Employer-Linked Charter School Initiative

School Profile
LIVINGSTON TECHNICAL ACADEMY, Howell, MI

About the School	Curriculum and Instruction
Formation Dynamics	Real-World Practices
Philosophy and Valued Outcomes	Challenges and Solutions
Involved Groups and Decisionmakers	Contact

ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Livingston Technical Academy (LTA) is a charter high school located in Howell, Michigan, approximately halfway between Detroit and Lansing. It currently enrolls approximately 140 students in grades 9-12. The school opened in 1995. The authorizing agency is Central Michigan University. LTA views itself primarily as a small and personalized training program for producing highly-skilled workers for careers in manufacturing.

FORMATION DYNAMICS

The lead administrator at LTA notes that the primary impetus for the formation of the school was to "educate and train high school students to be highly skilled workers in the manufacturing industry." This goal is met by providing a small and personalized educational environment enhanced by real-world learning opportunities outside the classroom, typically in the form of a work-based internship, as well as through opportunities for dual enrollment at a local community college.

PHILOSOPHY AND VALUED OUTCOMES

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LTA's core philosophy, in the words of its lead administrator, is to remain "small and personal" and "…to provide students with a superior technical and academic education in a student-centered environment that promotes character and values." Students "receive a lot of attention and praise from the teachers," an outcome made possible by the emphasis placed on keeping school and class sizes small. Exposure to real-world learning opportunities is provided by a "work-based internship learning experience" that students are eligible for, as well as through dual enrollment opportunities at a local community college.
The specific outcome valued most highly for LTA students, as identified by the schools lead administrator, is "learning workplace behavior, expectations, and skills." Additional valued outcomes include the following:

Preparation for the reality of life in the 21st century.
Readiness for college, a trade apprenticeship, or work.
Understanding of the links among academic subjects and careers.
Understanding and use of technology (computers, software, etc.).
Knowledge about a wide range of career and education options.
Knowledge of how to make a difference in the community.
Ability to actively pursue personal interests and career goals.
Skills related to teamwork, communication, responsibility.
Leadership skills.
Critical and independent thinking skills.

INVOLVED GROUPS AND DECISIONMAKERS

Prominent decisionmakers at LTA in terms of planning and development include business/industry/trade/nonprofits, elected officials, or staff of government agencies, and community advocates. The principal/director, teachers, parents, and students are described as the most influential stakeholders in the area of school policies and organizational mission, while the principal/director is identified as most influential in terms of curriculum and instructional matters. The school's governing board is described as "influential in only a few matters and issues," while parents and employers play a variety of roles that range from governance to providing resources (in the form of volunteered time and money).

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

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The LTA curriculum is described by its lead administrator as "somewhat different" from that found in a traditional high school, with the most notable difference being that students can do full time, four-week internships and a dual enrollment program at a local community college. The curriculum is organized around typical academic subjects, commonly referred to as Carnegie Units, and is stated and defined "somewhat precisely" for teachers. One change that has characterized the curriculum, in the words of LTA's lead administrator, is that it has "more academic and 'liberal arts' offerings rather than all technical."

As far as goals emanating from the curriculum are concerned, the school's administrator describes as "very important" the following two goals: (a) that students be prepared for a particular career, career cluster, or occupational cluster, and (b) that students understand links between academic subjects and adult life in the real world. The most common instructional method identified is student work in small groups or teams, although a variety of other practices (such as workbook exercises and assigned research projects) are used as well.

REAL-WORLD PRACTICES

LTA places a "strong emphasis" on attempts to provide students with real-world learning opportunities, with nearly all (75-99%) engaged in learning that is based upon this principle. Specific forms of real-world practices that are available to students include the following:

Creation of marketable products such as a house or a computer network.
Placement in a work site for more than two weeks (a paid or unpaid internship/fellowship).
Part-time jobs that are used as a supplementary learning experience.
Job shadowing (a short visit to a workplace).
Student apprenticeships (formal training for a specific career).
Work in a school-based business such as a school store.
Advice from a mentor who works in a business, trade, or industry.
Community development or service learning.
Classroom lessons on work skills and behaviors.
Lessons on resume writing, applying for a job, or interviewing.
Completion of a research project on a possible career.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

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The most significant challenge identified by LTA's lead administrator has been "aligning academic curriculum with industrial skills." Another challenge has involved developing and maintaining partnerships with businesses, which the school has attempted to meet by keeping these partners involved and active through "opportunities to hear new information and [to] have an input in how students are evaluated and what kind of work and learning is most beneficial for them." Four other challenges identified by the lead administrator include funding, meeting the needs of a variety of students, recruiting good teachers, and motivating students.

CONTACT