Purpose

Help students to develop broad career awareness and sector-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities; validate potential career interests before making heavy investments; prepare in applied settings with more context that is relevant for the future; and launch their careers with a valuable postsecondary credential.

Definition

  • A two-four year, 4-8 credit course sequence of career-connected instruction, starting with universal career exploration for all freshmen by completing a Career Foundations course (FRNYC schools) or Career Explorations course (FRNYC-CRMYA hybrid schools)  and progressing into pathway specific instruction for FRNYC identified students, designed to provide a foundational understanding of each career pathway / occupational title. 
  • The course sequence for each school will be aligned to a career pathway / occupational title and adhere to NYCPS approved standards (provided by the Office of Student Pathways) 

Minimum experiences FRNYC schools must provide to all freshmen and then to FRNYC-identified students

All FRNYC schools implement Career Foundations/Exploration for ALL 9th grade students. This is followed by FRNYC student identification and the delivery of a sequence of four-eight career-connected 1-2 credit (54 hour to 108 hour) courses that are intended to be taught sequentially throughout FRNYC students' high school experience.  The exact sequence and credit load will depend on the occupational title that your school is implementing. Together, these courses are intended to engage and prepare students for in-demand, living-wage careers and continued postsecondary education and training. By the end of the course sequence, in conjunction with other experiences in the five FRNYC components, students may prepare to earn credentials of value aligned to their pathway / occupational title (credentials of value are dependent on the specific pathway; currently, not all pathways culminate in a credential of value)  Additional information about credentials of value can be seen in the ECC section of this playbook.

Schools will offer broad career exploration coursework to 9th grade students in the Career Foundations/Exploration course to pique their interest in FRNYC prior to enrolling them in pathway-specific coursework. Schools with existing career exploration coursework should consult with their FRNYC Pathway Director to ensure it meets FRNYC standards; schools with existing coursework here will be asked to utilize the FutureReadyNYCCurriculum Criteria Rubric to ensure that the coursework aligns to the expectations of this coursework.. Schools without existing career exploration coursework will be asked to pilot a one-credit centrally designed curriculum called “Career Foundations.” FRNYC schools also implementing Career Readiness and Modern Youth Apprenticeships (CRMYA) may implement CRMYA’s Career Exploration Course, in lieu of the Career Foundations course, for all freshmen students.  For these schools, the CRMYA Career Exploration course can be used for either elective or ELA Core credit.

You can find the full course sequences and credentials for each pathway here.

  • Adaptations to FRNYC course sequences may be approved based on alternative school models (e.g., Transfer, District 75, International, 9-14) in consultation with the central FRNYC team.  Additional guidance for alternative school models will be updated in this playbook by Summer Institute.
  • Some course sequences have a higher credit load and depending on the school’s program model, students may need to begin coursework in 9th grade. Schools should work closely with their FRNYC coach and the Office of Student Pathways to plan out their course sequence for FRNYC for their students based on their pathway.

The table below represents a highly suggested grade-specific distribution of FRNYC courses. That said, FRNYC courses may be taught throughout the high school FRNYC experience provided that they are taught in the intended sequence. Adaptations based on specific occupational titles, student populations served, type of schools (transfers, district 75, Internations) may be considered in consultation with the FRNYC team

    • Grade i

    • Experience

    • Grade 9
      • For FRNYC schools:

        • Option 1: (1) One universal career exploration coursework for all 9th graders. Most schools will use the Career Foundations curriculum. Schools without existing career exploration coursework are required to implement a pilot one-credit centrally designed curriculum called “Career Foundations.”. AND (2) One introductory pathway-aligned course to build interest and practical job skills (see “Course 1” for your relevant occupation title in the FRNYC Standards & Course Sequence document).
        • Option 2 (For schools implementing credit-heavy pathways, such as Technology and Healthcare): Universal career exploration coursework is embedded into one introductory pathway-aligned course to build interest and practical job skills.
        • Note: All 9th graders in the school must still receive career exploration coursework, even if they are not in the introductory pathway-aligned course.  Schools can choose to embed that coursework for those additional students in other courses or offer a standalone course offering.  Schools with NYSED-approved CTE pathways that begin in 9th grade can count the mandated Career and Financial Management (CFM) as the career exploration requirement for those specific 9th graders.
      • For CRMYA & FRNYC schools only:
        • CRMYA Career Exploration: This may be offered as an elective or ELA core credit.
    • Grade 10
      • At least one introductory pathway-aligned course to build interest and practical job skills. Examples include:

        • Tech: Introduction to Computational Media Javascript
        • Business: Introduction to Business & Marketing
        • Education: Child Development and Learning
        • Healthcare: Foundations of Health Core Part 2
      • For CRMYA & FRNYC schools only:
        • CRMYA Career Development course—CTE schools can use this to satisfy their CFM and FRNYC Financial Literacy requirement
        • CRMYA Pathway Matching course (selected students based on pathway)
    • Grade 11
      • At least one upper-level pathway-aligned course
        • CRMYA schools can offer Work-Based Learning seminar course as a way to credit apprenticeship experiences.  This course meets once a week and is open only to students working in apprenticeships.  There is a school-based or Virtual Learning Classroom option.  It is a 14 hour course and students will earn 1 elective credit which an be offered in the 11th or 12th grade.  
          • CRMYA Pathway Matching course (selected students based on pathway)
    • Grade 12
      • At least one upper-level pathway-aligned course

Detailed implementation guidance

To prepare to teach CCI courses, schools must complete the following milestones:

    • Key Milestones

    • Action Items and Guidance

    • Hire or assign teachers to teach courses in SY24-25
      • Schools have discretion to hire new teachers, leverage existing teaching staff, or a combination of both
      • Consult the FRNYC pathway teacher licensing resource as you staff your program
      • Cohort 3 schools in first-year implementation will be required to offer CCI courses to 9th and 10th grade students, while schools in full implementation (Cohort 1 and 2) will be required to offer the full CCI course sequence to 9th-12th grade students. In both cases, pathway specific career connected instruction begins only after delivering universal career foundations/exploration
      • Make certain that your school has assigned enough teachers to teach the universal career foundations/explorations course and the pathway specific CCI courses per your school’s FRNYC sections, while aligning to UFT teaching program regulations
      • Refer to the budget section for guidance on how to use your SAM allocation to fund teacher hiring
    • Program students into CCI courses (see Scheduling Programming section for more details)
      • Incorporate FRNYC coursework into your school’s master scheduling process before the start of SY24-25
      • Starting in June 2024, FRNYC students must be programmed into CCI courses consistent with your school’s implementation model and pathway.
    • Train teachers to teach SY24-25 courses
      • Training on CCI course standards and associated curricula overview will be provided during the FRNYC Summer Institute and supported through various PL offerings throughout the school year
    • Embed NYCPS-approved Industry Standards and FRNYC curricula into school-based PL structures
      • FRNYC teachers should turn-key knowledge obtained through Summer Institute, school year PL, and through experiential learning with non-FRNYC teachers
      • Establish multi-disciplinary projects and efforts to align coursework and standards between FRNYC and academic non-FRNYC courses
    • Create support materials and daily lesson plans (if applicable)
      • Schools should expect further guidance / PL from Central during the summer
    • Teach courses to students
      • Teachers to teach courses to students starting Fall 2023
    • [FOR TEACHERS] Continuously participate in PL for CCI courses
      • Teachers should continuously participate in PL to co-develop and enhance curricular supports in partnership with the Office of Student Pathways. See SY24-25 PL Catalog

Additional recommended resources

Please review the NYCPS approved course sequences and standards for your pathway here. 

For further support with curriculum please reach out to Pathways Instructional Coaches (PICs)

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Table represents a highly suggested grade-specific distribution of FRNYC courses. That said, FRNYC courses may be taught throughout the high school FRNYC experience provided that they are taught in the intended sequence.