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Endorsements give students a head start on career choice

The Texas Education Agency offers five areas students can choose from when they're freshman: STEM, Business and Industry, Public Service, Arts and Humanities and Multi-Disciplinary studies.

DALLAS — Some students might make it all the way through college with no thought or idea about what profession they want to pursue.

It's never too late to decide, but a recent change in Texas schools tries to get students thinking about their college and career early on in their education.

The class of 2018 was the first graduating class able to graduate with an endorsement on their transcript. An endorsement is an area of focus comparable to a college major. The Texas Education Agency offers five areas students can choose from when they're freshman: STEM, Business and Industry, Public Service, Arts and Humanities and Multi-Disciplinary studies.

High schools don't have to offer all five endorsements but must offer at least one. Some of the courses included in an endorsement also include dual credit for colleges.

Dallas ISD’s counseling coordinator Jazmin Greenwood thinks having an endorsement and taking classes specific to a student’s interests and aspirations can help prepare them for the college and their eventual career decisions.

“I think it is truly helping students by workforce ready and also streamlines K-12 and post-secondary education,” Greenwood said.

The process actually begins even sooner than high school in DISD. Greenwood said elementary schools have programs such as “career week” and middle school students have access to college and career readiness evaluations.

E Grad Toolkit Choices by wfaachannel8 on Scribd

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