KidsOhio.org
Winter/Spring 2016
!
Understanding!
Career!Education!
Options!for!
Columbus!Students!
1,472&11th&and&12th&Graders&Enrolled&in&Columbus&
Career8Technical&Education&Courses&in&201382014;&
All&but&One&Program&at&Career&Centers&Had&Room&
for&More&Students&in&201582016&
!
!
!!!!“…the!public,!private!
!!!!and!non=profit!sectors!
!!!!can!work!together!to!
!!!!give!aspiring!workers!
!!!!the!training!they!need!
!!!!to!obtain!the!jobs!that!
!!!!are!available!in!their!
!!!!community.”!
!
!
=!JPMorganChase.com!
!
See Recommendations
on page 12
Some of the fastest job growth in central Ohio is not in careers that
require a four-year degree, but in those requiring post-secondary skills
leading to an industry credential or associate’s degree. In central Ohio,
such in-demand careers include those in highly technical sectors such as
Information Technology (IT), logistics, advanced manufacturing, and
health care.
These skilled careers require more training, which puts increased
importance on making sure that students are both college and career
ready when they graduate. Due to a new state law, districts are offering
career readiness programs in middle school, yet the great majority of
programs are offered beginning in high school. This report focuses on
Columbus juniors and seniors in the 2013-2014 school year.
KidsOhio.org visited Columbus City Schools’ two career centers and two
high schools that offer career-technical programs. Leaders and teachers
at each location remarked that today's career-technical programs need
to be gateways to skilled positions in business, industry, and heath care,
as well as gateways to college degrees and/or job certification. Most of
the district’s career-technical programs offer college credit and/or career
certification. Many of these programs require high-level skills in math,
computing, and problem solving — countering the stereotype that career
education is for students who aren’t college material.
!
10&Key&Facts&about&Career&Education&in&Columbus&
City&Schools&&
The following 10 key facts highlight findings about central Ohio
students enrolled in career education coursework in the 2013-2014
school year. Charts providing detailed information follow.
•
•
•
KidsOhio.org
1907 Leonard Avenue, Suite 150
Columbus, OH 43219
614.705.2115
!
!
•
This report is made possible by a
grant from JPMorgan Chase
Foundation
•
Note: The terms career-technical
education and career education are
used interchangeably in this report.
•
•
We welcome suggestions to improve the
content of our reports.
Please send your suggestions to
[email protected].
This report and an accompanying
data supplement are available at
www.KidsOhio.org
•
•
•
2
In school year 2013-2014, Columbus City Schools (CCS)
enrolled 5,157 juniors and seniors. Of those students, 1,472
(29 percent) were enrolled in a career education course.
By-and-large, juniors and seniors enrolled in Columbus careertechnical programs had the same ethnic and income
demographics as Columbus juniors and seniors not enrolled in
career-technical programs. One exception was special
education.
Overall, nearly a quarter of juniors and seniors enrolled in a
Columbus career-technical program had special education
needs (22 percent), compared to non-career education students
(15 percent). However, when Job Training Coordinating, a
program designed specifically for students with special
education needs, was factored out, the rate of students with
special education needs among career education students
dropped to 17 percent, which is roughly the same as the rate
for all juniors and seniors (18 percent).
A slightly higher rate of juniors and seniors enrolled in a
Columbus career-technical program earned A- and B-level
grade point averages (50 percent), compared to non-career
education students (45 percent).
Half of juniors and seniors enrolled in a Columbus careertechnical program were enrolled in one of seven programs:
Engineering Science, Health Science, Performing Arts, Job
Training Coordinating, Visual Design and Imaging, Media Arts,
and Business Management.
Columbus City Schools offered 37 career-technical program
areas. The three most enrolled programs were Engineering
Science, Health Science, and Performing Arts.
Engineering Science had the highest enrollment with 161
students. It was offered at five local high schools.
The three high schools with the highest rates of 11th and 12th
graders enrolled in a career-technical program were Fort
Hayes (44 percent), West (37 percent), and East (36 percent).
The district average was 29 percent.
Because Columbus is a regional career center, 10 percent of
juniors and seniors were from a school or school district other
than Columbus City Schools.
As of October 2015, all but one program had openings. There
were a total of 2,127 seats open among Columbus City
Schools’ career centers (not including school-based programs).
Of those, 1,625, or 76 percent, were filled and 502, or 24
percent, were not filled. Some of these programs require
prerequisites.
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
1,472&Juniors&and&Seniors&Were&Enrolled&in&a&
Columbus&Career&Education&Program&in&2014&
Virtually every economic development organization in central
Ohio counts information technology or information services as one
of the most important and fastest growing sectors.
Nick, a senior from college preparatory Columbus Alternative High
School, took advantage of this sector’s potential for good jobs
while living out an interest he had in computer programming since
eighth grade. He studied Information Technology at Columbus
Downtown High School career center.
“I like the dynamic, hands-on coursework here – it’s suited to
getting things done,” he said. “And getting certification in
[computer programming] is a possibility.” This could help Nick
earn college credit, a better summer job, and a head start on a
career in IT.
“Among!2012!high!school!
graduates!who!did!not!
enroll!in!college!the!
following!year,!only!45!
percent!were!able!to!find!
work!of!any!kind,!and!only!
half!of!those!jobs!were!full!
time.”&
&
8&The$Pathways$to$Prosperity$
Network:$A$State$Progress$
Report,$2012:2014!
!
In 2014, Nick was one of more than 1,472 juniors and seniors who
were enrolled in one of 37 Columbus career education programs
where students can earn college credit and gain skills and
credentials in Engineering Science, Health Science, IT, Business
Management, and more. These programs are designed to give
students the tools they need to gain entry to well-paying jobs that
require more than a high school diploma.
Where Are Career Education Students’ Home Schools?
Home High School Type
Columbus City Schools
Charter School
Number of Career
Education Juniors
and Seniors
1,321
6
School District other than
Columbus City Schools
131
Private School
10
State School
2
Virtual Charter School
2
TOTAL
Environmental Control Technologies,
Fort Hayes Career Center
1,472
!
In 2014, 10 percent of juniors and seniors enrolled in career
education came from schools outside the Columbus City Schools
district. Columbus schools receive state and federal funds for all
career education students.!
3
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
“Local!employers!are!often!
pleasantly!surprised!when!
they!learn!more!about!our!
career=technical!programs!
and!the!achievement!levels!of!
Columbus!students.!Our!
career!education!students,!as!
a!group,!earned!slightly!
higher!grades!than!other!
juniors!and!seniors.!Students!
who!enrolled!in!career=
technical!programs!for!two!
years!earned!a!B!grade!on!the!
state!report!card!for!career!
centers,!up!from!an!F!grade!a!
few!years!ago.!
!
Building!on!this!progress,!we!
are!committed!to!doubling!
the!number!of!students!
taking!career=technical!
programs!in!Columbus!City!
Schools!over!the!next!five!
years.”!
!
= Dan!Good,!
Superintendent,!
Columbus!City!
Schools!
From Which School Districts Are Career Education
Students Coming?
School District other than
Columbus City Schools
Number of
Career Education
Juniors and
Seniors
Westerville City*
64
Upper Arlington City*
21
South-Western City
16
Groveport Madison Local
7
Grandview Heights City*
6
Reynoldsburg City
4
Whitehall City
4
Hamilton Local
2
Hilliard City
2
Worthington City
2
Licking Heights Local
1
Olentangy Local
1
Pickerington Local
1
TOTAL
131
! *Westerville, Upper Arlington, and Grandview Heights school districts
have an agreement with Columbus City Schools (CCS). As a CareerTechnical Planning District, CCS provides career-technical education for
these three districts. Career education students from the other 10 school
districts listed are enrolled in CCS career-technical programs through
open enrollment.
In 2014, 64 juniors and seniors enrolled in a Columbus careertechnical program were from the Westerville City School District.
Twenty-one students were from Upper Arlington and 16 students were
from South-Western City Schools. Columbus school officials say that
this enrollment from suburban school districts indicates confidence in
the district’s career centers.
!
Which&Columbus&Career8Technical&Education&Programs&
Have&the&Highest&Enrollment?&&
As the chart on the next page illustrates, in 2013-2014, the careertechnical education programs with the highest enrollment among
juniors and seniors were Engineering Science, Health Science,
Performing Arts, Job Training Coordinating (for students with special
education needs), Visual Design and Imaging, Media Arts, Business
Management, Cosmetology, Culinary and Food Service Operations,
4
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!!
!
and Criminal Justice. More than six in 10
career education juniors and seniors were
enrolled in these 10 programs.
HALF
Half of juniors and seniors enrolled in a
Columbus career-technical program were
enrolled in one of seven programs:
Engineering Science, Health Science,
Performing Arts, Job Training Coordinating,
Visual Design and Imaging, Media Arts, and
Business Management. One student was
enrolled in two program areas: Auto
Technology and Engineering Science.
!
*Year-One Program
**Year-Two Program
Some programs require prerequisites.
See the accompanying data supplement to this report for
definitions of each program – available at www.KidsOhio.org.
5
Culinary Arts,
Columbus Downtown High School
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
244 Juniors and Seniors Enrolled in Seven
Health Science Programs
Columbus’&Most&
In8Demand&Careers!
!
!
Health Science
Health&Care:&A!14!percent!
job!growth!is!projected!
through!2018!(Health!
Science!is!Columbus!City!
Schools’!second!largest!!
career!education!program)!
&
Insurance:!50!percent!of!the!
workforce!statewide!!is!!!
projected!to!retire!by!2025!
(IT!Core!is!Columbus!City!
Schools’!13th!largest!career!
education!program)!
!
Other&in8demand&careers:&&
• Transportation,!
Equipment!&!Machinery!
Manufacturing!
• Computer!and!Data!!
Centers!
• Research!&!Development!
!
!
=!Skills$in$Demand,$Building$a$
Middle:Skill$Workforce$to$
Grow$the$Columbus$Economy,$
JPMorgan!Chase!&!Co.,!
$2015$
4%
5%
4%
Nursing
Medical Assistant
7%
Exercise Science and Sports
Medicine
7%
14%
59%
Surgical Technology
Medical Lab Technology
Dental Assistant
In school year 2013-2014, 244 juniors and seniors were enrolled in a
health-related program. That is 17 percent of all juniors and seniors
enrolled in a career-technical program. Fifty-nine percent (144
students) were enrolled in the year-one Health Science program, a
prerequisite to the other six courses. Forty-one percent (100 students)
were enrolled in one of six year-two programs.
Some&Programs&with&the&Lowest&Enrollment&Are&in&
Career&Fields&with&the&Highest&Demand&for&Skilled&
Employees!
Some of the least enrolled programs include Welding and Cutting (15
students) and technology programs such as Programming and
Software Development (11 students). Yet, each of these courses was
designed to help Columbus students qualify for central Ohio’s most
in-demand jobs.
Who&Are&Columbus’&Career&Education&Students?&
In school year 2013-2014, 29 percent of Columbus City Schools’
juniors and seniors had enrolled in at least one career education
course.
Gender: Among juniors and seniors enrolled in a Columbus careertechnical program, 51 percent were male and 49 percent were !
6
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
! female. For juniors and seniors not enrolled in a career-technical
program, 49 percent were male and 51 percent were female.
Ethnicity: 26 percent of juniors and seniors enrolled in a Columbus
career education course were white, compared to 22 percent of noncareer education students; 63 percent of career education students were
black, compared to 66 percent of non-career education students.
Special Education: 22 percent of Columbus career education students
had special education needs, compared to 15 percent of non-career
education students. However, when two career-technical programs
specifically for students with special education needs are factored out,
the rate of Columbus’ career education students with special education
needs becomes 17 percent – close to the rate of non-career education
students.
English Language Learners: Among juniors and seniors enrolled in a
Columbus career-technical program, 5 percent had Limited English
Proficiency (LEP), compared to 8 percent for non-career education
students.
Poverty: 65 percent of Columbus career education students were
Economically Disadvantaged, compared to 68 percent of non-career
education students.
How Did the Grade Point Averages (GPA) of Juniors
and Seniors Enrolled in a Columbus Career-Technical
Program Compare to the GPA of Those Not in a
Career-Technical Program?
In school year 2013-2014, nearly 50 percent of students enrolled in a
career-technical program earned an A- or B-level unweighted grade
point average, compared to 45 percent of juniors and seniors not
enrolled in a career-technical program.!
7
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
Where Did Juniors and Seniors Enrolled in a Columbus
Career-Technical Program Take Career Courses in
2013-2014?
Environmental Control Technologies,
Fort Hayes Career Center
*Briggs High School, Brookhaven High School, Columbus North International
High School, East High School, Eastmoor Academy High School, Linden-McKinley
STEM, Marion Franklin High School, Northland High School, and West High
School. See this report’s accompanying data supplement for more information
from each of these schools – available at www.KidsOhio.org.
Fifty-nine percent of juniors and seniors enrolled in a Columbus careertechnical program took their course(s) at Fort Hayes Career Center, 24
percent took their courses at Columbus Downtown High School, and
17 percent took their courses at a district high school.
Columbus City Schools: 12 Career-Technical Education
Programs with Highest Percentage of Open Seats in
School Year 2015-2016 (as of October 9, 2015)
Total
Program
Seats
25
Total
Seats
Occupied
8
Total
Open
Seats
17
Percentage
of Open
Seats
68%
25
9
16
64%
50
25
25
50%
Horticulture
50
25
25
50%
Construction Electricity
50
27
23
46%
Financial Services
25
14
11
44%
Welding and Cutting
36
21
15
42%
Precision Machining
Bricklaying and
Concrete Systems
BioScience
Technology
Dental Assistant
50
30
20
40%
50
31
19
38%
50
32
18
36%
25
16
9
36%
Engineering Science
50
32
18
36%
Career-Technical
Education Program
Teaching Professions
Medical Lab
Technology
Auto Collision Repair
Source: Columbus City Schools.
8
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
All but one program, Job Training Coordination, had openings. The
chart on page 8 reflects the number of openings per career-technical
program at Columbus City Schools’ two career centers in 2015-2016.
This chart does not reflect career-technical programs offered within
district high schools. Columbus City Schools’ 12 career-technical
programs with the highest percentages of open seats were: Teaching
Professions; Medical Lab Technology; Auto Collision; Horticulture;
Construction Electricity; Financial Services; Welding and Cutting;
Precision Machining; Bricklaying and Concrete Systems; BioScience
Technology; Dental Assistant; and Engineering Science. There were a
total of 2,127 seats open among Columbus City Schools’ careertechnical programs offered at career centers. Of those, 1,625, or 76
percent, were filled and 502, or 24 percent, were not filled. See this
report’s accompanying data supplement for the full list of open seats
in all career education programs – available at www.KidsOhio.org.
!
Columbus&City&Schools’&Commitment&to&Improving&
Career8Technical&Education&
New Schedules Requested by Employers; 7th and 8th
Graders Learn about Careers in Automotive Repair,
Carpentry, and Environmental Control Systems
“Six of Columbus’ largest construction
companies are helping us to improve our
course offerings. As a result, we are now
offering a brand new construction pilot
program for eight students. Throughout
the school year, students are alternating
one week in the classroom learning
construction concepts and one week in
the field practicing construction. If the
program is successful, we will offer the
program to additional students next year.
In the second semester, two automotive
students are in an internal CCS internship
pilot at the 17th Avenue complex. The students work side-by-side
with CCS mechanics, working on small engine repairs. We expect
to be able to apply this hands-on model to many more of the
career-technical programs offered by Columbus City Schools.
The principal at Hilltonia Middle School wanted her students –
some of whom were not doing well in a conventional classroom –
to learn about well-paying careers in automotive repair, carpentry,
and environmental control systems. In response, we created a
career exploration program for 7th and 8th grade students from
Hilltonia. Students will have the opportunity to attend a two-hour
class every week beginning February 18, 2016 and will expand to a
two-hour class twice a week. This pilot program will start in the
9
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!!
!
Construction and Automotive programs because of the great need
and student interest. The privilege of being in this pilot program is
contingent on the students’ weekly attendance, proper behavior, and
completion of all academic assignments. As with all pilot programs,
the district will evaluate the success of the program and determine
next steps for growth.
We’re really proud of the initiative our staff and principals are
taking.”
= Pegeen Cleary Potts, Executive Director,
Career-Technical Education, Workforce Development,
Adult and Community Education
Fort Hayes Metro Education Center Serves
as First Step to Career Exposure
The Fort Hayes Metro Education Center
includes college preparatory Fort Hayes
Arts and Academic High School and Fort
Hayes Career Center. In 2013-2014, 125
juniors and seniors at Fort Hayes High
School took a career education course.
“Career education isn’t an end. It’s a
beginning and exposure to careers. Two
things happen when students are exposed
to a career in high school. They know if
it’s what they want or not what they want.”
-
Milton Ruffin, Ph.D.,
Principal/Director,
Fort Hayes Metropolitan
Education Center
Columbus Downtown High School Engages Students;
Plans to Enroll More Students in High-Demand
Career-Technical Programs
“I am impressed with the positive energy
of our students and faculty. Our staff has
been doing an excellent job of engaging
students. Now, we want to enroll more
students in high-demand career-technical
programs.”
-
10
Cheryl Watson, Director,
Columbus Downtown
High School
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
JPMorgan Chase Commits $75 Million in Career and
Technical Education
“This career education report from
KidsOhio.org is timely and important.
Our firm’s $75 million commitment to
our New Skills for Youth initiative
reflects JPMorgan Chase’s belief in the
power of high-quality career and
technical education to provide students
with the experience and skills to launch
them into careers in high-demand
jobs.”
=
Courtney Hodapp,
Vice President,
Global Philanthropy,
JPMorgan Chase,
Columbus, Ohio
American Electric Power Foundation’s Credit Counts
Program Supports Middle and High School
Exploration of STEM Opportunities
“American Electric Power (AEP) is an
energy company with nearly 18,000
employees. In addition to employing
significant numbers of two- and four-year
college graduates, the company employs
skilled workers including electricians, line
mechanics, and IT support technicians.
The AEP Foundation’s Credits Count
program empowers middle and high
school students to explore opportunities
in STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math) fields.
Participating students can earn careertechnical education credits and at least 12
college credits. We hope more Columbus
students will take advantage of opportunities
to earn these credits in high school.”
=
11
Dale Heydlauff, Vice President,
Corporate Communications, AEP
& President, AEP Foundation
!
Labor!Shortages!Are!
Widespread,!and!Getting!
Worse!
“As!construction!firms!
continue!to!expand,!they!are!
having!an!increasingly!difficult!
time!finding!enough!skilled!
construction!workers.!Among!
respondents!that!were!trying!to!
hire!workers,!87!percent!report!
having!a!hard!time!filling!key!
professional!and!craft!worker!
positions.!In!particular,!more!
than!three=quarters!(76!percent)!
of!the!firms!that!are!hiring!
report!having!a!hard!time!
finding!qualified!craft!workers!
to!fill!vacancies,!while!62!
percent!say!the!same!about!
professional!positions!such!as!
project!managers,!supervisors!
and!estimators.!Worse,!81!
percent!of!firms!expect!it!will!
either!become!harder!or!remain!
as!difficult!to!find!qualified!
craft!workers!during!the!next!
12!months.!Similarly,!72!
percent!of!responding!firms!
predict!it!will!get!harder,!or!
remain!as!hard,!to!find!
qualified!construction!
professionals!this!year.”!
!
= Ready$to$Hire$Again:$
The$2015$Construction$Hiring$
and$Business$Outlook,!
The!Associated!General!
Contractors!of!America,!
2015!
!
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&
!
Eight&Recommendations&to&Improve&Career&Education&
Opportunities&in&Columbus&City&Schools!
!!
Columbus City Schools has strengthened the leadership of its career-technical
programs. The following eight recommendations were gathered from educators and
employers.
1. Increase the number of students enrolled in career-technical education
programs. All but one career-technical program offered by Columbus City Schools
had openings in fall 2015.
2. Offer ongoing updates and professional development for educators, counselors,
and administrators about career and college opportunities offered through the
district’s career centers and in district middle and high schools.
3. Accelerate communication with students and parents on the wide range of indemand career options in Columbus, as well as the opportunities to gain
experience and college credit in those fields while they are still in high school.
4. Offer more career-technical programs in neighborhood schools. Columbus’
highest enrolled career-technical programs are those offered at a district high
school campus.
5. Ensure that all Columbus students and parents know that they can earn
career and college credits through Columbus’ career-technical education
programs.
6. Streamline the career-technical program application and notification process, so
that students can be notified about the programs to which they are admitted in the
spring and plan accordingly. Currently, students apply in spring for fall courses;
most are accepted in the spring. Some go through up to three waitlist rounds
before getting into their preferred program. During this process students also have
to decide which district school and courses they will enroll in for the fall.
7. Continue to strengthen connections between career-technical programs and
employers who can advise the district about the changing needs of employers.
8. Continue collecting and analyzing data to inform
decision-making.
Members of the National Technical Honor Society
12
Welding & Cutting, Fort Hayes Career Center
KidsOhio.org –Winter/Spring 2016&