Programs of Study: What “Mature” Sites Tell Us
As POS are relatively new, in name if not in practice, research
evidence on their implementation and effectiveness is still in
progress. NRCCTE-affiliated researchers at the National Institute
for Workforce and Learning at FHI 360 are conducting Mature
Programs of Study: A Postsecondary Perspective, a study that
began in 2008 with the goal of examining “mature” POS-like sites
around the country in order to learn about how they were
developed and how they work. Three sites were selected that met
study criteria for maturity, primarily consisting of evidence of
a strong secondary-postsecondary partnership with students moving
from the high school to the local community college in a CTE
program.
Over the last three years, researchers have conducted site visits
to each of the mature POS to interview administrators and faculty
at the high school and college levels, as well as advisory
committee members from the business community. Findings from
these site visits indicate that the mature POS sites had
successfully surmounted various barriers to developing POS over a
timeframe of at least nine years. Common key elements of these
mature POS include: (1) resources (primarily provided by the
college) for staff dedicated to creating and maintaining POS
relationships with high schools; (2) active business and industry
advisory groups; and (3) uniquely tailored and flexible dual
enrollment arrangements. Finally, at each site, high school and
college leaders share a vision of seamless student transitions
that ultimately benefit students, the college and the local
economy. Student survey results are also discussed in the
article.
Alfeld, C., & Bhattacharya, S. (2012). Programs of study: What “mature” sites tell us. Techniques, 87(1), 32-35.