Community-Connected Learning - Jobs for the Future - Company Profile - Industry Overview

School Administrator, August, 2000 by Adria Steinberg

No matter how a community puts together its assets, education in the 21* century will be richer in technology and less classroom-bound than the 20th century model of high school. Furthermore, in the world that is emerging with its global markets, uncertain work prospects and corporate makeovers, academic knowledge is only one part of the equation.

The emphasis needs to expand beyond what students know to include both what they can do (how well they can apply what they know to a particular problem or issue) and what they will do with their knowledge and skills when they are in the world, dealing with everpresent complexities. In other words, the question is not just "Have the test scores gone up?" but "Have students internalized the habits of mind and intelligent behaviors to approach the novel, messy, ambiguous situations and challenges of the real world?"

Adria Steinberg is a program director of Jobs for the Future, 88 Broad St., Boston, Mass. 02110. E-mail: asteinberg@jff.org. She is the author of Real Learning, Real Work: School-to-Work as High School Reform.

Additional Resources

American Youth Policy Forum (1836 Jefferson Place, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; 202-775-9731; www.aypf.org). This nonprofit organization offers a variety of publications and forums on youth development, high school reform and school-to-work issues.

High Schools That Work (592 10th St., N.W., Atlanta, Ga. 30318-5790; 404-875-9211; www.sreb.org). The nation's largest school reform network devoted exclusively to work with high schools, this initiative of the Southern Regional Education Board offers customized, site-based action planning and technical assistance to schools and school districts focused on preparing students for a lifetime of learning and earning.

Jobs for the Future (88 Broad St., 8th Floor, Boston, Mass. 02110; 617- 7284446; www.jff. org). This nonprofit organization promotes practices and policies that help individuals acquire the skills and knowledge to succeed in a rapidly changing economy. Its Connected Learning Communities initiative works with schools, districts and communities to design, create and assess community-connected learning.

National Academy Foundation (39 Broadway, Suite 1640, New York, N.Y. 10006; 212-635-2400; www, naf-education.org). This organization partners private industry and the public sector in order to provide quality, industry-specific education and work experiences for high school students nationwide. It provides support to 344 academies.

National School-to-Work Learning and Information Center (400 Virginia Aye, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024; 800-251-7236 or 202-401-6222; www.stw.ed.gov). This clearinghouse, run by the National School-to-Work office provides research findings, practical tools and promising practices to school-to-work partnerships.

New American High Schools (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 4090 MES, 400 Maryland Aye, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202; 202-2055451; www. ed . govloffices/OVAE/nahs). This federal initiative provides a set of principles that high schools can use to ensure that all students meet challenging academic standards and are prepared for college and careers. It recognizes high schools that are putting these principles into practice.