OHVA’s plan for career advising includes the following:

1.  Grade-level examples that link students’ schoolwork to one or more career fields by implementing the Career Connections Learning Strategies offered by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

a.  In addition to providing student-friendly standards as targets for live class sessions, teachers will attempt to connect content per unit to current career fields.

b.      Teachers will hold individual and group sessions that further explain careers of interest to students. (courses need, technology required, salary considerations, skills needed, etc…)

c.       Specific work assignments will allow intervention specialists to write more detailed career plans in Section 5 of an IEP.

2.  Career advising to students in grades K-5, which includes

a.  Teachers have individual conversations with students during 1:1 conferences and small group conversations during Live Class asking what their future career interest might be.

b. Providing grade band assemblies highlighting different careers available to students.

c.   Providing students Social Studies curriculum.

d.  Making available a K-5 School Counselor

e.  Cardy Club available for K-5 students, providing career focused challenges to introduce students to a variety of career fields

3.  Career advising to students in grades 6-12, which includes

a.      Meeting with each student at least once annually to discuss academic and career pathway opportunities.

b.  Providing multiple small/large group sessions that are optional for students to attend. (Resume Building, Career/College Info, CCP, Career-Tech, Job skills, Scholarship Info, Employability skills, Conflict resolution and Team building)

c.       Hosting sessions that provide students with guest speakers and experts in high needs career areas.

d.      Providing a Finding Your Path online curriculum for students in grades 9-12 in which students can work independently and with the support of a counselor to work towards career goals.

e.  Delivering multiple career explorations courses that can then lead toward pathways within CTE.

f.        Implementing the Individual Graduation Plan which can be used to guide students through career advising and includes an end of year synopsis.

g.  Clarifying career planning within Special Education through Sections 4/5 of the IEP.

4.  Additional interventions and career advising for students who are identified as at risk of dropping out of school. These include:

a.  Identifying students who are At-Risk based on past and current performance. Students outside of their graduation cohort year will take top priority for individual career guidance and support.

b.  Identifying students using the FAST program and Staff Referrals.

c.       Reviewing students identified as SPED and found to be at-risk and providing additional interventions under transition activities (career focused).

d.      Developing a Student Success Plan for each at-risk student that addresses both the student’s academic and career pathway to successful graduation and the role of career-technical education, competency- based education and experiential learning, when appropriate.

i.    The student’s parent, guardian, or custodian will be invited to assist in developing the Student Success Plan. If the student’s parent, guardian, or custodian does not participate in the development of the plan, OHVA shall provide the parent, guardian, or custodian a copy of the student’s plan, a statement of the importance of a high school diploma and the academic pathways available to the student in order to successfully graduate.

ii.    Upon development of a plan for a student identified as being at risk for dropping out of school, OHVA shall provide career advising to the student that is aligned with the plan.

5.  Training for employees on how to advise students on career pathways, including use of the tools available in    OhioMeansJobs K-12.

a.  Counselors will be directing students to this tool during sessions and FYP classes.

b.  Advisors and Teachers will be training on career pathways and options available to students..

c.       All staff working with student grades 6-12 will be trained on the use of Ohiomeansjobs.org and other career advising tools per state guidelines.

d.  All staff working with students in grades 6-12 will be educated on Ohio’s new graduation pathways.

6.  Multiple academic and career pathways through high school that students may choose to earn a high school diploma, including opportunities to participate in OHVA’s CTE program, opportunities to attend local Vocational/Technical schools, and participate in the College Credit Plus Program for post-secondary credit.

a.  All staff working with students grades 6-12 will be educated on Graduation Pathways, CCP and Dual Enrollment options.

7.  Information on courses that can award students both traditional academic and career-technical credit in working in conjunction with any local Career/Technical programs students may be attending.

8.  Documentation on career advising for each student and student’s parent, guardian or custodian to review, as well as schools that the student may attend in the future. This includes activities that support the student’s academic, career and social/emotional development, such as those saved to a student’s OhioMeansJobs K-12 Backpack.

a.  All documentation will be housed in PowerSchool (OHVA’s online information system)

b.  Documentation can also be found in section 5 of the IEP for students who qualify.

9.  The supports necessary for students to transition successfully from high school to their postsecondary destinations, including interventions and services necessary for students who need remediation in mathematics and English language arts.

a.  Transition will be aided through staff lead meetings/sessions..

b.  Transition will be aided through sections 4/5 of IEP if applicable.

10.  Information regarding career fields that require an industry-recognized credential, certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, or professional degree is provided through:

a.      Finding Your Path lessons taught once a month in grades 9-12 on various topics like Career Explorations, Career Interest Inventories, Goal Setting, College Search Process, etc.

b.      Holy Guacamole Series that covers: Military, First Generation, Trade Schools/Apprenticeships/Adult Education, 2 Year Programs, Career Explorations, and more

c.       Statewide College tours (virtual and in-person)

d.      CTE Pathway Info Sessions (rising 9th and current high school)

e.      CTE pathway and exploration courses that integrate career planning into curriculum

f.        Industry Speaker sessions

g.       Resources are provided through school counselor and CTE web sites and in their Newsletters

11.  Students are provided with information about ways a student may offset the costs of a post-secondary education through:

a.      Holy Guacamole Series that covers: Military, First Generation, Trade Schools/Apprenticeships/Adult Education, 2 Year Programs, Career Explorations, and more

b.      Military Appreciation Week in February

c.       CCP/dual enrollment information sessions and information provided on OHVA’s CCP web site

d.      CTE sessions that cover CTAG and available Articulation opportunities for credit transfer through participation in OHVA’s CTE programming

Printable Career Advising Policy Document