ACED Program
Engaging Middle School Students in Purpose-Driven Learning
Through ACED - the the award-winning ABEC Career Exploration and Development Program - students gain real-world insights and acquire essential, basic skills, exciting them about future career pathways and providing relevancy to their education. The program provides students opportunities to:
- Gain exposure to a wide array of careers.
- Explore their own interests and passions and develop an understanding of how they translate into future career goals.
- Set goals and make plans for achieving them through pathway planning, designed to guide them into high school and beyond.
- Position themselves to make more informed educational choices.
- Develop employability skills for a lifetime of success
The ACED program was launched by the Arizona Business & Education Coalition in 2009-2010 and is sustained through federal and corporate grants, philanthropic giving and in-kind donations from participating business and industry leaders.
ACED STATS
- 65,000+ students impacted
- 25+ ACED schools throughout Arizona
- 1,200+ teachers engaged in robust professional development
- 125+ business partners
ACED RESOURCES
Schools participating in the ACED program have access to the following no-cost resources:
Learn more at www.azced.org or email Debra Raeder, Senior Consultant and ACED Project Director.
ACED IMPACT
“Early exposure to career options builds a foundation for students to connect their learning with future goals, thereby enhancing engagement and academic performance." - American School Counselors Association, 2021
M.C. Cash Elementary School in the Laveen Elementary School District is an example of the positive outcomes a consistent and strategic approach to career exploration can achieve. Since the school adopted a career exploration focus in 2022 and began utilizing the ACED Program, attendance has increased, academic proficiency in core subjects has increased, and discipline issues have decreased. Students are also able to articulate their career interests and pathways needed to get there. (Video credit: Arizona School Boards Association, 2024).