The Academy of Global Studies (AGS), formerly the Wilson International Studies Program, will soon evolve to become a DC Career Technical Education (CTE) program, the Academy of Global Service and Diplomacy. This change will expand the academy’s access to new funding and opportunities and shift its course sequence to align with the National Academy Foundation (NAF) framework. New core courses like National Security will be added, likely as optional additions for students with more area-specific interests.
DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) CTE standards are how federal funds are distributed for career education. Of Jackson-Reed’s 10 academies, eight fall under the CTE umbrella and all eight of those but JROTC are NAF aligned. It has been a schoolwide goal to increase the number of CTE academies to ensure that as many students in as many areas of study as possible have access to the resources that CTE programs provide. “Career Technical Education as a whole is something that I’ve named as an overall focus,” said Principal Sah Brown.
More funding will allow the AGS, like other academies, to go on more field trips, host events, and partner with employers for internship programs.
Once under the CTE program, an academy can apply to be considered a NAF academy. NAF, the non-profit organization that provides the model for the academies, can be paid for with the federally-provided CTE funds and allow the AGS to access things like course curriculum.
AGS is currently going through the steps necessary to become a CTE academy, starting with the CTE application for OSSE before it can become an official NAF academy. “There are still some things that we’re working through in terms of program structure and design,” said Brown. He explained how academy director Tammy Lorenzo is working with teachers to complete the OSSE application process.
Although the academy can expect changes, like four sequential courses taken throughout four years in the academy like other CTE academies, Brown is thrilled to see the change. Brown hopes the expansion of CTE will “help build community and help [JR students] be prepared for life after high school.”
Student leadership for the academy has been active during the transition. AGS president and senior Max Washington clarified that the academy’s student leaders have been involved in “making sure every member of the Global Studies Academy understands how NAF works,” and that they will “continue giving input about how we want to implement that NAF program.”
Washington continued that he believes “a more structured course structure [from NAF] will make sure academy kids know exactly what their next steps are, but I will be sad to lose some of that flexibility with the courses.” The way the academy is structured now allows for students to choose one of five pathways and enroll in a variety of courses, like AP Human Geography, AP Comparative Government, and various area studies classes to fulfill those requirements. Lorenzo clarified that “while we will adopt the CTE course sequence, we will probably keep the pathways as a school requirement so students can still specialize.”
Although timing depends on numerous factors, students and faculty can expect to see these changes take place over the next year or two, with current academy students continuing to progress through the original system, and new students working with the new academy requirements.
