The Philadelphia Tech Prep Consortium
Preparing Students for the Technical Careers of the Future!
The Philadelphia Tech Prep Consortium is:
- An initiative funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education that integrates newly developed technical and academic curricula for students beginning at the tenth grade level.
- Students follow a planned sequence of courses that span 10th grade through Associate Degree and beyond in a variety of technical areas.
- Teams of high school and college faculty across various disciplines work to prepare students for college level work and for employment.
Philadelphia Tech Prep Consortium
Program Year 2007-2008
The Philadelphia Tech Prep Consortium is a unique technical preparation initiative which was established by the Carl D. Perkins Applied Technology and Vocational Education Act of 1990 and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Tech Prep integrates newly developed technical and academic curricula for students beginning in the tenth grade level. Currently each of the fifty states has developed Tech Prep education activities including seventeen consortia in Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Tech Prep Partnership is a consortium between Community College of Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia and representatives from business and industry.
Students are a part of a planned sequence of courses that make up an advanced skill curricula covering tenth grade through Associate Degree in a variety of areas with primary emphasis on the technical careers. The curricula, which are written by teams of high school and college faculty across various disciplines, are designed to build academic and technical skills so that students are prepared for college level work and employment. Direct business and industry involvement ensures that the skills taught will meet market needs.
Goals/Activities:
- Teams of high school teachers and college faculty across academic and technical disciplines work closely together to design six-year seamless curriculum.
- Students progress through a sequence of courses and work-based projects that prepare them for college level work and employment.
- Teachers participate in on-going staff development experiences that focus on enhancing teaching techniques that connect academic skills with technical preparation.
- The transition from high school to college is made easier for students through support services such as frequent on-campus site visits to College facilities, early placement testing, after school programs, tutoring services and orientations.
- Parents of Tech Prep students are encouraged to actively participate in meetings, on-campus site visits and work-based projects.
- Business and industry representatives provide job shadowing experiences, thematic workshops and work-based learning projects.
- On-going assessment in the form of a monitoring system that collects reviews and analyzes data quarterly.
Accomplishments to Date:
- Signed articulation agreements and State approved Tech Prep programs with the following high schools in specific technical areas:
- Bok Technical School - Business Technology and Computer Repair Technology
- Edison/Fareira High School - Allied Health Technology, Computer Repair technology and Culinary Arts
- Dobbins AVTS High School - Web Design/Multi-Media Technology and Accounting Technology
- Mastbaum AVTS High School - Business Technology
- Swenson Arts/Technology High School - Web Design/Multi-Media Technology and Computer Repair Technology
- West Philadelphia High School - Automotive Technology
- MaST Community Charter School - Business Systems Networking
- During Program Year 2007-2008 additional high schools are in the planning and development stages for various technical programs.
- In program year 2006-2007 over 250 students were enrolled in Tech Prep Programs at the high school level.
- 90 Tech Prep students are enrolled at Community College of Philadelphia and an additional 45 are enrolled at Philadelphia area four-year colleges, universities and technical institutes.
- On-going involvement through direct business and industry contacts to determine labor market needs.
Services during the Program Year 2007-2008 include:
- Industry representatives provide curriculum input, services, tours, mentoring, classroom presentations, etc. for students and staff
- Career assessment/exploration and College preparation workshops at all high schools and the College, classroom visits, tours and technical workshops.
- Career and College Fair/Workforce Development Forums for teachers, parents, students, faculty and business and community representatives, pre-college informational seminars.
- College Diagnostic Assessment testing for 10th graders.
- College Placement testing and Financial Aid Workshops for 12th graders.
- College student tutors in the high school classrooms.
- Tech Prep After School and summer Pre-College Programs for 11th and 12th graders.
- Comprehensive services/activities for transitioning high school graduates to Community College.
- Professional development workshops and skills upgrade training/in-service for teachers.
- Instructional materials.
- Retention support for post secondary Tech Prep students.
- Possible participation in additional College/School District partnerships: Advanced College Experience (ACE), Advance @ College and the School District of Philadelphia’s College Excel Program (dual enrollment), etc.
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