Students at Meridian High School now have access to a College and Career Pathway Endorsement in healthcare. The Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act included provisions for high schools to create endorsements that will be part of a students official transcript. According to the act the purpose of the endorsements are for “recognizing and incentivizing student attainment of knowledge and demonstration of skills important for success in both postsecondary education and employment; encouraging career exploration and development to improve students’ decision making for subsequent education and career advancement; promoting greater consistency of college and career pathway program structures within particular sectors; aligning supports from the State, employers, and regional support organizations; and institutionalizing college and career pathways as a key strategy for preparing more Illinois students for postsecondary education success and rewarding career opportunities.”
Meridian High School Counselor, Heather Johnson, has been working on the application through the Illinois State Board of Education for almost a year. The school recently learned that full approval has been granted. Beginning their freshman year, students will participate in various career exploration activities. As they progress through high school, students will have access to a sequence of coursework within the healthcare field that leads licensure as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Currently, there are three MHS students on track to earn the pathway endorsement this year.
MHS is also working toward an additional endorsement in welding. In future years more pathways are possible that could include Agriculture, Arts and Communications, Finance and Business Services, Information Technology, and Manufacturing. Meridian Superintendent, Shane Gordon, commented that “this is a wonderful opportunity for students to earn something tangible that let’s employers know that these students are serious about a potential career path and have the dedication necessary to complete the programming.” More about the CCPE program can be found at isbe.net/pathwayendorsement.