Overview

The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) identified a critical need to prepare students for the rapidly emerging green workforce. State-level leaders are aware of anticipated growth in the number of green jobs on the horizon across the state and hope to bring environmental education into classrooms to prepare students for the evolving job market and equip them with foundational knowledge on climate-related issues that they will need for careers in the future workforce. To work toward this goal, the Delaware Pathways Program created an initiative to bring environmental literacy into its career and technical education (CTE) pathways. Career pathways are designed to help students gain knowledge and skills needed for future careers in jobs with economic mobility. They often provide multiple avenues for student career exploration, including career-related coursework, work-based learning experiences, and opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials or build bridges to postsecondary education by earning college credits while in high school. Advance CTE and the DDOE are working together to move the initiative forward by writing curricula, offering professional development opportunities, and building awareness among stakeholders across the state to cultivate their support.

MDRC will study the implementation of the initiative in its early stages. The study team will conduct interviews and focus groups with students, school staff members, district administrators, and other stakeholders to document and assess the implementation process and gain insights into this novel initiative. MDRC, Advance CTE, and the DDOE will share findings from these interviews and focus groups with practitioners and policymakers interested in developing programs aimed at increasing the environmental literacy of CTE students and the future workforce.