What’s the Difference?
Relationships
- Academies offer the smaller, personalized environment of small schools
- Academies offer applied learning opportunities of themed magnet schools
- Academies are part of the open enrollment/choice schools process, so they are open to all students, regardless of their attendance boundaries
- Academies partner with business to solve real-world problems for authentic learning
- Academies focus on 21st Century Skills students need for success in college and life
- Academies provide a culture of teamwork, critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity
- Academies give students a choice among many different themes
- Academies provide rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum
- Academies prepare students for college and career
Rigor
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Graduation requirements are aligned with college entrance requirements
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Opportunities for Advanced Placement
- Opportunities for college credit
- Challenging Career Education courses
Relevance
- Students connect their learning to the real-world
- Students develop a capstone project in their field of interest, which can include a student internship, work-based learning, service learning or a research project
- Students earn a specialized high school diploma, and engage in extensive volunteer work and work-based learning opportunities that relate to their course of study
- Students gain advantages in high school, college and careers because of the strong academic foundation and transferable skills