Like SREB’s curriculum and instruction reviews, career pathway reviews include analyses of multiple data sources — including student achievement data, demographic data and workforce data — as well as interviews and focus group discussions with key shareholders, classroom observations and reviews of classroom plans and assessments.

States, districts and schools can use our reviews to complete comprehensive local needs assessments because our review processes, tools and reports align with Perkins V requirements.

During a career pathway review, SREB staff and teams of educators and business and industry partners convene to gather data and analyze findings.

SREB’s career pathway reviews help states, districts or schools understand whether their pathways and CTE programs:

• are aligned with labor market needs
• prepare CTE students for postsecondary programs
• offer challenging, non-duplicative sequences of career pathway courses in secondary, postsecondary and workplace settings
• lead to the attainment of a credential of value by age 25
• feature intellectually demanding, authentic assignments in every course
• develop CTE teachers’ capacity through ongoing professional development

SREB recommends that states, districts or schools follow career pathway reviews with a career pathway leadership workshop or site development workshop. SREB can also work with states and districts to use review results to develop career pathways that create pipelines to high-skill, high-wage jobs in high-demand fields. That process might begin with Advanced Career, our career pathway curricula that lead to high-tech careers, or target other high-demand fields in the state or region.