College and career readiness should be a major focus of school districts across the nation. JD Hoye, President of the National Academy Foundation (NAF), spoke about this issue at our Education Outlook Breakfast on Aug. 28.
The Education Outlook Breakfast brought educators and the business community together to discuss the NAF model that includes “industry-focused curricula, work-based learning experiences, and business partner expertise.” According to JD Hoye, instructional practice, robust partnerships with industry, and a strong advisory board are essential for success.
The program focuses on five key themes, including finance, hospitality and tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. Dallas ISD has 3,613 students in the NAF program and 28 academies with all five fully developed themes. About 10 percent of Dallas ISD high school students are in NAF academies. Students from Dallas ISD’s Kimball High School, a nationally distinguished NAF academy, attended the breakfast and spoke about their own experiences in the NAF program.
Linda Johnson, the College and Career Readiness Executive Director at Dallas ISD, stated that the district has a vision of increasing the number of graduates with post-secondary credit or industry-recognized certifications. Dee Chambliss, the Regional Director for National Academy Foundation, joined Ms. Johnson to answer questions following the presentation.
Local businesses are encouraged to provide job shadow opportunities, project-based learning, industry speakers, and/or internships that would allow students to gain experience and understand the work environment. Click here to learn more about NAF’s college and career readiness model.