By Jeff Simmons
Idaho Digital Learning has worked hard to create college and career pathways for students by leveraging new and existing partnerships with colleges, universities, and career-technical programs. Middle school and high school courses focused on college and career readiness are also offered to students throughout the state to help them identify and prepare for the next step of their journey.
Preparation for college and career begins at an early age! Idaho Digital Learning currently provides courses such as Keyboarding, Pathways to Success, and Intro to STEM Careers to Middle School students. The focus of these courses is to help equip students with tools and skills they will need to be successful along their academic journey, as well as along their journey toward college or career. Over the past school year, Idaho Digital Learning has also partnered with one school district to begin offering this content to Elementary students. We are excited about the possibility of being able to extend this content into the Elementary grade level in years to come! High School students need preparation and guidance for college and career, as well. High School students enrolled through Idaho Digital Learning will find age appropriate versions of Keyboarding and Pathways to Success. Students in need of college and career focused content should also be encouraged to look into opportunities such as Dual Credit High School to College Transitions, Dual Credit Career and Life Planning, and Dual Credit Digital Literacy and Research Skills.
Students looking to get a head start on their post-secondary degree can take advantage of the iPath program. This program allows students to complete a scope and sequence of courses targeted to a specific college or university program of study. The goal of this program is to provide students course offerings that are intentionally aligned to a program of study, that their courses will transfer cleanly to the post-secondary level, and that they may make a smooth transition into that program after high school. Highly motivated students will find General Education Matriculation (GEM) courses that would provide them the opportunity to earn up to an Associate’s Degree by the end of their high school career.
Idaho Digital Learning is also proud to partner with Idaho Career-Technical Education to provide CTE Digital. The goal of CTE Digital is to provide all students equity of access to CTE programs. Web Development and Networking are two pathways currently available to students. We are continuing to build out program opportunities in other areas, as well, such as Business and Health.
We also realize that all educators need to be equipped with the tools, skills, and knowledge to help students along their journey to successfully reach college and career opportunities. Idaho Digital Learning is the proud state affiliate for the Collaborative Counselor Training Initiative (CCTI) courses. This content is targeted to any educator looking to better support student college and career readiness within their district, school, or classroom. These are just some of the ways Idaho Digital Learning has been working to provide equity of access to college and career readiness to all students throughout the great state of Idaho. We are proud to partner with our public schools to provide these opportunities!
