and the public about pathway opportunities available at partnering community colleges.
7. Work-based learning
   1. Engage local support from industry and local workforce development agencies for implementation of CTEIG and K12 Strong Workforce Program to promote relevance and value of education pathways for students’ career preparation.
   2. Coordinate industry and workforce development outreach efforts with the K14 Technical Assistance Providers, California Community College Regional Directors and State Department of Education Industry Sector Leads.
   3. Support implementation of career exploration curriculum, such as CalCRN and Get Focused, Stay Focused.
8. Coordinate with Statewide, regional and local development and distribution of student outreach publications and marketing communications to prospective students, school district personnel, and community members.
9. Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

The K12 Pathway Coordinators are required to develop specific performance outcomes for 2020-21 and a work plan for achieving these in consultation with the CTE IG and K12 SWP grantees within their service area and under the guidance of the K-14 TAP. The work plan and outcomes are to be shared with the service area’s CTE programs and the Regional Consortium.

K12 STRONG WORKFORCE METRICS

K12 SWP Metrics that measure K–12 student-level outcomes:

• Completed 2+ CTE courses in high school in the same program of study.
• Completed 2+ CTE courses in high school in the same program of study that include early college credit, work-based learning*, or third-party certification*.
• Graduated high school.
• Enrolled in a CA Community College within one year of leaving secondary school. (Source: CALPADS & CCCCO MIS)

*not currently in CALPADS

K12 SWP Metrics that measure postsecondary student-level outcomes:

• Completed 9+ CTE units in first year of CA Community College.
• Attained a CA Community College certificate/degree or journey level status.
• Transferred to a four-year institution after exiting CA Community College.
• Entered registered apprenticeship after participation in high school preapprenticeship program (currently exploring)

*Source: CCCCO MIS, CSUs, UCs, National Student Clearing House, DAS, CDE

K12 SWP Metrics that measure employment student-level outcomes:

• Employed in a job closely related to field of study after exiting CA Community College (Source: CCCCO CTEOS)
• Median annual earnings of students after exiting CA Community College*
• Attained a living wage after exiting CA Community College*

*Source: EDD data

The following K14 Pathway Quality Rubric (Table 2) shows examples of baseline expectations for pathway development, effective practices for targeting of activities, and leading indicators that support the objectives, activities, and most importantly the outcomes listed in this scope of work.  The leading indicators are intended to be captured in expenditure and progress reports to the CCCCO and CDE.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information that may be useful to LEAs drafting the K12 Pathway Coordinator job description are provided below.

The K12 Pathway Coordinator will have knowledge of:

1. Career exploration and labor market information.
2. California K12 data collection systems and practices.
3. Personnel and budget management principles, procedures, and strategies.
4. Principles and methods of program planning, including program review and the development and evaluation of student learning, service area, or program learning outcomes.
5. Public relations, group presentations, and effective communication in a diverse environment.
6. Student advisement, public speaking, workshop development, and group facilitation principles and practices.
7. K12 and Community college Career Technical Education programs.
8. Principles and practices of project management.

The K12 Pathway Coordinator will have the ability to:

1. Conduct meetings, facilitate groups and workshops.
2. Develop and administer a comprehensive program work plan, budget, and outcomes.
3. Establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with industry, faculty, staff, students, and the public.
4. Be sensitive and committed to meeting the needs of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of the student/community population.
5. Use computer software for word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, and information sharing and communication.
6. Communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively both orally and in writing with industry, students, staff, faculty, outside agencies, and the public.
7. Travel to off-campus functions and transport presentation materials and equipment.
8. Organize and conduct special events in conjunction with other college departments and programs.
9. Attend instructional and student services meetings, as well as local, regional or State Career Pathway and Dual Enrollment meetings, as needed.
10. Represent K12 Strong Workforce Pathways at relevant state and federal conferences and industry events.

Education and experience

1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and three full years of full-time K-12 school district, county office of education, college, or university work experience in a lead position. Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse cultures of high school and community college students.

Desired experience

1. K-14 advising, career pathway and/or grant experience.
2. Experience working with special populations students.