George Mason University will launch a laboratory school in Loudoun County Public Schools as part of a partnership with Northern Virginia Community College.
Laboratory schools are a way to get students prepared for high-demand careers. They are similar to charter schools. Students are selected through a lottery system. The lab schools provide specialized instruction for careers such as teaching, computer science, and technology.
The Virginia Board of Education approved the funding for George Mason and five other colleges. Other schools to receive funding are Paul D. Camp Community College and Old Dominion University (with two locations in Newport News and Chesapeake), as well as Roanoke College and Emory & Henry College, which are private.
They join six other colleges that over the past two years have received similar funding: Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University, the University of Mary Washington, the University of Virginia, Germanna Community College, and Mountain Gateway Community College.
“ACCESS Academy will provide innovative educational experiences for students that will lead to certifications and two- and four-year degrees, as well as support students with access to high-demand and well-compensated jobs in the information technology fields,” said Loudoun Superintendent Aaron Spence in a news release.
“We have heard loud and clear from our community that our students need alternative pathways to college. And this is just one way we are getting them there.”
ACCESS Academy will focus on teaching employability skills. Ninth and 10th grade students will focus on completing what’s necessary for graduation in English, social studies, math, and science.
From there, the school system said they will be “introduced to problem-based learning through focused activities that include guided practice and support the development of problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, systems thinking, and research skills,” the news release said.
In the academy, researchers and industry partners will work with students as part of a new Learning Innovation Lab. The school system said the lab will “become a training ground for current and future educators as teacher candidates, in-service teachers, and faculty across a wide range of disciplines, including Information Technology.”
“ACCESS will integrate widely accepted academic learning with industry-validated occupational experiences, resulting in our students becoming extraordinarily prepared for the specialized and oftentimes nuanced challenges of college and the workforce. This will provide another access point for students to explore their plans and passions for after LCPS,” said Loudoun County School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield.
“Our focus on innovative, problem-based learning and skills needed for the future workforce will ensure students have robust wrap-around supports all the way through their education and early careers to build a better future for themselves and their communities,” said Ingrid Guerra-López, dean of George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
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