The Academies of Pinellas
Recent News:
Pinellas Okays Plan to Boost Career and Technical Education - 11/10/11 St. Pete Times
Academies Of Pinellas Given The Green Light - 11/9/11 Press Release
“Academies of Pinellas” to Begin for High Schools - 11/9/11 GoodLiving Magazine
Transforming Teaching And Learning In Pinellas County Schools - 11/6/11 St. Petersburg Times' Newspaper in Education Insert
Introducing...
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Master Plan Architect: Ford Partnership For Advanced Studies |
Executive Summary:
Pinellas County received a prestigious $200,000 planning grant from the Ford Motor Company Fund aimed at advancing career academy learning throughout Pinellas County schools. The plan will also allow for transformative teaching and learning through the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS). Please visit www.fordpas.org for more information on the curriculum.
Pinellas was chosen as a grant recipient in part because of its existing network of Centers of Excellence; its strong district experience in developing quality career academies; its goal of expanding the percentage of students enrolling in academies from 17% to 50%; and the fact that the Pinellas Education Foundation is ready to engage the larger community in support of this expansion.
The planning grant will enable our school district to create a five year master plan called The Academies of Pinellas. Its goal is four fold:
- To focus on an academy methodology as a viable alternative to traditional instruction
- To determine the best strategies that will enable major gains in high school performance
- To give key leaders an opportunity to be a part of and implement a goal oriented plan that engages every level of our community
- To study, measure and benchmark successful academic models already in full operation
The five year plan will be implemented in three distinct but integrated strands or areas of focus.
- 1. Transforming Teaching & Learning: Integrating academy methodology into the existing teaching framework.
- 2. Redesigning High Schools: Implementing an academy methodology across all aspects of the curriculum. Empowering teachers and students to collaborate on the best use of high quality career academies.
- 3. Sustaining Change Through Business & Civic Engagement: Creating a Career Education Board that will evaluate the outcome of this plan and will develop career industry councils, parent/student support groups and career academies that facilitate career planning mentors. Supporting and sustaining the initiative through engaging the entire corporate and civic community in Pinellas County.
A Case For Career Academies:
During the 2009-2010 school year, the Florida Department of Education released the following statistics regarding the average
Career and Professional Education (CAPE) academy student in Florida obtaining industry certifications like Microsoft vs. Non CAPE
academy students:
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Performance Indicator |
Non-CAPE |
CAPE + Certification |
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Average GPA |
2.56 |
3.00 |
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At least One Disciplinary Action |
21.3% |
11% |
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12th Graders Earning a Standard Diploma |
78.6% |
97.4% |
Students succeed when they are enrolled in coursework that's RELEVANT!
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LARGO, FL 33773
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