All students should be able to say, “I know who I am, I know where I’m going, and I know who can help me get there.” That’s the vision set forth by the Commission on Purposeful Pathways in their report, A Launchpad for Life.
The report identifies three evidence-based practices — high-quality advising, accelerated coursework, and career-connected learning — that support pathways for economic mobility and foster development of social capital and a sense of purpose and belonging for young people. While each of these practices is effective, it’s their integration in a pathway that promises the most powerful impact.
California Pathways Proof Points
The national movement for Purposeful Pathways is developing state and regional “proof point” initiatives that demonstrate how high school and college partnerships can successfully transform student experiences and outcomes.
In the California Pathways Proof Points initiative, high school and college partnerships in four regions are leading the way and learning what it takes to strengthen, sustain and expand purposeful pathways. The initiative focuses on the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Joaquin Valley regions, and is funded by the Gates Foundation. Similar statewide initiatives are underway in Texas and Washington.
In the four California regions, intermediaries are supporting the partnership sites and connecting their efforts to regional networks including employers, workforce, and community organizations. At the state level, regional intermediaries are engaged in a community of practice to share learnings and build capacity to support sites. CLP serves as the statewide lead intermediary for the initiative, connecting regional partnerships to one another and to state-level priorities.
Regional Partners: K-12, Postsecondary and Intermediary
Inland Empire
K-12 partners: Coachella Valley High and Desert Mirage High in Coachella Valley Unified; Cathedral City High and Palm Springs High in Palm Springs Unified; Indio High and La Quinta High in Desert Sands Unified; and Pacific High, Arroyo Valley High, and San Andreas High in San Bernardino City Unified
Postsecondary partners: College of the Desert and San Bernardino Valley College
Intermediaries: Growing Inland Achievement (GIA), OneFuture Coachella Valley, and San Bernardino Community College District
Los Angeles
K-12 partners: Hawthorne High School and Leuzinger High School in Centinela Valley Union High School District; and Jordan High School in Long Beach Unified
Postsecondary partners: El Camino College and Long Beach City College
Intermediaries: California Community Foundation and UNITE-LA
San Diego
K-12 partners: El Camino High, Oceanside High, and Surfside Educational Academy in Oceanside Unified; and Olympian High, East Lake High, Southwest High, and Sweetwater High in Sweetwater Union High School District
Postsecondary partners: MiraCosta College and Southwestern College
Intermediary: San Diego Community Foundation
San Joaquin Valley
K-12 partners: Gustine High School in Gustine Unified; Golden Valley High School in Merced Union High School District; and Sanger High School in Sanger Unified
Postsecondary partners: Modesto College, Merced College and Reedley College
Intermediary: UC Merced