Programs of Study (POS)
Mission of SOAR
The mission of SOAR (Students Occupationally and Academically Ready) is to prepare students for college and careers in a diverse, high-performing workforce.
Goal of SOAR
SOAR is the career and technical Program of Study (POS) educational plan that articulates the secondary career and technical programs to postsecondary degree or diploma or certificate programs. SOAR programs lead students into a career pathway that align the secondary courses to a postsecondary program to complete a degree or certificate.
What is SOAR?
SOAR is built on programs of study which incorporate secondary education and postsecondary education elements and include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant career and technical content. These career and technical programs of study includes a statewide articulation agreement partnership between secondary schools and postsecondary institutions.
SOAR Supports High Demand Careers
SOAR programs prepare today’s student for High Priority Occupations (HPO) which include career categories that are in high demand by employers, have higher skill needs, and are most likely to provide family sustaining wages.
Benefits of SOAR
- Saving Money on College Tuition
- Saving Time by Shortening College Attendance
- Getting on the Right Career Pathway
- Entering the Job Market Ready
- Getting a Consistent Education
The Development of Pennsylvania Programs of Study (POS)
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 required the development and implementation of career and technical programs of study (POS). Programs of Study incorporate secondary education and postsecondary education elements; and, include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant career and technical content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses that align secondary education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare students to succeed in postsecondary education. This includes the opportunity for secondary education students to earn postsecondary education credits through articulation agreements with participating postsecondary institutions, which could lead to an industry recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level or an associate or baccalaureate degree. To review the POS template, and the components and definitions of POS, please go to the following phrase: POS Template and Components and Definitions of POS (PDF)
The development of statewide POS satisfies the requirements of the 2006-2013 Perkins IV Act related to the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Codes that align to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry High Priority Occupations list. Currently, 42 POS have been developed by the Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE) and are available for access below. Each local recipient of funds under the Perkins IV Act will be required to offer the relevant courses of all POS.
For each POS, a committee was established which included statewide representation from business and industry, instructors and administrators from secondary and postsecondary education, and other interested parties. A blended competency list was developed from submissions of competency lists from career and technical education programs across the state. Then national competencies were included from sources such as Career and Technical Education Consortium of States (VTECS), Multistate Academic Vocational Curriculum Consortium (MAVCC) and Occupational Information Network(O*NET). The POS committee validated and aligned these materials to an end of program assessment.
The POS were aligned to high priority occupations, as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. As POS were being developed, it became necessary to organize them into groups, called phases. Five phases were defined, each containing a specific number of POS. The initial organizational framework of each POS task list was labeled as version A, and encompassed a three year graduation period for secondary school students. Version B will continue to represent a three year graduation period for secondary school students.
To take a closer look at the Pennsylvania ChildCare Program of Study, please visit….
Child Care POS