Knowing yourself and your options
Students take stock of their interests, strengths, and goals, then start mapping out what life after high school could look like. Expect conversations at home about classes, jobs, college, and trades.
What does a student learn in
This is the year career planning gets real. Students map out a path after graduation that fits their interests, finances, and the actual jobs available. They practice the habits employers expect: showing up, working on a team, communicating clearly, and solving problems without giving up. By spring, students can talk through a plan for life after high school and back it up with research about the schooling, training, or work it takes to get there.
- Career planning
- Workplace skills
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Financial wellness
- Problem solving
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Core skills for work and life
Students practice the everyday habits employers and colleges expect: showing up, working with others, communicating clearly in writing and in person, and using technology without getting stuck.
- 3
Thinking, researching, and problem solving
Students take on harder problems that do not have one obvious answer. They learn to dig for reliable information, weigh tradeoffs, and stick with a problem long enough to actually solve it.
- 4
Healthy choices and money sense
Students learn to look after their own health and their own money. That includes budgeting, understanding paychecks, and weighing how a choice today affects them years from now.
- 5
Putting it together in the real world
Students apply what they have learned to a real job, internship, project, or capstone. They show they can act with integrity, lead when needed, and use what they learned in class outside of class.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 12.
Career Ready Practices
Career Ready Practices
- High School
Plan an education and career path aligned to personal goals, interests
Students map out a plan that connects their interests and goals to realistic options after high school, whether that means college, a trade program, or a job.
- High School
Use technology to enhance productivity, communication
Students learn to pick the right digital tool for the job, whether that means a spreadsheet, a slide deck, or a messaging app, and stay flexible as those tools change over time.
- High School
Work productively in teams while using cultural and global competence to…
Students practice working in teams with people from different backgrounds, adjusting how they listen and communicate to get the job done. The focus is on getting real work finished together, not just being polite.
- High School
Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee, taking personal…
Students practice taking ownership of their choices at school, at work, and in the community. That means following through on commitments, owning mistakes, and showing up in ways that others can count on.
- High School
Apply appropriate academic and technical skills learned through career and…
Students use skills from their coursework, like math, writing, or hands-on trade work, to solve real problems outside the classroom. The goal is to connect what they learned in school to how work actually gets done.
- High School
Attend to personal health and financial well-being and make decisions that…
Students learn to make everyday choices that protect their health and their money, both now and later in life. That means weighing decisions like what to eat, how to budget a paycheck, and when to ask for help.
- High School
Communicate clearly, effectively
Students practice matching how they communicate to the situation: a formal email to a manager, a quick update to a teammate, a slide deck for a client. The message, format, and tone all fit the audience.
- High School
Consider the environmental, social
Before making a plan or a decision, students think through how it might affect the environment, other people, and money. They weigh those effects against each other before moving forward.
- High School
Demonstrate creativity and innovation by generating new ideas and approaches…
Students come up with original ideas and find new ways to use familiar tools to solve problems at work or in a project.
- High School
Employ valid and reliable research strategies to gather, evaluate
Students learn to find trustworthy sources, weigh what those sources say, and pull the most useful information together into a clear picture of a topic. This is the research skill that shows up in every job and college course.
- High School
Use critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them…
When a task is confusing or seems too big, students break it into smaller steps, consider more than one solution, and keep working through it rather than stopping at the first obstacle.
- High School
Model integrity, ethical leadership
Students practice honest decision-making and fair leadership in school projects, jobs, and community work. They learn to manage tasks and people in ways others can trust.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Plan an education and career path aligned to personal goals, interests High School | Students map out a plan that connects their interests and goals to realistic options after high school, whether that means college, a trade program, or a job. | NH-CDOS.CRP10.9-12 |
| Use technology to enhance productivity, communication High School | Students learn to pick the right digital tool for the job, whether that means a spreadsheet, a slide deck, or a messaging app, and stay flexible as those tools change over time. | NH-CDOS.CRP11.9-12 |
| Work productively in teams while using cultural and global competence to… High School | Students practice working in teams with people from different backgrounds, adjusting how they listen and communicate to get the job done. The focus is on getting real work finished together, not just being polite. | NH-CDOS.CRP12.9-12 |
| Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee, taking personal… High School | Students practice taking ownership of their choices at school, at work, and in the community. That means following through on commitments, owning mistakes, and showing up in ways that others can count on. | NH-CDOS.CRP1.9-12 |
| Apply appropriate academic and technical skills learned through career and… High School | Students use skills from their coursework, like math, writing, or hands-on trade work, to solve real problems outside the classroom. The goal is to connect what they learned in school to how work actually gets done. | NH-CDOS.CRP2.9-12 |
| Attend to personal health and financial well-being and make decisions that… High School | Students learn to make everyday choices that protect their health and their money, both now and later in life. That means weighing decisions like what to eat, how to budget a paycheck, and when to ask for help. | NH-CDOS.CRP3.9-12 |
| Communicate clearly, effectively High School | Students practice matching how they communicate to the situation: a formal email to a manager, a quick update to a teammate, a slide deck for a client. The message, format, and tone all fit the audience. | NH-CDOS.CRP4.9-12 |
| Consider the environmental, social High School | Before making a plan or a decision, students think through how it might affect the environment, other people, and money. They weigh those effects against each other before moving forward. | NH-CDOS.CRP5.9-12 |
| Demonstrate creativity and innovation by generating new ideas and approaches… High School | Students come up with original ideas and find new ways to use familiar tools to solve problems at work or in a project. | NH-CDOS.CRP6.9-12 |
| Employ valid and reliable research strategies to gather, evaluate High School | Students learn to find trustworthy sources, weigh what those sources say, and pull the most useful information together into a clear picture of a topic. This is the research skill that shows up in every job and college course. | NH-CDOS.CRP7.9-12 |
| Use critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them… High School | When a task is confusing or seems too big, students break it into smaller steps, consider more than one solution, and keep working through it rather than stopping at the first obstacle. | NH-CDOS.CRP8.9-12 |
| Model integrity, ethical leadership High School | Students practice honest decision-making and fair leadership in school projects, jobs, and community work. They learn to manage tasks and people in ways others can trust. | NH-CDOS.CRP9.9-12 |
Common Questions
What is this subject actually about in high school?
It is the bridge between school and the working world. Students build the habits employers and colleges expect: showing up, communicating clearly, working with people who are different from them, and making a plan for after graduation.
How can a parent help with career planning at home?
Talk about what work looks like in real jobs, including pay, hours, and training. Ask students what they liked and disliked about a class or a job shadow. Even a ten-minute conversation about a relative's career path counts.
What should students have figured out by the end of high school?
A realistic plan for what comes next, whether that is college, trade school, the military, or a job. Students should know how to write a resume, speak in an interview, and explain why they want the opportunity.
How do teachers sequence this across four years?
Freshman and sophomore years focus on self-awareness, work habits, and exploring careers. Junior and senior years shift to applied experience: job shadows, internships, resumes, and concrete postsecondary plans. Build in one real outside experience each year if possible.
What if a student has no idea what they want to do?
That is normal at this age. Push for exposure over commitment: career fairs, interest inventories, informational interviews, and short job shadows. The goal is to rule things in and out, not to pick a career by senior year.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Professional communication and follow-through. Students often need direct coaching on email tone, showing up on time, and finishing what they start. Build in low-stakes practice early so habits are in place before internships.
How important is personal finance in this class?
Very. Students should leave high school understanding paychecks, taxes, credit, and the real cost of housing and transportation. A weekly budget conversation at home, even about groceries or a phone bill, makes the classroom lessons stick.
What does mastery of teamwork look like by graduation?
Students can work with people they did not choose, disagree without shutting down, and finish a shared project on time. Group work should be graded on contribution and reliability, not just the final product.