Model of Success: Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)

Fast Facts

• P-TECH graduates can receive an associate in applied science degree along with a high school diploma
• P-TECH is open to all students, with no tests for admission
• Each P-TECH student is paired with an IBM mentor
• A “P-TECH Playbook” was created for easy replication across the country
• The P-TECH model has been replicated in four schools in Chicago; IBM is serving as the lead industry partner for the Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy. Cisco, Motorola and Verizon are participating in the other three schools
• In February 2013, Governor Cuomo announced plans to replicate the P-TECH model in 10 schools, one in each economic region of the state.  IBM will serve as lead industry partner in two of these schools
• President Barack Obama highlighted P-TECH in his 2013 State of the Union address:  "Let’s also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job…At schools like P-Tech in Brooklyn, a collaboration between New York Public Schools, the City University of New York, and IBM, students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree in computers or engineering."

Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH): An Introduction
Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) offers an integrated high school and college curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), while also providing essential workplace skills such as leadership, communication and problem solving. P-TECH’s graduates will receive both their high school diploma and a free associate in applied science degree in Computer Information Systems or Electromechanical Engineering Technology, and are first in line for consideration for IBM entry-level positions.

P-TECH features a grades 9 through 14 model designed specifically to offer STEM education and prepare graduates for college and career. The first P-TECH partnership opened in Brooklyn, New York in September 2011 and was a collaboration between IBM, the New York City Department of Education, The City University of New York (CUNY), and New York City College of Technology (City Tech). In September 2012, under the leadership of Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, the model was replicated in four new schools in Chicago. IBM is serving as the lead industry partner for the Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy.  Cisco, Motorola and Verizon are participating in the other three schools.

On February 26, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and IBM announced a public-private partnership that will prepare thousands of New York students for high-skills jobs of the future in technology, manufacturing, healthcare and finance. Based on P-TECH, 10 innovative schools—one in each of the 10 economic development regions—will participate in this new education model, which incorporates a six year program that combines high school, college and career training. Each student will have the opportunity to graduate with an Associate’s in Applied Science Degree. 

How the Partnership Works
The grades 9 through 14 education model is based on a partnership with a school district, a community college, and a business. The model blurs the line between high school and college and breaks down the traditional four-year structure of high school. It also requires a deep partnership among the three major partners, with each providing their expertise to ensure the success of the model.

Student learning is focused from grade nine on, through a six-year scope and sequence of high school and college coursework to ensure students earn an Associate in Applied Science degree awarded by the school’s college partner. Each student moves through a personalized academic pathway, aligned to college and career requirements, which is closely monitored by his or her teachers and advisors, based on their individual needs and performance. The focus is on mastery, not seat time. In Brooklyn, students are taking college courses as early as grade 10, as they work toward an AAS degree in either Computer Information Systems or Electromechanical Engineering Technology.

Students also participate in an ongoing, sequenced Workplace Learning curriculum informed by current and future industry standards. All students are matched in one-to-one relationships with IBM mentors, participate in project-based learning activities, meet guest speakers, participate in workplace visits and will tackle skills-based, real-world projects through internships and apprenticeships. Minimum requirements for entry-level IT jobs, as provided by IBM and other industry partners, have been mapped to the curriculum and are serving as academic benchmarks and targets.

Replication
The model is not confined to the IT industry, but can be replicated by other STEM fields, such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing or finance. A “P-TECH Playbook” titled  STEM Pathways to College and Careers Schools: A Development Guide, was created by the Center for Children and Technology based on the first year of the school’s development and is available online to help support other partnerships.

Results
School Snapshot:  P-TECH
Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) is located on 150 Albany Avenue in Brooklyn, across the street from Albany Houses, a public housing project.

Leadership and Staff

• Founding Principal: Rashid Ferrod Davis
• 17 teachers, 2 assistant principals, 4 central office staff, 2 full-time liaisons from City Tech and IBM
• Student to staff ratio is about 10:1

Student Profile

• 228 total student population (101 students in grade 10, and 127 students in grade 9)
• 76% boys and 24% girls, with Black and Hispanic males making up more than 60% of the population
• More than 80% of students are on free or reduced lunch and 16% of students have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
• Average attendance to date is 94%
• All 228 students have an IBM mentor, who works with them on structured online projects, focused on workplace learning

Academic Achievements
NYC High School Standards:

• 98% were promoted from grade nine to 10
• After only two semesters, 72% of students passed both English and math Regents with a score of 65 or better, meeting NYC high school graduation requirements. The English Regents is typically given to 11th grade students
• After only three semesters, 80% of the legacy cohort is meeting or exceeding the state standard of scoring proficient on two core NYS Regents exams in English and math

College Readiness (CR) Indicators:

• After only two semesters 48% of students met the CUNY college readiness (CR) indicators by scoring a 75 on the English Language Arts Regents (ELA) or an 80 on a Math Regents exam
• As we enter the fourth semester, 50% of the legacy cohort has met college-ready benchmarks in both English and math, which will allow over 60 of them to enroll in college courses at the New York City College of Technology
• Every student in the legacy cohort took the PSAT during their second year at P-TECH. Although this exam is typically taken in the third year of high school, our legacy class exceeded the 2010-2011 NYC 10th grade mean of 37.7 in critical reading. 25% of students’ mean scores exceeded the national average for 10th grade students. In math, our legacy cohort exceeded the 2011-2012 NYC 10th grade mean of 39.4, and 48% of our students exceeded the national average of 43.1

College Credit Completion:

• Within three semesters, 48 students completed at least one college course at City Tech (EMT 1111- Logic and Problem Solving, CST 1100- Introduction to Computer Systems, SPE 1330- Effective Speaking)
• Currently, 74 students (62 sophomores and 12 freshmen) are enrolled in at least one of eight college courses, including EMT 1111- Logic and Problem Solving, CST 1100- Introduction to Computer Systems, CST 1101- Problem Solving with Computer Programming, and Math 1475- Calculus

School Snapshot:  Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy in Chicago
Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy is located on the southwest side of Chicago.

Leadership and Staff

• Founding Principal: Matsuo Marti
• 14 teachers, 4 student development staff, 3 central office staff, 2 full-time liaisons from IBM and Daley College
• Ratio of students to school staff is approximately 10:1

Student Profile

• 242 Total student population in inaugural class
• Approximately 50% male, 50% female, with more than 90% of population Black and Hispanic
• There is a 1:1 ratio of students to desktop computers, laptops or tablets
• Year to date attendance is 96%
• All 242 students have an IBM mentor, working with them on structured online projects, focused on workplace learning

Academic Achievements

• 98% of students are on track to be promoted from grade 9 to grade 10
• 98% of Goode students are on track to be promoted from grade 9 to 10
• Between the Beginning of the Year (BOY) to the Middle of the Year (MOY) students gained an average of 1.2 points on the freshmen Explore exam (65% of students improving their composite score),  with the yearly goal being +2 points (end of year Explore exam to be administered in April). The Explore exam is a predictive assessment given to students in their freshmen year in order to anticipate their junior year ACT score (see attached link for overview of ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks)
  • 16% of students gained 4 or more points on the Explore from BOY to MOY, exceeding the yearly goal 

Skills for America's Future (SAF) is a non-partisan, employer-led initiative of the Aspen Institute. It is focused on creating a national network of partnerships among employers, community colleges, industry associations and other stakeholders. These partnerships are designed to ensure that American workers receive the necessary training to meet the skill needs of employers, giving them the opporunity to obtain and keep good jobs.

For more information about how your company can partner with community colleges and Skills for America's Future, contact Rene Bryce-Laporte at rene.bryce-laporte@aspeninst.org