Key Rationale For Understanding High School
Internship and Apprenticeship and its Data
- There is growing interest in “work-based learning” which prepares students for careers through realworld on-the-job experience and aligning education with workforce needs.
- Louisiana encourages ”registered apprenticeships” but these have traditionally not been geared
toward secondary students, though current Louisiana law allows apprentices as young as 16.
Expanding access for high school students could strengthen workforce readiness pathways. - Starting for the first time this coming August 2025, the new Louisiana School Accountability System
formula includes work-based learning opportunities as a means for schools/districts to earn points
toward their rankings. High schools will be evaluated based on student participation in
internships/apprenticeships and more motivated to connect students with businesses. - There is a need for education leaders to establish benchmarking data to measure progress over time,
ensure effective policy implementation and continuous improvement. - By strengthening workforce readiness, Louisiana can address skill gaps and increase post-graduation
success as well as build stronger partnerships between schools, businesses, and communities.
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