The Arkansas Career Coach Program, an evolution of the former Arkansas Works initiative, stands as a testament to the transformative power of dedicated college and career guidance within middle and high schools. Originating as a pilot project in 2010, targeting underserved communities, this program has garnered significant legislative support and expanded its reach to empower tens of thousands of students across Arkansas. By delivering comprehensive career advisement and crucial transition support from middle school through the senior year of high school, the Career Coach program has demonstrably enhanced college enrollment rates, boosted financial aid application submissions, and paved clearer pathways to future success for Arkansas students.
Established by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet in 2010, the Arkansas Career Coach Program was strategically designed to provide essential advisement and support to students within school districts facing economic challenges. In 2016, the program officially rebranded from “Arkansas Works” to “Arkansas Career Coaches,” a name change that underscored the pivotal role these coaches play in student development. The program’s success is built upon five core components, each contributing to a holistic approach to student achievement:
- College and Career Coaches: These professionals are the backbone of the program, offering personalized career counseling, financial aid guidance, and comprehensive college and career support to students in grades 7-12.
- The Arkansas Works College and Career Planning System: This valuable online platform empowers students to proactively assess their career interests, explore diverse career paths, and discover relevant resources and opportunities.
- ACT Academies: These intensive summer programs are designed to mitigate the need for remedial coursework and improve ACT scores for graduating high school students, ensuring they are better prepared for college-level academics.
- Career Cluster® Camps: Offering hands-on career exploration, these camps provide middle and high school students with immersive experiences in various career fields, broadening their understanding of potential future paths.
- Arkansas College Application Campaign: This statewide initiative encourages high school seniors to actively apply to college during their senior year, making the college application process more accessible and less daunting.
Through the Career Coach Program, dedicated coaches provide vital support to students from 7th through 12th grade, guiding them as they navigate the critical process of planning and preparing for their futures beyond high school. Strategically positioned at partnering institutions of higher education, educational service cooperatives, or non-profit organizations, each coach is responsible for delivering tailored services and support to students within their assigned region. These essential supports include:
- Assisting students in the development and continuous refinement of their individualized college and career plans, ensuring these plans are dynamic and responsive to evolving goals and opportunities.
- Empowering parents with the knowledge and understanding necessary to effectively support their children through the complex college and career planning journey.
- Providing comprehensive information about Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways, equipping students with insights into how to acquire the specialized education and skills needed for success in various in-demand careers.
- Delivering crucial financial aid information and support to high school students as they prepare for postsecondary education, demystifying the financial aspects of higher education and making it more attainable.
Each host site within the Arkansas Career Coach Program accommodates a team of one to five coaches, who collectively serve students across neighboring school districts. While most sites focus on supporting one or two districts to ensure focused attention, some, like Arkansas Northeastern College, extend their reach to serve as many as eight districts, maximizing program impact across a wider geographic area.
The Arkansas Career Coach Program’s robust operation is sustained through a diversified funding model, drawing from a combination of state and federal resources, alongside philanthropic contributions. Key funding streams include state allocations of federal funds, such as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), College Challenge Access, and the Workforce Opportunity & Innovation Act (WIOA). Additionally, school districts contribute federal dollars, leveraging resources like the National School Lunch Act and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The program also benefits from generous philanthropic support, further solidifying its financial stability and reach.
The Arkansas legislature formally solidified its commitment to the Career Coach program in 2013 with the passage of Act 1285, officially codifying the program into state law. This landmark legislation clearly defined the responsibilities of the coaches and the administering agency, and established crucial metrics for program evaluation. These performance metrics encompass key indicators of student success, including high school graduation rates, completion rates of the Smart Core curriculum (Arkansas’s college and career readiness curriculum), college attendance rates, rates of student remediation in college, and the volume of financial aid applications submitted.
Further expanding the scope and accessibility of the program, the Arkansas legislature passed Act 960 in 2015. This act eliminated previous eligibility restrictions, paving the way for the program to be scaled up and offered to all middle and high schools throughout the state, ensuring equitable access to career coaching services for all Arkansas students.
Policy in Action: Real-World Impact
Since its inception in 2010, the Arkansas Career Coach Program has consistently demonstrated tangible positive outcomes for participating students and school districts. Initially accessible to students in only 21 of Arkansas’s most economically challenged counties, the program expanded to 28 counties following the passage of Act 1285 in 2013. Today, reflecting its proven value and statewide demand, the program is available to any school district across Arkansas that expresses interest in participation, showcasing its commitment to serving all students.
Performance data from 2015 provides compelling evidence of the program’s effectiveness. Out of 37,546 students enrolled in school districts participating in the Career Coach program, a significant 72 percent (totaling 27,139 students) directly benefited from the services provided by Career Coaches. Impressively, these participating school districts collectively met or exceeded all program performance goals set between 2009 and 2015. Specifically, data revealed a remarkable 22 percentage point increase in the college-going rate within these districts, and a substantial 32 percentage point surge in student applications for financial aid, highlighting the program’s success in fostering both college access and affordability.
Building upon its commitment to comprehensive career preparation, the Arkansas Career Coach Program integrated career-focused performance metrics starting in the 2016-17 school year. These metrics, including industry-recognized credential attainment and participation in work-based learning experiences, further emphasize career planning and readiness as integral components of student success, ensuring students are well-prepared for both college and career pathways.
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Last Updated January 2021
