It started with a 9th grade dual enrollment freshman transition course…
In collaboration with local schools and partnership organizations,
Santa Barbara City College has developed the
Get Focused…Stay Focused!™ Initiative that backward maps the
necessary knowledge and skills required for success in today’s workforce. GFSF evolved
from the
Dual Enrollment Freshman Transition Initiative and
Career Choices course that was
introduced as a pilot as a result of an Irvine Foundation Grant three years ago. This initiative
is designed to provide every student with the necessary information and experiences to
develop college and career readiness skills and to facilitate the development of an
online 10-
year Career & Education Plan.
…now updating and using students online 10-year plans throughout high school
and college.
Once students complete their online 10-year Plans in 9th grade, targeted classroom-based
lessons in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades ensure students stay focused on their goals. These
three,
16-hour modules provide students with a "touch-point" at each grade of high school to help
them transition seamlessly to their post-secondary goal. In addition, the module content is
aligned with what students need to succeed in life, in line with the new Common Core
Standards, and meets the recommendations from the
California Community Colleges’ Student
Success Task Force. This provides the opportunity for integration into academic courses.