Many of our youth are not on a pathway for career success, and the problem is twofold: our system is not helping enough youth obtain postsecondary degrees and certificates, and even many college graduates have little awareness of career options or of the skills and experiences needed for career success.
These issues endanger the long-term health of our regional economy, and, if not checked, they could increase inequality on the Eastside.
After much anticipation, the Transitions and Career Pathways collaboratives have been approved by the Racial Equity Team and the Partner Leadership Committee. The collaboratives will be under the umbrella of the College and Career Readiness Initiative and will replace the former collaborative by the name of 4th Plus. The groups will start to meet in March.
While the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has been working to get every child reading at grade level by third grade, the College and Career Readiness Initiative will be focused on improving opportunities for youth from fourth grade to age 26. The initiative will engage the Bellevue School District, the City of Bellevue, community-based organizations (CBOs), higher education partners, parents, businesses, and youth. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that all Bellevue students are prepared for postsecondary and work success.
Transitions
The Transitions Collaborative will be working to ensure that students make successful transitions at key points in their development. The collaborative will first focus on the eighth to ninth grade transition to ensure that every youth is on a path toward high school completion and postsecondary success. Many students struggle with the transition into high school, resulting in a spike in discipline instances, decline in academic performance in math and reading, and the emergence or worsening of social and emotional issues. The team will determine how best to support all Bellevue youth through this transition.
Career Pathways
The Career Pathways Collaborative will be working to ensure that all students are aware of and prepared for high-wage, high-demand career opportunities. The group’s first task will be to propose one or two pilot projects that will bring multiple stakeholders together in the work of helping Bellevue students explore possible careers and increase their career readiness. This could include assisting middle and high school students with internships, job shadows, mentoring, and job fairs.