College and career readiness programs hold promise in the early stages of implementation, but some market variables still present challenges. 

The MACo Summer Conference panel, “Charting the Course: A New Vision for the Last Years of High School,” dove into the implementation of pillar 3 of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which is the College and Career Readiness (CCR) component. Local and state representatives reflected on the challenges and what external components are working against their efforts.

The programs promise faster entry into the statewide workforce by getting students engaged and excited at an earlier stage about the type of career they want to explore. This can be through internships, registered apprenticeships, and working towards an industry recognized credential. Additionally, the CCR track offers resources and opportunities for students to start working towards a college degree through college readiness programs and even dual enrollment, where they can begin to start actually earning college credits.

Local representatives shared that while the programs are inspiring engagement, some challenges still persist around opportunities. Particularly in rural areas, some jurisdictions do not have enough apprenticeships and businesses available to fulfill the required number of opportunities. Additionally, not all interest categories have a corresponding opportunity within each jurisdiction, such as a culinary offering. Regular transportation has also presented a challenge in this area. Representatives from the state also reflected on the challenge of the blueprint overall during the session, expressing that not everything is going to be possible but local schools systems should start by looking at the particular things they know they can make work and tackling those elements, which will likely require updated guidance from the Maryland State Department of Education and the legislature.