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Career Academy marks 10 years; board hears enrollment, dual-credit and workforce connections
Summary
Lincoln Public Schools and Southeast Community College presenters updated the board on 10 years of the Career Academy (TCA), citing enrollment growth, dual-credit college credits earned, certification and employer connections; no formal board action was taken.
Lincoln Public Schools on Jan. 28 received a 10-year update on the Career Academy (referred to at the meeting as TCA), a joint program with Southeast Community College (SCC) and local employers that provides career pathways, dual-credit coursework and industry certifications to high school juniors and seniors.
"We opened the doors at the Career Academy with a partnership between Southeast Community College and Lincoln Public Schools and really the business community," said Josh, the presenter leading the update, as he reviewed pathways, enrollment trends and outcomes.
Board materials and the presentation highlighted program growth to 14+ pathways (with additions such as criminal justice and expanded health science), a spring enrollment of 753 students this year across semesters, and a five-year total of 25,578 college credits earned by TCA students. The presentation said the SCC instructors teach 80% of TCA's instructional staff and that students can earn upwards of 30 college credits in some pathways.
Josh and student speaker Sapphire, a recent TCA graduate from Southwest High School, described CTSO (Career Technical Student Organization) success including national championships in SkillsUSA and an agricultural speaking competition, student certifications (450 CNAs, 251 welders cited to date), job fairs that connected about 65 businesses with students, and cohort work with Independence Academy that includes precision machining and ag bio classes aimed at job readiness.
Board members praised the program's options for students, noting it preserves pathways for students who do not follow a four-year-college route and also serves as a stepping stone for those who do. "Not everybody is patterned to go to a 4 year college, but you are offering them opportunities," said one board member during discussion.
No motions or budget actions were recorded for the item; the update was informational. Presenters said future work will include annual pathway reviews, adding SCC certifications, continuing education offerings and increased internship connections with local partners such as the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development and the Lincoln Chamber.
The board opened the floor for questions and moved to other agenda items.
