2016 Postsecondary and Career Education Conference

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)’s Postsecondary and Career Education Conference is an annual event that serves as a catalyst for the sharing of best practices, exploring of new trends, networking with one’s peers, and participating in professional development for the District of Columbia’s college and career education access and success practitioners.

“What’s Next? Inspiring, Engaging, Collaborating for Postsecondary Success,” is the theme of the 2016 conference. The format for conference this year has been changed from traditional panels and presentations to peer-led, strategizing workshops in which participants analyze a range of case-studies and work together to draft implementable action plans through facilitated small group discussions and interactive activities with subject matter experts.

Each conference participant will choose one of five strands. Each strand is composed of three discrete workshops, one within each breakout session. Each strand focuses on a sub-group of students and the challenges they face in achieving a postsecondary credential. Participants also have the option of mixing strands, but they will be highly encouraged to remain within a single strand for the complete experience.

Conference Strands:

• Advising Students without a Postsecondary Plan
• Advising Students with Disabilities and Homeless Youth
• Advising Immigrant Students
• Helping Students Find Their Career Path
• Reconnecting Disconnected Youth
• Create Your Own Strand

If you are registering as a conference attendee please select one workshop per breakout session, ideally all within the same strand. If you are registering as a conference facilitator or volunteer please select that option within each strand.

8:00am-8:30am

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30am-8:45am

Opening Remarks

8:55am-10:10am

Breakout Session I

10:20am-11:35am

Breakout Session II

11:45am-12:15pm

Boxed Lunch/Networking/Resource Booth Visitation

12:15pm-1:45pm

Breakout Session III

1.) Advising Students without a Postsecondary Plan

Format – Case study approach. Each participant in this strand will receive a case study describing a student who doesn’t have a plan for post-graduation. It will include detailed information on their academics, family situation, and school. Each participant must create a strategy for advising the student and others like her/him.

Workshops

• Breakout Session 1: Connecting the “whole” student to postsecondary (overcoming family issues, low GPA, student interest, etc.)
• Breakout Session 2: How to use labor market data to advise students on postsecondary education
• Breakout Session 3: How to engage families in the postsecondary transition process

Location: 145A

2.) Advising Students with Disabilities and Homeless Youth

Format – Case study approach. Each participant in this strand will receive a case study describing a student(s) who has a disability or is homeless. It will include detailed information on their academics, family situation, and school. Each participant must create a strategy for advising the student and others like her/him.

Workshops

• Breakout Session 1: How to advise homeless youth and students with disabilities on postsecondary program selection
• Breakout Session 2: How to connect homeless youth and students with disabilities to services and resources
• Breakout Session 3: How to engage parents, guardians, and families of students with disabilities and homeless youth

Location: 145B

3.) Advising Immigrant Students

Format – Case study approach. Each participant in this strand will receive a case study describing a student who is an immigrant and/or undocumented student. It will include detailed information on their academics, family situation, and school. Each participant must create a strategy for advising the student and others like her/him.

Workshops

• Breakout Session 1: Understanding Legal and Cultural Issues When Advising Immigrant Youth on Postsecondary Education
• Breakout Session 2: How to Connect Immigrant and Undocumented Youth to Educational Opportunities
• Breakout Session 3:Engaging and Building Trust with Immigrant Families

Location: 150B

4.) Helping Students Find Their Career Path

Format – Mix of panel discussions and case studies. Participants will still be given a case study for a student who needs career advising. It will include detailed information on their academics, family situation, and school. Each participant must create a strategy for advising the student and others like her/him.

Workshops

• Breakout Session 1: High-growth Career Pathways – overview of high-growth, high demand fields and career pathways in DC
• Breakout Session 2: How to Advise Students on Career Pathways and which Tools to Use
• Breakout Session 3: Starting the Career Conversation: Engaging Families on Career Pathways Discussions

Location: 147A

5.) Reconnecting Disconnected Youth

Format – Case study approach. Each participant in this strand will receive a case study describing a student who is disconnected. It will include detailed information on their academics, family situation, and school. Each participant must create a strategy for advising the student and others like her/him.

Workshops

• Breakout Session 1: Who are Disconnected Youth?
• Breakout Session 2: How to Connect Disconnected Youth to Services and Resources
• Breakout Session 3: How to Connect Disconnected Youth to Schools and Educational Programs
  

Location: 147B