Benchmark 3: Strategic Alliances

Purpose of Strategic Alliances

Strategic partnerships with business and industry partners and IHEs are formally articulated in writing and clearly define a variety of careers.

Design Elements

All P-TECHs must implement and meet the following requirements based on the pathways to be offered to students i.e. pathways to an associate degree, postsecondary certificate provided by an IHE, or industry certification:

1. The P-TECH shall develop, sign, and execute a memoranda of understanding (MOU) that clearly define the roles and responsibilities of a strong partnership with business and/or industry partners to provide (at a minimum):
   1. A detailed plan for work-based learning experiences for students appropriate to each grade level, such as facility visits, guest speakers, presentations, career information, job shadowing, internships, externships, and apprenticeships
   2. Clear roles and responsibilities for worksite supervisors, mentors, teachers, support personnel, and other partners
   3. Career mentoring with industry/business partner
   4. Support for students’ activities, such as clubs, Career and Technical Student Organizations, competitions, and special initiatives
   5. Each MOU must include an agreement that the regional industry or business partner will give to a student who receives work based training or education from the partner under the P-TECH program priority in interviewing for any jobs for which the student is qualified that are available on the student’s completion of the program
   6. Course path and program monitoring
   7. The MOU should state clearly the industry certifications that will be acquired and the standards/curriculum that will be followed to achieve stated certifications
   8. Student access to business and industry partners and work-based learning facilities, services, and resources
   9. Transportation costs and fees
2. The P-TECH shall develop, sign, and execute an articulation agreement with an IHE that includes the following components (at a minimum):
   1. Curriculum alignment
   2. Instructional materials
   3. Courses of study, which enables a student to combine high school courses and college-level courses to earn either an associate degree postsecondary certificate provided by an IHE, or industry certification
   4. Student enrollment and attendance
   5. Grading periods and policies
   6. Administration of statewide assessments under TEC Subchapter B, Chapter 39
   7. Policies for:
      1. advising students on the transferability of all college credit offered and earned
      2. ensuring the IHE transcripts college credit earned through dual credit in the same semester that credit is earned
      3. advising students as to the transferability and applicability to baccalaureate degree plans for all college credit offered and earned (college credits earned during high school should allow students to progress from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree and beyond in their chosen field)
      4. students accessing to the IHE facilities, services and resources
   8. Eligibility of students for waivers for tuition & fees
   9. Data sharing agreement that includes provisions for:
      1. Teacher data such as qualifications
      2. Student level data such as credit hours taken and earned; GPA, formative data to assess if student is on track for college readiness
   10. Transportation costs and fees
       1. Provisions for discontinuing operation while ensuring students previously enrolled will have opportunity to complete their course of study
3. Establish an Advisory Board who meets regularly and includes representatives from a variety of stakeholders such as; school board, community, economic development partners, relevant industry subject matter experts for program pathways, and IHE to provide support and guidance to the P- TECH in resource acquisition, curriculum development, work-based learning and student/community outreach to ensure a successful academic and career pipeline

Activities

1. All products shall be published on the P-TECH website and be made available to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) upon request
2. All products shall be maintained in accordance with local retention policy
3. Annual review of industry/business MOU
4. Annual review of IHE articulation agreement

Products

1. Meeting agendas and minutes, with action items and decision logs
2. Final, signed, and executed MOU with industry partner/business (Campuses must submit their final signed MOU to TEA when initially applying for designation or are provisionally designated)
3. Final, signed, and executed articulation agreement with IHE (Campuses must submit their final signed MOU to TEA when initially applying for designation or are provisionally designated)
4. A list of strategic partners with each member’s organization, title and role in providing work-based learning for students by grade level