Akron Public Schools is adoping a “career and college academies” reorganization of its high schools.
The school-within-the school approach has reported significant successes in other large urban school districts, including Nashville, Tenn. That's where leaders from Akron went to learn about the program.
The idea is for Akron’s high schools to engage students more directly, with classes, other learning opportunities and community support that focus on what they want to do in life. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Ellen McWilliams-Woods says the program will be the biggest transformation of Akron schools in its history,
“This is a wall-to-wall college and career academy, which means 100 percent of our high school students will be selecting a college and career pathway where their classes will be organized around a career theme.”
The Akron Board of Education approved the plan this week. A pilot version of it is already in place at North High School. System-wide implementation is expected to take five years.
