Carlos Rosario School: Integrating Education, Career Training, and Student Supports in Washington D.C.
Adult education providers play a critical role in expanding access to career pathways and economic mobility for adults seeking new skills, credentials, and employment opportunities.
Starting in 2024, AIR partnered with the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., to generate insights into how integrated adult education, career training, and student supports can help learners progress toward industry-recognized credentials and career advancement.
We learned how to be more professional, how to write professional emails, how to use the Office suite... I did find my passion to learn IT Fundamentals… That way I can get better paying jobs, improve myself and make my family proud.
Career Training Student
This research includes a qualitative study of the school’s educational model and a quantitative study of learner progression through short-term career training programs in healthcare, information technology, culinary arts, and education. Together, these studies provide insights into the instructional practices, support services, and career training pathways that help adult learners persist, complete training, and earn industry-recognized credentials.
The research partnership also examines how students in four career training programs progress through the following key milestones:
- Program completion;
- Exam attempts; and
- Credential attainment.
By adopting a milestone-based perspective, this research provides a nuanced understanding of where students persist, where progress is more likely to stall, and where additional supports may be needed to help students earn industry-recognized credentials.
The findings highlight the value of tracking learners’ progression through key career training milestones and targeting supports at points where learners are most likely to disengage.
