ACHS, CHS earn Tennessee Pathways certification for programs
On Feb. 2, the Tennessee Department of Education announced 159 Pathways in 94 high schools, and 51 districts have earned the Tennessee Pathways Certification for creating regional post-secondary opportunities.
This more than doubles the number of certified pathways in Tennessee, bringing the total to 281 in 136 high schools and 69 districts.
In Anderson County, the 2020 Tennessee Certified Pathways are:
• Anderson County High School/Early Childhood Education Careers (Pre-K-4);
• Clinton High School/Early Childhood Education Careers (Pre-K-4);
• Anderson County High School/Coding.
Tennessee Pathways is structured around three key elements shown to increase seamless enrollment and success in postsecondary programs:
• High-quality college and career advisement throughout K-12;
• Rigorous early postsecondary and work-based learning opportunities in high school;
• Seamless vertical alignment between K-12, postsecondary programs, and career opportunities as a result of effective partnerships among school districts, higher education institutions, employers, and community organizations .
Launched in 2019 in partnership with the Tennessee Board of Regents, the Tennessee Pathways Certification sets clear expectations for alignment, advisement, and partnerships that define strong education-to-career pathways.
Beyond establishing standards for program quality and design, the certification elevates and celebrates innovative and exemplary pathways in the state.
“Tennessee is committed to building strong college and career pathways statewide,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “Students benefit from having exposure to high-quality career pathways, and these pathways will serve to enhance our state’s future success and outcomes.
“We are proud to have more than doubled the number of Certified Pathways and this tremendous growth speaks to our districts, communities, and partners’ shared values of strong education-to-career pathways. The department is proud to support every district across all regions working to further develop, enhance, and grow these opportunities.”
All schools serving grades 9-12 in Tennessee were eligible to apply and each pathway was evaluated through a rigorous application process in which schools detailed their postsecondary and employer partnerships, early college and career experiences, and structures for providing students with impactful career advisement.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, districts submitted 188 total applications for the Tennessee Pathways certification, representing every region of the state, 108 high schools, and 57 districts during the 2019-20 application cycle.
