Members of the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) recently visited the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) (www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/index.html) to learn more about the 16 career clusters and programs of study in order to align their programs with the cluster standards. Since 1990, the Ford Motor Company has actively encouraged high school students to build successful careers in business, engineering, and technology by pursuing higher education goals. As part of that effort, Ford partnered with the Education Development Center (EDC) to develop Ford PAS, an academically rigorous, standards-based program that introduces students to the concepts and skills necessary for future success in postsecondary education and/or in meeting workplace expectations as adults, the same goals as those in the career clusters and programs of study.
Patty Cantu, Michigan’s State CTE Director, highly recommends the program, stating that, "Ford PAS is an excellent example of educational materials that are developed through strong partnerships between K-12, postsecondary institutions and business/industry. The curriculum provides an opportunity for students to apply rigorous academics through problem solving and critical thinking skills that are crucial in today’s workplace. The program supports our efforts in CTE to prepare high school students for both postsecondary education and the workplace.” Ms. Cantu cited the program at the Livonia Career Tech Center in Livonia, Michigan, as an effective model that offers high school CTE programs and partners with Holmes Middle School and the University of Michigan-Dearborn. In addition, there are about 113 other Ford PAS sites throughout Michigan and programs are currently being used in 23 states, reaching approximately 15,000 students. The state of Ohio uses the Ford PAS curriculum as the core of its manufacturing career and technical programs.
New Ford PAS modules will be available in fall 2008. If you are interested in piloting one or two science modules, contact Rebecca Lewis at rlewis@edc.org; if you would like to pilot the eight-week financial literacy module in January 2008, contact Anne Shure at ashure@edc.org.
For more information on Ford PAS courses, modules, and resources, visit their website at www.fordpas.org.
From "Up-to-Date with DATE: Important News and Information", August 2007, distributed by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education's Division of Academic and Technical Education (DATE).