NGLCs use 12 Best Practices as benchmarks to ensure that they are employing all the components necessary for effective change. On the basis of their progress toward meeting the 12 Best Practices, NGLCs are designated as having reached one of two levels of achievement—the Prospective Level and the Leadership Level. Leadership NGLCs are well on their way toward developing a workforce fully prepared to meet the demands of the 21st-century economy.

Click on the list below to learn more about each Best Practice.

To learn how to become an NGLC, download the following document: Ford PAS NGLC Designation Process 3-10-09

To learn more about the 12 Best Practices in general, download the following two documents.

Ford PAS Next Generation Learning Community Fact Sheet January 2009.doc

NGLC 12 Point Master Plan Assessment.pdf

Download NGLC 12-Point Master Plan Assessment in Microsoft Word.doc

1) Senior-Level Business/Civic/Education Partnership is Established to Use These 12 Best Practices to Develop a Community Career Academy Master Plan »

Related Resources
Creating a Master Plan
Developing a Community Master Plan - Mike Brunelle
Making the Economic Case for Career Academies at the Community Level: Two Strategies - Richard K. Delano - Social Marketing Services LLC, Ford Fund CAIC Advisory Council
Greater Pensacola Career Academy Matrix
Pensacola_Master_Plan_December_2008.pdf
   •   Tab 1 — "Success Indicator Planning Instrument"
   •   Tab 2 — "Embracing a New Economy” Economic Development Study from Pensacola Chamber"
   •   Tab 3 — "Santa Rosa County Economic Development Marketing and Brand Development Plan"
   •   Tab 4 — "Ford NGLC Academy Inventory"
   •   Tab 5 — "Academy Assessment-Evaluation Plan"
   •   Tab 6 — "Network Support"
Greater Jacksonville's Master Plan
Outlining the financial benefits and positive outcomes of career academies

2) Regional Economic and Workforce Projections are Used to Prioritize Career Academy Selection Within the Master Plan and Employer–Educator Councils are Formed to Match Employee Demand with Education Supply»

Related Resources
The Healthcare Industry Council
Partnership Council's Mission Statement Objectives
MNPS Academy One-pager - August 2009
Making the Financial Case for Career Academies: A Utility’s Business Case - Jennifer Grove
MNPS Engineering, Manufacturing & Industrial Technology Partnership Council Meeting - April 15, 2009
MNPS Engineering, Manufacturing & Industrial Technology Partnership Council Minutes - April 15, 2009
MNPS Career Academy Partnership Council Member Description

3) Community Seeks Out or Develops Academically Rigorous Advanced Career/Technical Education Offerings and Programs of Study Following Guidelines Set Forth in Perkins IV (Federal Funding for CTE) »

Related Resources
eSchoolNews—Project-based learning engages students, garners results
Trends in Contextual Learning and Project-Based Curriculum - Sandy Mittelstaedt, Eliza Fabillar, Donna Gilley
Developing Academically Rigorous Advanced CTE Curricula and Programs of Study - Ilene Kantrov - Educational Development Center

Perkins and Ford PAS—Meeder Consulting Final - Hans Meeder - President, Meeder Consulting Group

4) Community Employs Career Cluster Entrepreneurs to Rally and Align Business Support »

Related Resources
Brunelle Entrepreneur - Mike Brunelle - Scramento City Unified School District
Sacramento career academy entrapreneurs.pages.pdf

5) Career Academy Evaluations Support Continuous Improvement »

Related Resources
Career Academy National Standards of Practice
Focus Advanced Technology Academy, Dearborn, Michigan

6) District Centralizes All Programs Likely to Involve Business (Magnet, Choice, Small Learning Community, Career Academy, and Career/Technical Education Operations) under One Leader/Department »

7) Perkins, Small Learning Community, and Grant Funding Are Channeled to Launch New Career Academies »

8) Community Looks to Identify and Collaborate with a Growing List of State and National Career Academy Supporters »

9) Community Develops a Career Academy Marketing Plan to Build Awareness and Support Among Parents, Students, Business, and within the Education Community and Gathers Data to Support This Plan »

Related Resources
Career Education and Career Academies
Jacksonville Career Academy Parent Survey
Jacksonville Career Academy Newsletters
   Issue 1
   Issue 2
   Issue 3
   Issue 4

10) Business Leaders Representing Each Prioritized Career Cluster Constitute an Ongoing Business Advisory Board to Align Business Support for Academies »

Related Resources
Northwest Florida NGLC Senior Advisory Retreat - June 2009

11) Successful Communities Understand, Defend, and Fund Career Academy Essentials »

Related Resources
Career Academy National Standards of Practice

12) Articulation Plans Cement Postsecondary Partnerships »

Related Resources
Articulating to Postsecondary Education - Dr. Kay Andrews and Barry Hawthorne