Direct from Washington, March 2009

Call to Expand Career Academies

Among the many recommendations for education policy and programs received by the Obama Administration is one from the reputable MDRC research organization—expand career academies.

MDRC followed strict research criteria in its long-term study of career academies and is promoting this high school reform as a major successful intervention for low-income students, especially black males. Its research found that the earnings boost from graduating from a high school career academy was equivalent to what two years of college would provide. Half of the students in the career academies earned a postsecondary degree or credential, showing that the career academies did not inhibit postsecondary attendance.

To go to scale with career academies, federal resources should provide expanded technical assistance to local career academy programs and increase counseling and other services that would increase the enrollment of low-income, minority students in the career academies.