What Counts as "Work-Based Learning"?

Since the 2019-20 school year, when work-based learning (WBL) was first recorded across the state, student participation has increased substantially. But has it? This graph provides state-level WBL participation percentage data from the last three years of report cards so it looks like it has. Given the dramatic jump, a closer look may reveal that not all the learning experiences reported as WBL, are actually WBL. Now is a good time for schools to check—to review your WBL data, courses, and WBL experiences to ensure that everyone understands your school-based WBL programs.

Student participation in WBL is reported on school and district report cards and in Perkins Accountability Reports. However, work-based learning is more than a student being counted in a report for the public to view. Students who have the opportunity to participate in WBL during high school are learning about employment skills and a field they are interested in through academic content and hands-on learning. The classroom content is especially important in developing a structured WBL program at school. Classroom teachers have expertise in subject areas that relate to employment opportunities, teach academic knowledge, and provide an opportunity to learn about skills related to a field.

In Wisconsin, WBL has six criteria that must be met to qualify a student experience as a WBL. However, these six criteria also provide an outline of important school and employer relationships, training agreements, supervision, and mentoring that create the ideal learning environment for our students to grow into our future workforce. Reporting WBL, then, is more than reporting student counts; it is about humanizing the experience and development of our students to enter the workforce.

The multiple types of WBL experiences have changed over the years. Below is a graph of the different WBL experiences that districts report to DPI. The graph shows the name of the WBL experience and how many districts offer that WBL opportunity. WBL experiences are defined in the Wisconsin Guide to Implementing Career-Based Learning Experiences. DPI added Entrepreneurial Student Business and Supervised Agricultural Experience in 2021-2022. Supervised Occupational Experience was discontinued after the 2020-2021 school year. (See more on what WBL experiences are counted in school report cards.)

This graph provides student participation counts in the eight different WBL experiences. School staff should review what specific WBL experiences their school offers.

Strengthen WBL at Your School

Here are some guidelines for how to improve your WBL offerings:

• Schools do not have to offer all eight types of WBL, and it might not be appropriate to offer more than two.
• Each school should work with local employers to establish the WBL experience(s) that best fit(s) their community and students.
• CTE teachers should align the WBL experience with a CTE content course that provides prior learning to increase student knowledge and skills.
• Schools should communicate to students and families about the CTE content course that aligns with specific WBL experiences. This will help students and families identify how to get involved in WBL and what their responsibilities are in finding a WBL experience.

The Wisconsin Guide to Implementing Career-Based Learning Experiences provides definitions of each WBL experience and the six criteria. CTE teachers, administrators, and school data-entry personnel should review this guide for WBL definitions. It will assist in reporting the correct program name for WBL. School staff can also reference the WISEdata Element webpage for Work-Based Learning to learn about reporting requirements.

–Jessica Sloan, CTE Data Education Consultant, CTE Team, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction