Intensive Career Exploration, New Horizons
Des Moines, IA

Contact Person: Karen Ligas
Title of Contact: District School to Work Coordinator

Contact Information:
1800 Grand Avenue
Room #450
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 242-7597
karen.ligas@dmps.k12.ia.us

Highlights
(a) – Activities: Intensive Career Exploration provides Des Moines Public Schools supports students to acquire career development competencies and essential learning skills. Innovative features of this project include career awareness assistance through Bridges.com, pre-employment training, assistance in developing a career portfolio, and intensive career exploration opportunities. Student progress is measured by completion of career development and employability skills coursework, evaluation of the Intensive Career Exploration experience, development of a career portfolio, monitoring attendance, successfully completing required academic coursework (graduation), and journal reflections. Students may earn elective high school credit(s) by participating in the following Intensive Career Exploration courses:
Level 1: Pre-employment/Career Development Coursework (Course #: 9561 NH PREEMPLOY)
Level 2: Work Experience (Course #: 9562 NH WORK EXP)
Level 3: Tryout Employment (Course #: 9593 NH JOB TRAIN)
Level 4: Internship/Apprenticeship (Course #: 9564 NH INTERN)
(b) – Outcomes: Intensive Career Exploration Outcomes for 2003-2004:
—Enrollments for New Horizons Intensive Career Exploration were as follows: 178 in Level One, 216 in Level Two, 11 in Level Three, and one student in Level Four.
—Fifty-six percent of all New Horizons students were employed or provided volunteer services.
— Over 94 percent of students who completed their high school education secured productive post-high school activities, i.e., employment, continued education, military service.
—100% of students evaluated the Intensive Career Exploration course positively (found the course to be interesting/informative, learned something new about the world of work, learned something new about their field of interest, would participate in another Intensive Career Exploration course, would recommend Intensive Career Exploration to others)

Level
High School (9-12)
Alternative School

Location
Urban

Funding
Allowable Growth for Drop-Out Prevention
Des Moines Public Schools General Fund

Demographics
New Horizons is offered at East, Hoover, Lincoln, North, Roosevelt, and Scavo. This course is for students with academic need: short credits to graduate, high rates of absenteeism or suspensions, not on grade level, or other risk characteristics
Entrance Requirements:
1. Interest in learning about careers and employment
2. Completed application
3. Reference from staff
After Level 1, student must be passing at least four academic classes for previous six-weeks prior to enrollment
Credit Requirements:
In order to earn 1⁄2 unit of elective high school credit for each level of Intensive Career Exploration, students are required to:
1. Maintain a passing GPA each semester
2. Achieve individual attendance goal each semester
3. Maintain course attendance (six or fewer absences, tardies, or suspensions)
4. Complete required career related instruction (for each level)
5. Receive positive Employer Evaluation

Program Features
Outcome data system
Community collaboration
Aggressive outreach
Learning styles/multiple intelligences
Positive approaches to discipline
Personalized planning
Promotes caring relationships
Student voice and leadership
Non-traditional timelines
Innovative academic strategies
Mentoring/tutoring
Reducing absenteeism
Other innovative strategies