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2023-24 Career Readiness Community of Practice

Module #11:

Access to ACP Software Tool

Academic & Career Planning and Education for Employment

Wisconsin Legislative Statute PI26

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Let’s Take a Few Minutes to Share Out . . .

  • What Xello feature do you think is the MOST valuable for students?

  • What Xello feature do you think is the MOST valuable for educators?

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Learning Objectives

Learning objectives of this training session include:

  • Reflect on how your district provides access to an Academic & Career Planning software tool that allows all students to engage in career exploration, planning and preparation

  • Consider ways to further engage students and families in the ACP process by use of the career planning software tool

Refer to the Module #11 Session Guide for Districts

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Academic & Career Planning – PI26

Recap of the WHY behind Wisconsin Academic & Career Planning (Legislative Statute PI26):

“The purpose of ACP services is to assist pupils with planning and preparing for opportunities after graduating from high school.

These opportunities may include postsecondary education and training that leads to careers.”

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Academic & Career Planning – PI26

Recap of the ADDITIONAL requirements of ACP embedded into the Education for Employment (E4E) statute that spans elementary, middle and high school grade levels. School districts must:

  • Prepare elementary and secondary pupils for future employment.
  • Ensure technological literacy; to promote lifelong learning.
  • Promote good citizenship.
  • Promote cooperation among business, industry, labor, postsecondary schools, and public education.

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Academic & Career Planning – PI26

Engage with

Area Employers

Engage with

Families

Encourage Input from

Students

Recap of who needs to be at involved in the Academic & Career Planning process to best serve students in your school district. Best practice is to bring the following groups to the table, along with members of your school district career readiness team . . . and Why?

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Access to ACP Software Tool

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WI Youth Voice in Career Readiness Project

What findings from the Youth Voice in Career Readiness project relate to Access to ACP Software Tool?

  • Students are more engaged in their learning when they have more choice and voice. (Finding #6)

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Findings Related to Xello

For the most part, students like using Xello.

Students like how easy it is to find careers they are interested in and learn more about those careers through Xello. They also like that it helps them learn more about themselves, research colleges, and track volunteer hours.

Students will follow your lead.

Many students reported that if the teacher or advisor does not show interest in or engage with Xello, they are much more likely to dismiss it.

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Findings Related to Xello

Do not rely on career assessments alone.

Students have mixed feelings about career-related assessments. Some students reported really enjoying the Career Matchmaker. However, others did not feel that the results were accurate. It is important to help students understand their career assessment results and find additional ways to help them understand how their interests connect to careers.

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Findings Related to Xello

Students want more freedom to explore Xello on their own.

Students want more choice and voice when it comes to how they use Xello. Many prefer self-guided exploration with the teacher or advisor acting as a coach instead of one-size-fits-all assigned lessons.

Students need more than Xello.

Although it is a valuable tool, there are diminishing returns if schools use Xello too much. Do not make Xello your entire Academic and Career Planning (ACP) process. Rather, use it as a tool that supports the process.

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Encouraging Students to Provide Input is Key

Quote from Participants of the Student Voice Project

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Encouraging Students to Provide Input is Key

Quote from Participants of the Student Voice Project

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Xello Recommendations to Districts

Evaluate current career readiness activities to provide more student choice and voice in career readiness activities (including Xello).Use Xello as a tool to support your ACP process. But ensure that your scope and sequence of activities includes more than Xello. (See “Wisconsin’s Guide to Implementing Career-Based Learning Experiences” for suggestions on other activities to include.)

Question:

What are ways your district Career Readiness team could use the student feedback on Xello as a career exploration tool to improve the ACP process in your district?

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Top Career Readiness Resources in WI

Xello Resources for Wisconsin Educators - Xello's future readiness model is aligned with Wisconsin's Academic and Career Planning (ACP). These resources show you how to use Xello to ensure your students are on track and you have what you need to be successful.

Software tools and curriculum can help guide the ACP process.

They cannot replace the learning that takes place when students talk about their academic and career plans with adults and peers.

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #1 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Get the Word Out

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #1 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Get the Word Out

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Bringing Xello to Life

Question:

Does your district use the Xello resources (parent/guardian letter or posters) to help Get the Word Out?

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #2 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Finding the Time

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #3 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Building a Team

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #4 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Making Readiness Relevant

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #4 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Making Readiness Relevant

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Bringing Xello to Life

Step #5 for Bringing Xello to Life:

Supporting Xello in Your Schools

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Top Career Readiness Resources in WI

Wisconsin ACP Lessons - This resource offers ready-to-use, student-friendly Academic & Career Planning resources/tutorials and assignments for grades 6-9 that you can copy, edit if desired, and upload either in Google Classroom or as an assignment in Xello.

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Top Career Readiness Resources in WI

Reminder: Check out the ACP lessons for Middle/High School utilizing Xello

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Career Readiness Tool: Xello

Xello assists students with exploration and development of their own personal career pathway as a part of the Academic and Career Planning process.

These tools provide data such as:

  • Xello Lesson and/or assignment completion
  • Saved careers, colleges, majors, companies
  • Work and volunteer experiences
  • Saved ACP plans

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Career Readiness Tool: Xello

Questions (related to Xello tools):

  • Are students in your district using Xello to complete career exploration lessons and/or assignments?

  • Are students in your district using Xello to save careers, colleges, majors and companies

  • Are students using Xello to capture work and volunteer experiences?

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Share Ideas & Celebrate Successes

  • Share ways in which the required component reviewed in this training session is being implemented in your district
  • Help brainstorm together additional ways to expand implementation of this component in districts
  • Consider sharing resources with additional staff members in your district
  • Remember to CELEBRATE the implementation successes in your district

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District Work Time

Consider working in teams to on the following:

  • Complete the follow-up questions on the module session guide for districts

  • Review your current district ACP/E4E Plan to determine ways to improve and/or add aspects of this component to your current plan

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Follow-Up Questions from Session

  1. What are ways your district Career Readiness team could use the student feedback on Xello as a career exploration tool to improve ACP the process in your district?

  • Does your district use the Xello resources (parent/guardian letter or posters) to help get the word out about Xello as a career exploration resource for students?

  • Are students in your district using Xello to complete career exploration lessons and/or assignments?

  • Are students in your district using Xello to save careers, colleges, majors and companies

  • Are students using Xello to capture work and volunteer experiences?

  • What will be the next steps your district/team will take on this topic?

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Group Sharing and Q & A

Please share out with the group:

  • Next steps our district will take to on this required component
  • Questions, comments or concerns

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Consider Staying Connected Via Listserv

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Helpful Resources