Knowing yourself and your goals
Students start by looking at what they care about, what they are good at, and what kind of life they want after high school. They begin sketching a rough plan that connects school now to work or college later.
What does a student learn in
This is the stretch when students start turning interests into a real plan for life after high school. They practice the habits adults use at work: showing up on time, communicating clearly, solving problems without giving up, and working with people who think differently. Students also learn to handle money, weigh tradeoffs, and use technology to get things done. By spring, they can talk through a believable next step after graduation and the skills they need to get there.
- Career planning
- Workplace habits
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Problem solving
- Personal finance
- Technology skills
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Skills that travel to any job
Students practice the habits every employer looks for. That means showing up on time, taking responsibility, speaking and writing clearly, and working well with people who are different from them.
- 3
Thinking, researching, and problem solving
Students learn to break a hard problem into smaller parts and stick with it until they find a workable answer. They also practice finding trustworthy information online and using it to back up their ideas.
- 4
Tools, technology, and new ideas
Students use computers, software, and other tools to get real work done and to try out fresh ideas. When a new tool shows up, they learn how to pick it up quickly instead of avoiding it.
- 5
Ethics, money, and healthy choices
Students think about how their choices affect their health, their wallet, and the people around them. They look at honesty and leadership on the job, and at how decisions touch the community and the environment.
- 6
Putting it all to work
Toward the end of high school, students pull everything together in real settings such as projects, internships, or job shadows. They apply what they have learned in class to tasks adults actually do at work.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 12.
Career Ready Practices
Career Ready Practices
- High School
Plan an education and career path aligned to personal goals, interests
Students map out the education and training steps they'll actually need to reach a career that fits their interests. The plan accounts for what's realistic after high school, not just what sounds appealing.
- High School
Use technology to enhance productivity, communication
Students learn to pick up new apps, software, and digital tools quickly and use them to get work done more efficiently and communicate more clearly.
- High School
Work productively in teams while using cultural and global competence to…
Working in teams means listening to people whose backgrounds differ from yours, adjusting how you communicate, and getting the work done together. Students practice the habits that make a mixed group more effective than any one person working alone.
- High School
Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee, taking personal…
Students take ownership of their actions at school, at work, and in the community. That means following through on commitments, admitting mistakes, and doing what they said they would do.
- High School
Apply appropriate academic and technical skills learned through career and…
Students use what they learned in class, including technical skills from career and vocational courses, to solve real problems they might face on the job or in everyday life.
- High School
Attend to personal health and financial well-being and make decisions that…
Students learn to make everyday choices, from managing a budget to staying active, that protect their health and money now and over time.
- High School
Communicate clearly, effectively
Students practice adjusting how they speak, write, and present based on who they're talking to and why. A report for a supervisor looks different from a text to a coworker, and students learn to tell the difference.
- High School
Consider the environmental, social
When making plans or choices, students think through how those choices affect the environment, other people, and money. They weigh those effects before deciding what to do.
- High School
Demonstrate creativity and innovation by generating new ideas and approaches…
Students come up with new ideas and find fresh ways to use familiar tools, even in situations they haven't seen before.
- High School
Employ valid and reliable research strategies to gather, evaluate
Students learn to find trustworthy information by searching credible sources, checking whether the sources hold up, and pulling the best details together into a clear, usable answer.
- High School
Use critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them…
When students hit a hard problem at work or in class, they slow down, break it into smaller parts, and test different approaches until something works.
- High School
Model integrity, ethical leadership
Students practice honest, fair decision-making in school projects, jobs, and community settings. They learn to lead and manage in ways others can trust.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan an education and career path aligned to personal goals, interests High School | Students map out the education and training steps they'll actually need to reach a career that fits their interests. The plan accounts for what's realistic after high school, not just what sounds appealing. | DC-CDOS.CRP10.9-12 |
| Use technology to enhance productivity, communication High School | Students learn to pick up new apps, software, and digital tools quickly and use them to get work done more efficiently and communicate more clearly. | DC-CDOS.CRP11.9-12 |
| Work productively in teams while using cultural and global competence to… High School | Working in teams means listening to people whose backgrounds differ from yours, adjusting how you communicate, and getting the work done together. Students practice the habits that make a mixed group more effective than any one person working alone. | DC-CDOS.CRP12.9-12 |
| Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee, taking personal… High School | Students take ownership of their actions at school, at work, and in the community. That means following through on commitments, admitting mistakes, and doing what they said they would do. | DC-CDOS.CRP1.9-12 |
| Apply appropriate academic and technical skills learned through career and… High School | Students use what they learned in class, including technical skills from career and vocational courses, to solve real problems they might face on the job or in everyday life. | DC-CDOS.CRP2.9-12 |
| Attend to personal health and financial well-being and make decisions that… High School | Students learn to make everyday choices, from managing a budget to staying active, that protect their health and money now and over time. | DC-CDOS.CRP3.9-12 |
| Communicate clearly, effectively High School | Students practice adjusting how they speak, write, and present based on who they're talking to and why. A report for a supervisor looks different from a text to a coworker, and students learn to tell the difference. | DC-CDOS.CRP4.9-12 |
| Consider the environmental, social High School | When making plans or choices, students think through how those choices affect the environment, other people, and money. They weigh those effects before deciding what to do. | DC-CDOS.CRP5.9-12 |
| Demonstrate creativity and innovation by generating new ideas and approaches… High School | Students come up with new ideas and find fresh ways to use familiar tools, even in situations they haven't seen before. | DC-CDOS.CRP6.9-12 |
| Employ valid and reliable research strategies to gather, evaluate High School | Students learn to find trustworthy information by searching credible sources, checking whether the sources hold up, and pulling the best details together into a clear, usable answer. | DC-CDOS.CRP7.9-12 |
| Use critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them… High School | When students hit a hard problem at work or in class, they slow down, break it into smaller parts, and test different approaches until something works. | DC-CDOS.CRP8.9-12 |
| Model integrity, ethical leadership High School | Students practice honest, fair decision-making in school projects, jobs, and community settings. They learn to lead and manage in ways others can trust. | DC-CDOS.CRP9.9-12 |
Common Questions
What does career and occupational studies look like this year?
Students build the habits that make someone employable after high school. They practice clear communication, working in teams, solving problems, using technology, and managing their time and money. They also start mapping out what they want to do after graduation and what steps will get them there.
How can a parent help with career planning at home?
Talk about jobs at the dinner table. Ask what someone in the family does all day, what they earn, and what training it took. Even ten minutes a week of real talk about work, money, and choices does more than a worksheet.
What should a student be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should be able to write a clear email, speak up in a group, follow through on a task without being chased, and explain a realistic plan for after high school. They should also handle basic problems on their own before asking for help.
How should a teacher sequence this across the year?
Start with the personal habits: responsibility, communication, and teamwork in small projects. Move into research, problem solving, and ethics in the middle of the year. Save the longer career and education planning work for the second half, once students have more self-awareness to draw on.
What if a student has no idea what they want to do after high school?
That is normal and fine. The goal right now is to try things, notice what feels interesting, and learn how to research options. A part-time job, a club, or a short interview with a working adult often does more than a career quiz.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Email and phone communication with adults, showing up on time, and sticking with a hard problem instead of stopping at the first wrong answer. These look like soft skills but they show up in every project and every workplace, so it helps to name them and grade them directly.
How can a parent help with money and health habits?
Let students see the real numbers. Show a paycheck, a phone bill, or a grocery receipt and talk through the choices behind it. Same with sleep, food, and screen time. Decisions made now turn into habits that stick for years.
How does a teacher know a student is ready for life after graduation?
Look for students who can plan a multi-step project, ask for help in a professional way, and explain their next step after high school with specifics. If they can do those three things across different settings, the habits will hold up in college or a job.