Consultants present high-school pathways and advising plan to Rochester board

Education First consultant Spencer Sherman presented the high-school portion of the Rochester Public Schools strategic-plan recommendations on April 7, emphasizing four district priorities—academic rigor and relevance; navigation supports; engaging offerings; and relationships and belonging.

Sherman urged the district to design college- and career-pathways with sequenced coursework so students may earn industry credentials or college credits while in high school. "Pathways does not mean tracking," he said, explaining the goal is to help students "discover their passions" while preserving flexibility.

Recommendations included strengthening advising so each student has a trusted adult or mentor, improving the eighth-to-ninth-grade transition, adding at least one elective block in ninth and tenth grade to increase engagement, and embedding some graduation requirements thematically into core courses to free scheduling space.

Board members asked practical questions about how many pathways the district should offer, how to integrate PSO (postsecondary options), CTE and dual-enrollment, and how to operationalize employer partnerships for career-connected learning. Sherman acknowledged employer engagement is commonly the hardest component and pointed to models—virtual employer projects, consultant partnerships, and regional collaborations—that could make work-based learning more scalable.

Superintendent Kent Pel said the district will consider the recommendations as it completes the strategic plan and will balance aspiration with budget and operational realities. The high-school recommendations will proceed to district staff for translation into an operational plan and likely return to the board as part of the RPS 2030 strategic-plan package.