Integrating Industry-Recognized Credentials and WorkKeys in High School Curriculum
High schools provide a variety of opportunities for students to learn knowledge and skills to ensure college and career readiness upon graduation. Industry-recognized credentials can be utilized as a component of a student's high school graduation requirements.
Some students may choose to use an industry-recognized credential and a score on WorkKeys, an industry-recognized, application-based assessment used to measure work readiness, to earn a high school diploma. Students adopting this option must earn one credential or a combination of credentials in a single career field totaling 12 points and a WorkKeys score of 14.
Not all industries use credentials as validation of knowledge and skills. Schools should not require or expect students whose interests lie in those fields to work toward credentials that will not offer them value in their future careers.
High schools may offer credentials in three ways – through the high school curriculum, a career-technical education program or a Senior Only program.
Offering industry-recognized credentials and WorkKeys through high school curriculum
Schools and districts can offer industry-recognized credentials to any student in grades 7-12 as a local curriculum decision.
High schools can offer coursework to prepare students for industry-approved credentials in the following ways:
- An elective course, such as Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certificate training;
- A series of elective courses, such as Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint and Excel;
- Inclusion in existing coursework, such as CPR certification in a health course;
- College Credit Plus courses; and
- A credit flexibility plan.
Instructors can be current teaching staff and those who are hired on a 12-hour teaching permit.
Last Modified: 8/10/2020 9:56:11 AM