Students must be enrolled in one of our 22 associate high schools to qualify for enrollment in a career & technical program. Applicants must be entering their third year of high school, with no less than eight credits. Five of the eight credits must be from the following core courses: English, math, science, and social studies. Applications must be submitted online and require parent approval. The application can be accessed at www.fourcounty.net. In the absence of pre-requisites for a program, students may be placed according to GPA, attendance, and counselor recommendation.
This policy on career advising is reviewed at least once every two years and made available to students, parents, guardians and custodians, and district residents. The policy is posted in a prominent location on the district’s website.
The district’s plan for career advising includes:
1. In conjunction with the associate school district, students will meet with the guidance counselors each year in grades 11-12 to discuss post-secondary plans and options.
2. Career advising will continue with students in grades 11-12. Students will continue to work with OhioMeansJobs.com on building their backpacks that were started at their home school.
3. Students will also have the opportunity to interact with businesses from the surrounding area with different careers within their chosen career path.
4. A College and Career Fair will be held at the school each year and is open to all students.
5. Job Shadowing will be encouraged throughout grades 11-12. Students may use pre-arranged absences to job shadow. The career tech instructor/supervisor/guidance counselor will help arrange job shadowing for students when asked.
6. Additional interventions and career advising for students who are identified as a risk of dropping out of school. These include:
a. At risk students will be identified by the home school in grades 9-10, where a Student Success Plan will be created.
b. Four County Career Center will continue to follow the success plan developed by the home school, for each at-risk student that addresses both the student’s academic and career pathway to successful graduation.
7. Training for employees on how to advise students on career pathways, including use of the
tools available in OhioMeansJobs K-12 and other online sources will be provided by the district.
8. The district will offer multiple academic and career pathways through high school that students
may choose to earn a high school diploma, including opportunities to earn industry-recognized
credentials and postsecondary course credit through the College Credit Plus Program.
The associate school district and Four County Career Center will collaborate to provide supports necessary for students to transition successfully from high school to their postsecondary destinations, including interventions and services necessary for students who need remediation in mathematics and English language arts.
The Board views career advising as helping students understand themselves relative to their abilities, aptitudes, interests, attitudes, strengths and limitations. This process is meant to assist students in the development of their potential and their decisions relating to educational and career matters.
This policy is reviewed biennially and made available to students, parents, guardians/custodians, local postsecondary institutions and residents of the District. This policy is posted in a prominent location on the District website.
The District will do all of the following.
1. Provide students with grade-level examples linking schoolwork to one or more career field(s) through use of the State Board adopted career connections.
2. Create a plan to provide career advising to students in grades six through 12.
3. Provide additional interventions and career advising for students who are identified as at risk of dropping out of school using both research- and locally-based methods developed with input from classroom teachers and guidance counselors.
4. Train employees on advising students on career pathways, including the use of online tools.
5. Develop multiple, clear academic pathways students can use to earn a high school diploma.
6. Identify and publicize courses in which students can earn both traditional academic and career-technical credit.
7. Document career advising provided to each student.
8. Prepare students for their transition from high school to their postsecondary destinations.
Student success plans (SSP) are developed for students identified as at risk of dropping out of school. A SSP identifies the student’s chosen academic pathway to graduation and the role of career-technical and competency based education and experiential learning, as appropriate in that chosen pathway. The student’s parents, guardians or custodians are invited to assist in the development of the SSP. A copy of the SSP, a statement regarding the importance of a high school diploma and the academic pathways available to the student for successful graduation is provided to parents, guardians or custodians who do not participate in development of the student’s SSP. Following SSP development, the District provides career advising aligned with the student’s individual plan and the District’s plan for career advising.
LEGAL REF.: ORC 3313.6020
CROSS REFS.: AFI, Evaluation of Educational Resources
IJ, Guidance Program
IL, Testing Programs
JK, Employment of Students
NOTE: House Bill 487 (2014) requires board’s to adopt policy language on career advising by the 2015-2016 school year. Much of the details associated with implementing the items listed in the policy will be a local decision, therefore, policy language should be customized to reflect the board’s chosen strategies for carrying out these requirements.
Some details of associated requirements may be set forth in either an associated regulation or in a district-specific plan. Boards should consult Ohio Department of Education’s resources on both career advising and student success plans in order to determine procedures for carrying out these requirements. The requirements for career advising and board policy are set forth by Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.6020.
THIS IS A REQUIRED POLICY