Greater Cleveland Groundbreaking Regional Career Pathways Consortium Intends to Expand Programming to 10 New Cuyahoga County School Districts — More than 14,000 Additional Students to be Impacted

Published December 5, 2022

The Greater Cleveland Career Consortium (GCCC) announced today the invitation to 10 new Cuyahoga County school districts to its network.

Since its launch in March 2022, GCCC has supported Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) with the implementation of the Planning and Career Exploration (PACE) Framework. Through PACE, 6th- 12th grade students participate in high-quality, career-focused experiences through a continuum of embedded, in-school curriculum, out-of-school engagements, and career advising that will result in every student graduating high school with a career vision and plan that prepares them for family-sustaining wage careers in our region.

GCCC’s work and this expansion effort is made possible by generous funding from Cuyahoga County, the Cleveland Foundation, Deaconess Foundation, and JP Morgan Chase Foundation.

This expansion will increase the number of students served from 19,000 in CMSD to approximately 33,000 among the 11 participating county-wide school districts. PACE will roll out in ten of Cleveland’s first ring districts in two cohorts:

Cohort one, launching fall 2023:

• Cleveland Heights/University Heights City Schools

• East Cleveland City Schools

• Garfield Heights City Schools

• Maple Heights City Schools

• Warrensville Heights City Schools

Cohort two, launching in 2024:

• Bedford City Schools

• Brooklyn City Schools

• Fairview Park City Schools

• Richmond Heights Local Schools

• Shaker Heights City Schools

Charlie Keenan, Superintendent of Maple Heights City Schools says, “This partnership will create amazing opportunities for our students which we could not do alone. GCCC is opening doors to work- and career-based learning experiences with employers across the region that our students simply could not otherwise have access to in our community.”

GCCC staff and the Consortium’s expansive network of employers, youth-serving nonprofits, educators, and civic partners—will work with each district to design a unique implementation plan customized to the districts’ specific needs and provide ongoing support throughout implementation.

Established in 2022, and led by Autumn Russell, Executive Director, the Greater

Cleveland Career Consortium is a group of public, private, education, and nonprofit organizations working together to help every student in the region design a career plan that aligns with their interests and skills. The GCCC partners with school districts to include self-awareness and career-based learning opportunities for all students during the school day and connects employers with local school districts, students, and families to help build our regional workforce. To learn more, visit www.greaterclecc.org.