BY ANDREW FARRIS

Patriot Academy Time. For some it is a time to socialize, for others it’s a study hall. Intended to guide students into achieving their future career ambitions, the conflicting subject and structure of both PAT and the pathway academies have resulted in some criticism from students at Truman. Has the Independence School District’s academy structure been successful? Is it worth keeping? Ultimately, its success depends on how you define it.

Academy pathways are nothing new. The “Nashville School District is often seen as one of the first, and successful Academy models,” says Truman’s Academy Lead, Heather Abney. The Nashville School District’s academy design has continued for an impressive 15 years, but the concept itself dates back even farther, much farther. In a 2008 study on their effectiveness, the U.S. Department of Labor documented that career academies likely originated in 1969. The DOL uses three main criteria to distinguish career academies: First, they must be, “small learning communities,” then they must present students with a guided curriculum into “one career, occupation, or industry,” and finally, they must “provide work-based learning experiences, often through partnerships with local employers.” Does this definition match the ambitions of Truman’s academies? 

“The goal of a pathway is to provide an opportunity for students to complete a full course of study,” says Abney. “In addition to being recognized as a Pathway Completer at graduation, students will also have an opportunity to graduate with an Industry Recognized Credential or college credit.” These specialized opportunities combined with the small groups of shared interest created by PAT—Patriot Academy Time—fit the definition produced by the Department of Labor, while also providing students with on-site learning opportunities to give them a head start in their professional lives. As the Independence School District website states, “The Academies of the ISD are personalized learning communities, guiding students toward college and career success.” This is the goal that the district seeks. Has it come to fruition?

A key component of the academy structure is PAT, and it seems to lack necessary engagement from students. “During PAT time, I usually spend my time talking with my friends or being on my phone unless I have a quiz later in the day,” says junior Dylan Starcev. “I don’t really think about my pathway. I don’t really think that my pathway has taught me anything related to the topic.” From the way pathway academies are characterized by its proponents, it may seem like a missed opportunity to brush off career specialized activities, except often, that isn’t what is taught during PAT. “I would love to spend my time catching up on missing work rather than listening to a lecture about integrity, which I’m pretty sure everyone knows the definition of,” says junior Ayana Dennis. Character building lectures have received particular criticism: “I sit there. I do whatever the activity is,” said senior Ian Ferguson. “[It wasn’t really helpful,]especially not the character trait things like, ‘Here’s what integrity is,’” he says. Career academies don’t have a strict way of operating, so experimentation is possible, if not inevitable. Character trait lectures have stuck around from previous years, but the balance of other subjects has shifted noticeably over time. “I know this year they tried to switch it to be less of like, grade checks, and more of actual career preparation,” says Ferguson. “I think it’s a real good idea. I think it does help kids who don’t know what they want to go into kind of make decisions and get into stuff.” Truman’s academy structure is a work in progress, and it’s likely to stay that way for a while. Are pathway academies still worth pursuing?

From a statistical point of view, it’s uncertain. The previously mentioned study conducted by the Department of Labor found that “Career Academies produced strong and sustained increases in students’ post-high school earnings [$174 more per month on average]… [which] were concentrated among young men.” The study also concluded that “Career Academies did not increase educational attainment.”  

Another important aspect of career academies in relation to students is their relevance to students. Are Truman’s pathways truly “personalized” as claimed by the Independence School District, and properly fitted to the interests of their students? Perhaps for some, but not for everyone. “I didn’t sign up for a pathway my Freshman year. Because I’m in Choir, they shoved me into the Arts & Ed one…” said Ferguson. “I think it’s not a great thing for me, because I know what I want to do. I’m not going into Arts & Ed, I’m going into engineering. They just threw me in a pathway. I don’t know why I’m there.” Dennis shared a similar enthusiasm about her pathway: “I am not passionate about it as my opinions and ambitions are constantly changing.”

For students who have already made up their mind about their future career, academy pathways, specifically PAT, if done correctly, can be a great tool for focused study and the growth of interest-related skills; however, pathways could also be harmful to those who are unsure about their future career path. By placing them in specific fields of study, it can come across as restrictive, ultimately depriving students of information regarding other career paths and opportunities available to them after high school. 

When it comes to best serving the needs of students, some may offer solutions: “I would make it easier to change pathways,” said Ferguson. “I’m in Arts & Ed, and our activity right now is planning a recital for kids to, like, show off their artistic abilities. I think the time could be better spent, like, teaching kids how their musical talents could go into, like, an actual career, what they could do with music later down the line, because, I feel like that’s an issue a lot of kids have. They want to pursue music further but they just don’t know what to do with it or where to go.” Others suggest replacing it entirely: “Some students need a break and maybe that time could be used to meet up with counselors…” says Dennis.

“I think, until recently, PAT was hard to define. As we implement better, more clear expectations for this time, it will be more relevant for students and teachers,” says Abney. The academy structure is a work in progress. No two needs are exactly the same, and with such a broad student-body, it’s difficult to establish a system that’s both personalized and functional. 

In the end, what can be confidently said about PAT? It’s thirty minutes on a Thursday morning.