Project name: Anoka-Henepin Secondary Technical Education Program
State: Minnesota
Contact: Ginny Karbowski
Title: Director of STEP
Email: Ginny.Karbowski@anoka.k12.mn.us
Telephone: (763) 433.4001
Website: www.anoka.k12.mn.us/STEP
Brief description:
Anoka-Hennepin STEP (Secondary Technical Education Program) is a high school in a college setting where 11th and 12th grade students can explore careers, take academic courses, and
have the opportunity to earn high school and college credit. Located on the Anoka Technical College in Anoka, Minnesota, STEP is an option for students who have an interest in a specific career area, who are ready to prepare for a highly skilled technical career, and who want to earn college credit.
Subject the project is most concerned with:
Various, including many relating to science, mathematics, and technology (see below).
Part of the school system (e.g. elementary school, middle school, high school, all levels, special math/science school, etc.) the project focuses on:
High school, specifically 11th and 12th grades.
Primary focus of the program (e.g. new curriculum, attracting or retaining teachers, classroom technology, community outreach, etc.):
The STEP program offers students advanced career and technical education programs in 20 different career areas including aerospace engineering, accounting and financial careers, art technology, automotive technology, biotechnical engineering, computer-integrated manufacturing, culinary arts, digital electronics, fashion & cosmetology, fire fighting, information technology, law enforcement, medical careers, music/media technology, nursing assistant, and welding technology. All of these high school courses match with an introductory college course in a local community or technical college. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school—at no cost to the student.
Role of the school board:
The Anoka-Hennepin School Board played a huge role in making this program happen. They listened to the business community and began discussion on ways to implement STEP—as a “middle place between high school and college”. Through the efforts of legislators, business leaders, and others, the Anoka County Board of Commissioners approved bonding funds of $8.5 million to build a 60,000 square foot high school building on the Anoka Technical College campus. The School Board approved a 20-year lease purchase agreement for this building on the campus. Today all six members of the Anoka-Hennepin School Board are still strong supporters of the STEP program. They publicly show their support through their actions and words.
Community and business partners:
There has been great support from community and business partners—the Anoka County Board of Commissioners, Anoka County Work Force Council, Metro North Chamber of Commerce, Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, Anoka City Council, Coon Rapids City Council, and Ramsey City Council were a few of the supporting organizations. The program also has the support of many local business partners.
Higher education partners:
A member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Anoka Technical College is the key partner. They share resources—time, money, and human resources—with the high school. STEP and Anoka Technical College also share facilities, equipment, supplies, etc., and there is also a curriculum sharing program between the two.
Anoka-Hennepin School District #11 and Anoka Technical College have been strong partners for over 40 years, and have worked together in many different ways. The partnership is probably as strong as it has ever been since the STEP building was constructed in 2001-02. Today the partnership serves as an example of K-12 and higher education working together to bring strong technical education programs that result in a vital work force for our community.
In addition, STEP partners with other higher education institutions in the region through the Tech Prep initiative including Anoka-Ramsey Community College, North Hennepin Community College, Hennepin Technical College, St. Cloud Technical College, and Alexandria Technical College
Additional funding and resources:
Additional funds through lease levy dollars are needed annually to support the lease purchase agreement and overall building maintenance.
Staffing and program costs continue to come from existing general education dollars.
Federal Perkins dollars are used for new program initiatives. Also STEP and Anoka Technical College have applied for and received various grants (Tech Prep Demonstration Grant, WIA, federal earmark) over the past 6 years for new program development.
Community response to the program:
The program has received strong support from former STEP students, parents, school administrators, and others in the school system. The school has a strong marketing program that promotes the program to students and parents in our school district through newsletters, district publications, and local newspaper/ cable TV coverage. This both increases awareness and limits controversies. The college also helps to promote the program through their own marketing initiatives.
Obstacles:
The challenge of working with two educational systems (K-12 and higher education) was significant. After 6 years of partnering together, both parties still learn something new about how different the systems are every year. Because they have different goals and outcomes, different procedures, requirements and philosophies, there are times when the institutions must work to find common ground and compromise.
Duration of the program:
STEP opened in the fall of 2002.
Advice for other districts:
“Always strive for the new three R’s in today’s education—rigor, relevance, and relationship. We believe we have a model that can be duplicated in other high schools in other regions of the state and country.... School board members should promote the importance of reaching the students “in the middle” with strong career and technical education programs. Career and technical-education students like to do things. They like smaller school settings. They also need to see relevance, they learn best unless when material makes concrete sense.”
Detailed description:
In the 1999-2000 school year, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) proposed to close Anoka Technical College in Anoka, Minnesota. Local business and community leaders strongly opposed this decision. Through the collaborative efforts of local legislators, civic and community leaders, business people, and educators, a message was sent to the higher education system that closure was not an option.
Leaders from the Anoka-Hennepin District then proposed the idea of a “middle college” model. This middle college, called Anoka-Hennepin STEP (Secondary Technical Education Program), would be a career and technical high school on the Anoka Technical College campus. It would be aimed at applied learners, students who learn best by “doing”. Programs would focus on the high tech, high skill careers of local businesses and industry. High school students would have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits and the high school curriculum would dovetail with the college programming.
School board members of Anoka-Hennepin District supported the concept. Area politicians and employers added their voice of approval. The Anoka County Board of Commissioners added their support and offered to pay for a new 48.5 million building adjacent to the college. Federal grant dollars helped with the initial opening costs.
Largely because of this new program, Anoka Technical College was spared from closure, and a strong partnership between K-12 and higher education evolved.
Today, 7 years later, STEP is alive and well. Each day over 900 high school students attend STEP classes in 20 different career programs. Students like the smaller school setting where they get a “hands-on” education and can earn college credit. They also like the curriculum because it is challenging. They often say that they work hard in their classes but they like it because this is what they want to do. They also like attending high school on a college campus. The three R’s of today’s high school education (rigor, relevance, and relationship) are present at STEP and are key factors to the success of the STEP program.