LAYC Career Academy PCS

The LAYC Career Academy sets high expectations for disconnected youth, 16-24 years of age, by providing a college preparatory GED curriculum and the opportunity to gain college credits before graduation. The school is built upon the central beliefs that: • All youth can and must obtain either a college degree or industry-recognized credential. • Students grow by recognizing their own strengths, using them to overcome obstacles, and setting and achieving ambitious academic and career goals. • Disconnected youth will succeed academically and personally with the help of high-quality, culturally appropriate education and support services. All graduates will complete a college preparatory curriculum that is aligned to Common Core State Standards and pass the GED exam. Students will also achieve one of three outcomes before graduating: become a Certified Medical Assistant; become an A+ Certified Computer Hardware Technician; or complete six college credits through the Career Academy's partnership with the Community College of the District of Columbia. The LAYC Career Academy opened in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington DC in the fall of 2012 with 100 students and will reach its full enrollment of 200 students in the fall of 2014. The school opened with twelve teachers and employ eighteen by its third year of enrollment. The LAYC Career Academy was founded by the Latin American Youth Center www.layc-dc.org, which will serve as the Charter Management Organization for the school. The LAYC Family of Organizations is a network of youth centers, charter schools, and social enterprises with a shared commitment to helping youth become successful and happy young adults with the skills they need to succeed educationally, professionally, and personally.