The College and Career Transition Initiative: Update on the Peoria Unified High School District and Estrella Mountain Community College Partnership Model

The goals of the College and Career Transition Initiative (CCTI) Project are to ease student transitions between secondary and postsecondary education and between postsecondary education and employment, as well as to improve academic performance at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. The goals of this program are being accomplished through a series of initiatives, models and partnerships.  One of our partnership models consists of Estrella Mountain Community College, the Arizona Department of Education and the Peoria Unified School District’s Education Professions Program. The following are highlights of this CCTI partnership:

• The creation of a Teacher Education Career Pathway Model for high school students.
• Articulation of AAEE courses through community college dual enrollment agreements. 
• Support of future teacher conferences that have provided career information and higher education opportunities.
• Establishment of benchmarks for assessments, advising, and additional preparation to assure student success and persistence through early ACCUPLACER testing.
• Active utilization of electronic portfolios by high school and community college teacher education students.
• Electronic Portfolio training for teachers and community college faculty.
• Development and implementation of individualized career plans. These career plans help students map out their plan for higher education.
• Joint meetings between community college faculty and high school teachers.
• Faculty visits to the high school and student visits to the community college.

The partnership between EMCC and Peoria is very strong and continues to grow.  It is one that benefits the high schools, the community college and more importantly, the student. The next steps of this project are to replicate this model with other colleges and school districts.  More information about this partnership and other CCTI partnerships may be found at www.teachered.maricopa.edu.

Maricopa Community Colleges serves as a partner with the League of Innovation in the College and Career Transition Initiative. This program is supported through a U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education Grant.