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ENCORE has two major outreach components: parental involvement and educational achievement. The educational achievement component is critical to ensure that each student graduates from high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college and the workforce. ENCORE has divided the educational achievement in two important categories: student learning and teacher effectiveness. ENCORE has joined efforts in a strong partnership with the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) program to offer students a rigorous and relevant learning experience and provide educators an opportunity to enhance effective teaching practices through comprehensive professional development.

Student Learning: Building 21st Century Skills

Ford PAS is an academically rigorous, project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum that brings relevance to the classroom and enhances student achievement. The Ford PAS curriculum consists of 20 modules that cover a gamete of disciplines such as business, science, math, economics, technology, engineering, social studies, and language arts and is now being implemented in over 26 campuses in South Texas.

With its performance-based curriculum, Ford PAS combines standards-based content with real-world application that develops and strengthens student's problem solving, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. These "soft" skills prepare students for challenges they will face in postsecondary education and the workplace of the future.

Teacher Effectiveness: Supporting Effective Teaching Practices

The Ford PAS Professional Development Institute is a deliberate design intended to highlight meaningful context within the Ford PAS curriculum such as the 21st century skills: communication, teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking. This introductory three-day session is designed for educators that would like to learn more about the curriculum as well as the implementation process. It provides educators with dynamic tools such as facilitation protocols that enhance and support innovative pedagogy, thus impacting student engagement and comprehension.

Ford PAS strategically structures the classroom setting with the teacher as a facilitator of learning, and allows the students to extract knowledge and skills from each other through a collaborative approach, enhancing their ability to contribute in a team-based environment. These sessions are conducted by certified Ford PAS Professional Development Providers who serve as a change agent in the context of education reform, focusing on school culture and school wide support of academic accountability and elevated expectations.

• Improve students' academic performance, mastery of 21st century skills, motivation to succeed, and commitment to lifelong learning
• Improve students' understanding of postsecondary and career opportunities in engineering, technology, business, science, and related fields
• Develop educators' capacity to use exemplary curricula and teaching strategies, integrate academic and career technical education (CTE), collaborate with colleagues, and effectively engage business and community partners
• Increase the number and diversity of students entering postsecondary education and careers in engineering, technology, business, science, and related fields
• Develop a stronger pipeline of knowledgeable, flexible, and prepared workers who can make valuable contributions to the success of individual enterprises and the economy as a whole

For more information about Ford PAS, please log on to: www.fordpas.org

Ford Partnership for Advanced studies was developed by the Ford Motor Company Fund in partnership with the Education Development Center.