About
DELAWARE PATHWAYS Middle Grades
The Goal
Through youth-centered career exploration, every student should exit grade eight having found success in equity-centered career and technical education, academic, and social- emotional programming that cultivates student identity and inspires a path to postsecondary success.
The Vision for Delaware
The vision for middle grades is strong, equity-focused and well-rounded middle grades CTE programming that
Is open and available for all students to explore, grow, and learn before making critical decisions about high school and postsecondary plans
Eradicates the readiness gaps caused by an unequal playing field and inconsistent expectations of youth as they move through middle grades and transition into high school
Connects with elementary school and high school to create a continuum of educational experiences that prepare students for college, career, and life
Ensures all students arrive at high school with a healthy and positive image of themselves and a meaningful connection to their community, school, and their future identity
Equips all students with the academic, self-efficacy and social-emotional growth mindsets needed to succeed in rigorous high school coursework and early postsecondary experiences
Why Middle Grades
Middle grades (grades 5 through 8) are a time for students to explore their interests and develop a positive and healthy self-image as it relates to their school, community, and potential occupations.
For high school to be a launching place for young people to accomplish their postsecondary goals (whether it is to attend college, enter the workforce, etc.), middle grades must provide students with support, space, and programming that fosters exploration of interests, and makes intentional connections to career and postsecondary paths that young people can see, plan for, and actualize.
Read more on why middle grades: Broadening the Path: Design Principles for Middle Grades CTE (AdvanceCTE and ACTE)
Profile of a HS Ready Student
Designed by two Delaware students, rooted in research by ACTE and AdvanceCTE, and created by a diverse steering committee of partners with community feedback, the profile of a high school ready student outlines what skills and knowledge a student should leave middle grades with to be ready for high school and beyond.
- By the time they leave middle grades, a high-school ready student will
- Increase Career Awareness and Exposure
- Increase Self Awareness
- Develop Employability Skills
- Develop Foundational Technical Skills
- Develop an Actionable Plan for Next Steps in High School
- Develop the Ability to Make Informed Educational Choices
Career Exploration Standards
Connecting In and Out of School Experiences
- Based on research of best practices, Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) are a key consideration for successfully and equitably implementing middle grades career exploration standards and programming.
- FCCLA seems to be the best CTSO to support general exploration and extended learning opportunities, as it has the ability to expose students to a variety of careers and experiences, financial literacy, community service and assist in high school transition planning in the identification of career pathways and CTSOs that align.
- FCCLA offers a 100% middle school affiliation that provides every student with the ability to participate. If a student has a CTSO affiliation, they do not have to switch
- United Way of Delaware out-of-school time resource was created to better connect students in middle grades with programming in their community and support student readiness and transition into high school.
- This user-friendly tool streamlines the search for out-of-school, after-school, and summer opportunities. Users can locate programming based on ZIP code, grade-level, program category, price, if transportation and meals are offered, and other criteria.
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Work Happening
In January 2022, the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) and Rodel embarked on an initiative to rethink middle grades from a student-led career exploration and equity-centered lens. The initiative launched a diverse steering committee of partners across the state who co-created the goal and vision of the middle grades work.
Led by the steering committee, this work consists of three initial phases:
- Create a profile of a high school ready student and career exploration standards
- Develop and pilot implementation models
- Connect in- and out-of-school learning to support student development and transition.
While the work is ongoing, the steering committee has created numerous resources in concert with partners across the state. These resources include an equity framework, the profile of a high school ready student, a standards writing framework, the career exploration standards, and more.
Exploration Programming Pilot
In the 2022-23 school year, Rodel and DDOE launched a grant opportunity for schools to plan for and pilot programming rooted in the CTE exploration standards and supported by the profile of a high school ready student. Schools selected to participate contribute to an implementation guide to inform and support exploration programming in middle grades statewide. The pilot program is ongoing, and schools participate in two-year cohorts. The cohorts include:
Cohort 1 Schools (School Years 2023-24 and 2024-25)
- Las Américas ASPIRA Academy
- Appoquinimink School District (Redding and Meredith Middle)
- Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence (BASSE)
- Capital School District (Middle School of Innovation and Middle School of Excellence)
- Colonial School District (George Read Middle)
- Kuumba Academy
- Red Clay Consolidated School District (Stanton and A.I. DuPont Middle)
Cohort 2 Schools (School Years 2024-25 and 2025-26)
- Milford Central Academy (Milford School District)
- Odyssey Charter School
- Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School (Appoquinimink School District)
Resources
Initiative Resources
Pilot and Implementation Resources
George Read Middle School (Colonial School District) and Las Américas ASPIRA Academy Case Studies
Kuumba Academy Case Study (Listen to Kuumba’s Podcast Episode on YouTube, Spotify, and the Rodel-Cast Website.)
AI DuPont Middle School Case Study (Listen to A.I. duPont’s Podcast Episode on YouTube, Spotify, and the Rodel-Cast Website.)
Part I: Landscape Analysis
Landscape study was conducted across 10 middle schools and communities resulting in the Delaware 211 Out-of-School Time Resource
Part II: GUIDES Program
GUIDES are full-time UWDE team members embedded in school during the school year and hybrid during the summer, with time split between training, program development, school-based engagements with students, and community partner coordination.
GUIDES engage in school day, after school and evening activities that connect students in school learning and out of school resources.
There are 4 pilot schools (Bayard, Kuumba, School of Excellence, School of Innovation) and two GUIDES, including one lead, assigned to each school.
Part III: Research and Scalability
Conducted by University of Delaware in conjunction with UWDE’s input and debriefing of Part I and II, University of Delaware will review and assess UWDE Middle Grades GUIDES model and process to inform DDOE on how to best replicate and scale services that increase the connection between middle schools and out-of-school providers.