San Mateo County Grand Jury
• 2022-2023
Issue How have San Mateo County public high schools partnered with businesses in the education of
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 10 findings
F1
Students benefit greatly from personal exposure to specialized work environments and gain experience from trained professionals in project-based instruction.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
By February 1, 2024, the SMCOE should prepare a plan, by which it supports and facilitates on an annual basis, initial contacts and meetings between school administrators and business leaders to explore potential partnerships, including financial support, curriculum development, internships, professional mentors, and on-site exposure to work environments.
F2
Businesses can provide schools with much-needed resources, from state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to curriculum development and instructor support.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
By February 1, 2024, the SMCOE and the school districts should consider proposing to the State’s Department of Education a review of required credentials for CTE instructors to find ways to streamline, accelerate, and broaden approvals, thereby increasing the number of qualified CTE instructors.
F3
San Mateo County’s schools vary substantially in their CTE and work-centered offerings based on individual school district’s available revenue, availability of qualified instructors, appropriate facilities, and connections to local businesses.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
By February 1, 2024, the SMCOE should consider sponsoring regular conferences to review and discuss ongoing and planned future school-business partnerships in the County with decision-makers among business leaders, school and CTE administrators, and community/government leaders.
F4
The availability of qualified CTE teachers which limits the choice of CTE pathways is a critical problem because of low pay compared to industry salaries and credentialing hurdles. This problem will become more acute as school districts try to respond to students and businesses demand for more CTE pathways.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
By March 1, 2024, SMCOE and school districts should investigate providing transportation for students to existing CTE facilities within the County without regard to a student’s home school district.
F5
The loss of San Mateo County’s Regional Occupation Center and Program (ROCP) facility reduced the number of CTE offerings, especially among those pathways requiring expensive equipment and facilities, and disproportionately impacts smaller school districts.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
By March 1, 2024, the SMCOE and school districts should investigate the feasibility and appropriateness of re-establishing at least one Regional Occupation Center and Program facility in the County and publicly report the outcome of the investigation.
F6
Many comprehensive schools focus primarily on preparing students for college admissions based on the UC and CSU A-G course requirements, relegating CTE programs to secondary status, and ignoring data that demonstrates CTE offerings provide a vital gateway for vocation and college preparatory education.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
By March 1, 2024, SMCOE and school districts should develop and apply metrics and procedures to evaluate their CTE pathways and, if applicable, business partnership programs’ effectiveness.
F7
For optimum effectiveness school districts’ CTE coordinators must develop relationships with, and access to high-level decision-makers at prospective business partners.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
For optimum effectiveness school districts’ CTE coordinators must develop relationships with, and access to high-level decision-makers at prospective business partners. The District lacks information to fully agree or disagree with this Finding given that it did not conduct the research related to this Report. The District, however, accepts the Grand Jury’s Finding for the purposes of this Response.
F8
SMCOE, school districts, and schools should leverage their relationships with local governments and networks to connect with business decision-makers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
SMCOE, school districts, and schools should leverage their relationships with local governments and networks to connect with business decision-makers. The District agrees with this Finding.
F9
There is a need for a Countywide forum to facilitate regular active discussions among the school administrations, business entities, and SMCOE on creating new school/business partnerships, reviewing the ones in operation, and confirming the actual benefits reported by students, teachers, and businesses.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
There is a need for a Countywide forum to facilitate regular active discussions among the school administrations, business entities, and SMCOE on creating new school/business partnerships, reviewing the ones in operation, and confirming the actual benefits reported by students, teachers, and businesses. The District lacks information to fully agree or disagree with this Finding given that it did not conduct the research related to this Report. The District, however, accepts the Grand Jury’s Finding for the purposes of this Response. 3
F10
Evaluation of students' results from CTE pathway courses and school-business partnerships after graduation is incomplete, inconsistent, and rarely beyond anecdotal among San Mateo County high schools.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10
Evaluation of students’ results from the CTE pathway courses and school-business partnerships after graduation is incomplete, inconsistent, and rarely beyond anecdotal among San Mateo County high schools. The District lacks information to fully agree or disagree with this Finding given that it did not conduct the research related to this Report. The District, however, accepts the Grand Jury’s Finding for the purposes of this Response. Recommendations:
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.