In order to develop a strong pathway from middle school to a career, we funded the investigation and development of a unique partnership that involves two large middle schools in Queens (MS 216 and MS 217), a career technical high school (Thomas A. Edison), and a non-profit private college (Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology) which offers both two- and four-year degrees.
In a study conducted by leading economists and based on millions of anonymous tax records, Vaughn College had one of the highest rates of mobility for its students, which measures the share of children who come from the bottom fifth quintile of family income and move to the top fifth as adults. Well over 90% of Vaughn graduates find gainful employment in careers with substantial salary and career advancement tracks upon graduation. Vaughn also has the capacity to serve more students than it currently does.
With our planning grant, Vaughn and Thomas Edison will work closely to share curriculum, provide opportunities for co-teaching of college-level courses in high school, and collaborate in providing hands-on experiences normally offered in college. The hope is that Vaughn and Thomas Edison will enter into a formal agreement that sets objective standards for granting one year of college credit to those Thomas Edison students who meet the requirements.