Rather than high school students sticking strictly to either the “academic” or “career-technical” track, “Connect ED” seeks to integrate both.  President Gary Hoachlander gives an example:

“Students might spend the morning at a hospital, learning how to administer electrocardiograms and then in the afternoon, spend their class time studying the human cardiovascular system.”

The center – which is funded by a 6 million dollar grant from the Irvine foundation – would help schools establish such a curriculum. Irvine also commissioned a poll of poorly performing ninth and tenth graders, which found 90% of students were interested in a program that allows them to take both academic and career-oriented courses.