In the case of middle and high
schools (grades 6 and higher), there
is evidence that developing small
learning communities around some
common “themes” is the most
effective strategy to improve student
engagement and a sense of
belonging. Academies can run the
gamut from computer technology to
veterinary science. But the key to
their success in not so much that
they prepare students for any
particular career, but that they
develop essential life skills associated
with the world and workplace outside
school.The move is gaining momentum to
break up larger, comprehensive high
schools all across America into
themed academies. The Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation has set
aside tens of millions of dollars
toward this cause. There are national
and statewide networks that assist
schools in setting up academies. The
largest such organization is the New
York City-based National Academy
Foundation with over 1,000 member
academies around the country. NAF
defines its mission thus, “The
mission of the National Academy
Foundation (NAF) is to sustain a
national network of career
academies to support the
development of America's youth
toward personal and professional
success--in high school, in higher
education, and throughout their
careers.”5 In California, the “Career
Academy Support Network is housed
within the Graduate School of
Education at UC Berkeley. Its
purpose is to support the growing
number of career academies
developing around the country,