Evaluate

Strengthening high school career education requires coherent and responsive approaches that connect system leadership, programming, student guidance, partnerships, experiential learning, and transition planning. As highlighted throughout this guide, effective career education helps students understand themselves, explore diverse possibilities, participate in meaningful experiences, and prepare for transitions beyond Grade 12.

The following reflective questions are intended to support system education leaders in examining current practices, identifying areas for growth, and determining next steps within their local contexts.

Reflective Questions

Student Access, Voice, and Transitions

• How are student interests, strengths, aspirations, and feedback informing career education programming and pathway development?
• How are students and families provided with timely information about pathways, prerequisites, credentials, and available supports?
• Which students are participating in career education programs and experiences? Which students may continue to face barriers to access?
• In what ways is career education strengthening student engagement, confidence, pathway clarity, and readiness for transitions beyond Grade 12?

Programming and Pathway Design

• How well do current opportunities reflect student interests, diverse future pathways, community contexts, and evolving labour market needs?
• How effectively are classroom learning, career planning, experiential learning, workplace experiences, credentials, and mentorship connected?
• How are Career and Technology Studies, off-campus education, work experience, dual credit programming, collegiate programming, and other opportunities coordinated across the school authority?
• What academic, financial, scheduling, transportation, staffing, facility, geographic, or personal barriers may be limiting equitable student access?

Leadership, Capacity, and Partnerships

• How well is high school career education aligned with the school authority’s vision, education plan, priorities, and goals for student success?
• What leadership structures, staffing models, resources, and professional learning supports are needed to coordinate career education across schools?
• How effectively are postsecondary institutions, employers, industry, families, and community organizations contributing to student learning and transitions?
• Are partnership goals, roles, communication processes, student readiness expectations, and supports clearly defined and mutually beneficial?

Evidence and Continuous Improvement

• What evidence is being collected related to student access, participation, completion, credentials, experiences, and transitions?
• How are student voice and feedback used to improve programming, communication, guidance, and supports?
• What evidence demonstrates the influence of career education on student engagement, pathway understanding, high school completion, and future readiness?
• How are differences in access, participation, and transitions examined across schools, communities, student populations, and pathway types?

Moving Forward

• What area of high school career education should the school authority prioritize, and what practical next steps are needed to strengthen it?
• How might regional collaboration expand access to specialized staff, facilities, credentials, partnerships, and learning opportunities?
• What emerging student needs, community priorities, technologies, and labour market trends should inform future planning?
• What practical next steps would strengthen equitable, relevant, and meaningful career education opportunities for students?