GCCISD Career Academies follow the National Career Academy Coalition's National Standards of Practice (NSOPs). Every 4 years, academies go through a rigorous review process to obtain or maintain certified, model or model with distinction status.
NSOP 1: Mission and Goals
The career academy has a written mission, goals and benchmark. These are developed, reviewed, available, and known by the administrators, teachers, students, parents, advisory board, and others involved in the academy. These include at least the following elements: connect postsecondary education and career; raise and maintain student aspirations; increase student achievement; show a commitment to equity.
NSOP 2: Academy Design
An academy has a well-defined structure within the high school, reflecting its status as a small learning community.
NSOP 3: Host Community and High School
Career academies exist in a variety of district and high school contexts, which are important determinants of an academy's success.
NSOP 4: Faculty and Staff
Appropriate staff selection, leadership, credentialing , and cooperation are critical to an academy's success.
NSOP 5: Professional Development and Continuous Learning
Since an academy places teachers and other adults into roles not normally included in their previous training, providing adequate professional development time, leadership, and support is critical.
NSOP 6: Governance and Leadership
The academy has a governing structure that incorporates the views of all stakeholders and the leaders of the advisory board.
NSOP 7: Teaching and Learning
The teaching and learning within an academy meet or exceed external standards and postsecondary entrance requirements while differing from a comprehensive high school by focusing learning around a career theme.
NSOP 8: Employer, Post-secondary Education, and Community Involvement
A career academy links high school to its host community and involves members of the employer, postsecondary education, and civic community in certain aspects of its operation.
NSOP 9: Student Assessment
Improvements in student performance are central to an academy's mission. It is important to gather data that reflect whether students are showing improvement and to report these accurately and fairly to maintain the academy's integrity.
NSOP 10: Sustainability
No new academy functions perfectly. Even well established and highly functioning academies benefit from self-examination and refinement. Ensuring and improving the quality of a career academy requires engaging in a regular cycle of improvement.
For additional information about NCAC, please visit www.ncacinc.com(opens external link in new window).