Commerce Lexington to help Fayette schools develop career-ready work force

A program is coming to Lexington that aligns high school courses that Fayette County Public Schools offer with the needs of the local and regional workforce.

The Business and Education Network of Commerce Lexington will spend an initial $20,000 to bring in an educational initiative from the Michigan-based Ford Motor Company Fund.

It’s called The Ford Next Generation Learning Framework, and it will give the school district a plan to transform teaching and learning, and redesign high schools to make students more career- and college-ready.

Kim Lyon, program manager for career and technical education in the district; Betsy Dexter, executive director of the Business and Education Network of Commerce Lexington; and Commerce Lexington board chairman Alan Stein explained the program to the school board during Monday’s meeting.

They said it mobilizes educators, employers and community leaders to work to increase high school graduation rates, improve academic achievement and provide educational equity.

The transformed schools ultimately could infuse the rigor of college preparatory programs with the relevance of career and technical education.

Fayette County high schools, for example, could offer more health care or technology courses to meet workforce needs.

Hundreds of local businesses are expected to get involved, offering everything from teacher training to money to student internships.

The program gets underway next month.

“The business community is ready to step up and do our part,” Stein said.

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 10:26 PM with the headline "Commerce Lexington to help Fayette schools develop career-ready work force."