Knowing yourself and your goals
Students start the year by looking at their own interests, strengths, and habits. They begin sketching out what life after high school could look like and what steps would get them there.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start treating life after high school as a real plan, not a someday idea. They look at colleges, trade programs, and jobs, then line up classes and activities that point toward something they actually want. Students also practice the habits employers notice: showing up on time, working with people who think differently, communicating clearly, and handling money. By spring, students can explain a next step after graduation and what they are doing now to get there.
- Career planning
- Workplace skills
- Teamwork
- Clear communication
- Money basics
- Problem solving
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Showing up and working with others
Students practice the everyday habits that matter at a job or in a group project. They learn to take responsibility, work with people from different backgrounds, and act with honesty when no one is watching.
- 3
Communicating and using tools well
Students sharpen how they speak, write, and present in person and online. They use technology to get work done and learn to pick up new tools quickly as software and devices change.
- 4
Solving real problems
Students take on messy, open-ended challenges that look more like real work than a worksheet. They research, weigh options, try ideas, and stick with a problem long enough to find a workable answer.
- 5
Planning for life after high school
Students pull it all together by looking ahead to college, training, or a job. They think about money, health, and the wider impact of their choices so the plan they leave with can actually hold up.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 11.
Career Ready Practices
Career Ready Practices
- High School
Plan an education and career path aligned to personal goals, interests
Students map out the school and work steps they plan to take after graduation, connecting those plans to what they are good at, what they care about, and what jobs or programs actually exist.
- High School
Use technology to enhance productivity, communication
Students learn to pick the right digital tool for each task, whether that means writing a report, presenting data, or collaborating with a team, and stay flexible as new tools replace old ones.
- High School
Work productively in teams while using cultural and global competence to…
Working in teams means listening, sharing ideas, and getting things done with people who come from different backgrounds and experiences. Students practice the habits that real workplaces expect when they work alongside classmates who think and communicate differently.
- High School
Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee, taking personal…
Students practice owning their choices at school, at work, and in the community. That means following through on commitments, fixing mistakes, and showing up as someone others can count on.
- High School
Apply appropriate academic and technical skills learned through career and…
Students use the skills they've learned in school, including math, writing, and technical know-how, to solve actual problems they'd face on the job.
- High School
Attend to personal health and financial well-being and make decisions that…
Students make real choices about their health and money, weighing what helps them now against what sets them up well later in life.
- High School
Communicate clearly, effectively
Students practice adjusting how they speak, write, and post online based on who they're talking to and why. A text to a friend and a report to a supervisor require different words, tone, and format.
- High School
Consider the environmental, social
Before making a plan or taking action, students think through how a decision might affect the environment, other people, and money. They weigh those effects against each other before moving forward.
- High School
Demonstrate creativity and innovation by generating new ideas and approaches…
Students come up with original ideas and find new ways to use familiar tools to solve problems at school or on the job.
- High School
Employ valid and reliable research strategies to gather, evaluate
Students find trustworthy sources, check whether the information holds up, and pull key findings together into one clear picture. This is the research habit every job and college path depends on.
- High School
Use critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them…
When students hit a problem they can't solve right away, they break it into smaller pieces and try different approaches until something works.
- High School
Model integrity, ethical leadership
Acting with honesty and fairness matters whether students are in class, on the job, or in their community. This standard asks students to practice that same integrity when leading a group or managing responsibilities.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan an education and career path aligned to personal goals, interests High School | Students map out the school and work steps they plan to take after graduation, connecting those plans to what they are good at, what they care about, and what jobs or programs actually exist. | CT-CDOS.CRP10.9-12 |
| Use technology to enhance productivity, communication High School | Students learn to pick the right digital tool for each task, whether that means writing a report, presenting data, or collaborating with a team, and stay flexible as new tools replace old ones. | CT-CDOS.CRP11.9-12 |
| Work productively in teams while using cultural and global competence to… High School | Working in teams means listening, sharing ideas, and getting things done with people who come from different backgrounds and experiences. Students practice the habits that real workplaces expect when they work alongside classmates who think and communicate differently. | CT-CDOS.CRP12.9-12 |
| Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee, taking personal… High School | Students practice owning their choices at school, at work, and in the community. That means following through on commitments, fixing mistakes, and showing up as someone others can count on. | CT-CDOS.CRP1.9-12 |
| Apply appropriate academic and technical skills learned through career and… High School | Students use the skills they've learned in school, including math, writing, and technical know-how, to solve actual problems they'd face on the job. | CT-CDOS.CRP2.9-12 |
| Attend to personal health and financial well-being and make decisions that… High School | Students make real choices about their health and money, weighing what helps them now against what sets them up well later in life. | CT-CDOS.CRP3.9-12 |
| Communicate clearly, effectively High School | Students practice adjusting how they speak, write, and post online based on who they're talking to and why. A text to a friend and a report to a supervisor require different words, tone, and format. | CT-CDOS.CRP4.9-12 |
| Consider the environmental, social High School | Before making a plan or taking action, students think through how a decision might affect the environment, other people, and money. They weigh those effects against each other before moving forward. | CT-CDOS.CRP5.9-12 |
| Demonstrate creativity and innovation by generating new ideas and approaches… High School | Students come up with original ideas and find new ways to use familiar tools to solve problems at school or on the job. | CT-CDOS.CRP6.9-12 |
| Employ valid and reliable research strategies to gather, evaluate High School | Students find trustworthy sources, check whether the information holds up, and pull key findings together into one clear picture. This is the research habit every job and college path depends on. | CT-CDOS.CRP7.9-12 |
| Use critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them… High School | When students hit a problem they can't solve right away, they break it into smaller pieces and try different approaches until something works. | CT-CDOS.CRP8.9-12 |
| Model integrity, ethical leadership High School | Acting with honesty and fairness matters whether students are in class, on the job, or in their community. This standard asks students to practice that same integrity when leading a group or managing responsibilities. | CT-CDOS.CRP9.9-12 |
Common Questions
What is this class actually about?
It is about getting ready for life after high school. Students practice the habits that show up in any job or college: showing up, working with other people, communicating clearly, and making a plan for what comes next.
How can I help my teenager think about a career path at home?
Ask what they like doing and what they are curious about, then look up two or three jobs together online. Five minutes at dinner is enough. The goal is not to pick a career, it is to get used to talking about one.
What should a finished plan for after high school look like?
By the end of the year, students should be able to name a few options after graduation and the steps to get there. That might be a college, a trade program, an apprenticeship, the military, or a job. The plan can change. Having one matters more than getting it right.
How do I sequence career readiness across the year?
Start with self-awareness and work habits in the fall, move into research and communication skills mid-year, then finish with a concrete postsecondary plan and a resume or portfolio in the spring. Layer in teamwork and ethics throughout instead of teaching them as standalone units.
My child says they have no idea what they want to do. Is that a problem?
No. Most students this age do not know yet, and the class is built for that. What matters is that they try things, talk to adults about work, and notice what holds their attention.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Written communication for a real audience and evaluating sources tend to lag. Students can find information quickly but struggle to judge whether it is reliable or to rewrite it in their own words for a specific reader. Build in short, repeated practice rather than one big unit.
How can students practice financial decision-making at home?
Let them see real choices. Talk through a grocery trip, a phone bill, or saving for something they want. If they have a job or allowance, help them open a basic account and track what comes in and what goes out.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
A student can hold a clear conversation about their goals, write a resume or personal statement that sounds like them, work on a team without falling apart when things get hard, and name the next concrete step after graduation.
How do I assess teamwork and ethics without it feeling fluffy?
Tie it to specific moments in a project: how a group handled a missed deadline, how a student responded to feedback, how they cited their sources. Ask students to reflect in writing on what they did and what they would do differently. The evidence comes from real work, not a rubric in the abstract.