Dickinson board hears update: work-based learning goal reached early, enrollment processes outlined

The Dickinson School Board on Jan. 13 heard from a district staff member that the district has reached its board goal to enroll 25% of students in work-based learning by 2027.

Mister Kovash, presenting the board goal update, said, "We wanted to have 25% of our students enrolled in a work based learning by 2027. So, we're there, which is awesome." He described the program's enrollment process and current participation levels.

Kovash told the board that students eligible for placement are generally juniors or seniors at least 16 years old and are expected to have at least one full Career and Technical Education (CTE) credit in the relevant field. "We don't have a specific GPA, but we want students to be able to be showing that they can do the work in the classroom as well," Kovash said. He said the district reviews attendance, tardies and schedules when approving placements.

The coordinator said application deadlines are March 15 for fall placements and Oct. 15 for spring placements to allow time for paperwork and matching students with host employers. He described two types of experiences: sustained, external placements (internships) and simulated experiences run in classrooms. Kovash said the district treats 40 hours of supervised, hands-on experience as the cutoff for counting a class as a work-based learning experience.

Kovash listed new employer partners added this semester and recurring partners that regularly accept Dickinson students. New placements include Dickinson State, Bronco Company, Stan Porter Motors and Tiscare Tacking; returning partners include Charbonneau's, the Forest Service, Chadds Auto Clinic and Butler (names as provided by the presenter). He said the district maintains a robust list of businesses that host students, but noted scheduling is often the most difficult part of placing students, particularly for shop and trade placements that require longer blocks of time.

Kovash reported current counts of students enrolled or slated for work-based learning next semester: 47 seniors, 31 juniors and 21 sophomores, for a total of 99 students (the transcript shows "99, so 1 away from a 100 there"). He also told the board the district expects 70 seniors to graduate this year having completed a work-based learning experience, which he said increases the senior completion rate to 32%.

Board members asked whether the district's rates are higher than other schools; Kovash said Dickinson's approach is somewhat stricter than some districts that use any paid job to qualify, and he estimated Dickinson is likely somewhat higher than many peers though he did not provide statewide data.

Kovash closed by describing student final assignments and examples of student placements and outcomes, including students completing multiple experiences and students who continued from fall to spring at the same placement.

The board took no formal action on the update; the presentation was informational.