IDEA Public Charter School

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1027 45th St. NE, Washington, DC 20019 Phone: (202) 399-4750
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Career & Technical Education

IDEA’s career and technical education vision is that every scholar at IDEA will graduate with a personalized career plan, prepared to pursue a future of their choosing and ready to succeed in life. We are continually strengthening our CTE programs and ensuring that they are well-integrated with academic courses and supported by our faculty and staff.

CTE pathways offered at IDEA are

>Child Development
>Computer Science
>Construction Technology
 
IDEA is also piloting two business entrepreneurship courses that may be built into a full pathway in the future.
 
Beginning in school year 2020-2021, all ninth-grade scholars will enroll in Introduction to Careers, which will provide an overview of the CTE pathways available to study at IDEA. In 10th, 11th, and 12th grade, scholars will follow the sequence of courses in their chosen pathway, participating in work-based learning, job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, co-curricular organizations, and other opportunities to enhance their knowledge of the career and enrich their skills and abilities.
 

National research shows that scholars who take a sequence of three or more CTE courses are more likely than their peers to graduate high school, perform better on academic exams, and go on to pursue and finish postsecondary education.

Career and technical education pathways at IDEA foster creativity, innovation, and leadership, as well as demonstrated mastery. Aligned with OSSE’s state CTE plan, IDEA programs focus on problem solving and critical thinking using real-world scenarios from industry partners along with embedded academic, technical, and leadership skills.

Call for Employer Partners

IDEA is seeking local industry partners in the areas of education and child development, information technology, and construction technology to support our scholars and faculty. Employer partners are needed for projects including:

  • Reviewing curriculum and credentials along with CTE instructors to assess how curriculum is meeting industry needs
  • Advising on developing program and reviewing quality
  • Providing work-based learning opportunities for students and graduates, such as guest speakers, mentoring, internships, apprenticeships, and employment
  • Providing externships and other professional development opportunities for instructors
  • Making recommendations regarding instructional materials and equipment updates

Please contact IDEA Director of Career and Technical Education Andrea Zimmermann at azimmermann@ideapcs.org to learn more or to partner with IDEA.