Date

Summer 8-1-2025

ESRP 9000 Professor

Daniel Turner, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Daniel Turner, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

Exploring the Charter Schools’ Core Values and the Impact on Student Postsecondary Outcomes. Andrea Dagnalan, 2025: Strategic Research Project, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.

Keywords: Apprenticeships, Career Readiness, Industry Partnerships, Internships, Job Shadowing, Technical Skills

This strategic research project was developed to examine how the core values of charter schools impact student postsecondary outcomes, particularly for students with disabilities. The project addresses the pressing need for robust career pathways and vocational training opportunities that promote an inclusive, skill-based career preparation for life after high school. Although charter schools are commonly established on principles of innovation and successful student outcomes, aligning these values with work-based learning initiatives remains essential to closing equity gaps in college and career readiness.

The project investigated four possible solutions to address this need: (a) developing partnerships with local businesses and industries, (b) enhancing collaboration between schools, agencies, and postsecondary institutions, (c) expanding vocational training programs, and (d) strengthening individualized career planning. Among these, the most strategically viable solution was the development of work-based learning pathways in collaboration with industry partners. The internal factor evaluation indicated that this strategy had a total attractiveness score of 2.70. This corresponded more directly to the organization’s internal strengths than the alternative strategy of creating student-led enterprises, which received an internal total attractiveness score of 2.28. Moreover, the external factor evaluation results strongly supported strategy one, with a total attractiveness score of 2.67, compared to 2.15 for strategy two. With a combined quantitative strategic planning matrix score of 5.37, the development of work-based learning pathways was deemed the highest impact approach. The project recommends leveraging charter schools’ core values to expand internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, and technical skills training through strategic industry partnerships, ultimately improving equitable postsecondary outcomes for all students.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Concentration

Educational Leadership

Language

English

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