I. WORK BASED LEARNING PROGRAM
The purpose of the Work Based Learning (WBL) Program is to expand and enhance the student’s learning through career experiences which are aligned with the student’s course of study and are designed to facilitate the student’s transition from school to career. The program is available to qualified students in each of the trade/technologies who have demonstrated readiness to benefit from placement in the program.

The objectives of the Work Based Learning Program are to:

Student Qualifications
Student participation in the WBL program is available to students who are at least 16 years old and who are in their junior or senior year. The student must:

Student release time is limited to 14 hours per week during their junior year and 21 hours per week in the first two semesters of the senior year while school is in session. Employers compensate the students at a rate no less than the Connecticut minimum wage. Release time is during the trade/technology cycle only, although the student, once enrolled, may participate legally any day after school and on holidays and during the summer where additional credit may be earned.

II. LANGUAGE ARTS LAB AND MATHEMATICS LAB
The Language Arts and Mathematics Labs are designed to provide all ninth and tenth grade students with additional instructional time in these key content areas when they are in their trade/technology cycle.  Utilizing the content areas, students are taught strategies to be able to become independent and self-motivated learners with a greater responsibility for their learning process.  These learning skills and strategies are then able to be transferred into all classrooms, both academic and technology related.  Students receive ¼ credit for each lab, thus a total of ½ credit a year or 1 credit over the two year period.  Labs are graded and computed into the student’s grade point average.  Multiple types of learning styles are addressed in the labs utilizing a wide variety of materials in order to best address the needs of all students.  Language transition support services are provided to English Language Learners in the labs by continued monitoring of their language needs and modified as the student’s proficiency in the second language grows.  The Labs represent a coordinated school-wide approach to improving content literacy following a research based model from the University of Kansas’ Strategic Instructional Model.

III. SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Connecticut Technical High Schools offer supplemental support for students.  The Connecticut Technical High School (CTHS) philosophy is to include all students in the mainstream of instructional programs.  The Planning and Placement Team (PPT) process determines the support services needed by the students.  The Special Education Department works collaboratively with the content area teachers to provide the instruction for these students in the mainstream. To provide accommodations, modifications and support within the regular classroom, special education teachers work with English, mathematics, science, social studies, lab and technology teachers.  This co-teaching and coordinated approach allows students to be educated in the least restrictive environment.

IV. CAREER DEVELOPMENT LAB (Required course for all 11th graders)
The Career Development Lab is a required course designed to provide students with the specific skills and competencies needed to be successful employees, advanced students and entrepreneurs, and leaders.  Students are exposed to experiences that are designed to further develop their professional and social skills, and include topics such as, interviewing and business meeting skills, social etiquette skills, customer service skills, portfolio development, and team development skill.  Through the use of self-awareness activities, students are better able to make wise educational and occupational decisions as they plan for their careers and post-secondary education.