Rigor and Relevance through PASS©
PASS© (Partners Advancing Student Success©) is a 45-hour professional development opportunity designed with the purpose of promoting the Rigor and Relevance Framework through integration of the Arizona State Academic Workplace Skills Standards.
Studies have shown that students understand and retain knowledge best when they have applied it in a practical, relevant setting. Globalization and rapid technological advancements are changing the 21st century workplace which will become the settings in which students will be expected to apply what they learned in school. The PASS© program brings education and business together to better prepare students to be workforce and college ready with the skills necessary to be successful citizens in a rapidly changing world. It allows teachers to see firsthand the skills needed in today's workplace while educating businesses about the current reality of today's education system. The program, which takes place during the summer break, has teachers participate in learning exchanges with area businesses to see firsthand how important the mastery of the Arizona State Academic Workplace Skills Standards is to success in business. At the end of the week, teachers use their newly gained knowledge to develop a plan for integrating the standards with their current curriculum through the Rigor/Relevance Framework. In the fall, participants reconvene to present the results of their action plans to the business partners.
The objectives of PASS© are:
- To provide a common set of knowledge and understanding between educators and business representatives about
- The economic impact of developing a quality workforce
- The critical role education plays in the development of a successful workforce
- The key components of an education system necessary to meet these needs for students
- To develop and sustain relationships between business representatives, schools, teachers and students that build a shared awareness of critical issues and create a sense of shared responsibility for all parties
- To develop a shared understanding of the Arizona State Academic Workplace Skills Standards and relevant Arizona Student Academic Standards and to demonstrate how they can be integrated into the curriculum and applied to the workplace.
