GaDOE Launches New Options To Prepare Students For High-Demand Careers

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Monday, July 21st, 2025

The Georgia Department of Education is launching two new options to prepare students for high-demand careers and successful futures: new Academic Career Pathways and the Construction for Geometry initiative.

Building on the success of Georgia’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs and the CTAE+ initiative, these are collaborative efforts between GaDOE’s CTAE and Teaching and Learning teams and designed to support new options and opportunities for students.

Academic Career Pathways are 21 new hybrid pathways that offer a blend of existing academic and CTAE courses. Aligned to Georgia’s High Demand Career List, the new pathways recognize the strong link between higher academic learning and hands-on CTAE application. Georgia is one of the first states in the nation to offer this blended approach to student learning.

The Construction for Geometry initiative allows students to fulfill the Geometry mathematics graduation requirement by successfully completing and passing all the courses in the Carpentry Pathway within the Construction Career Cluster. This meets the admission requirements for Technical College System of Georgia institutions to support students in furthering their path to workforce readiness.

“In Georgia, we believe in offering personalized pathways to success for all of our students,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “These two new initiatives further expand opportunities and options for Georgia’s kids, building on the strong success of our state’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education programs. I appreciate the collaborative efforts of our CTAE and Teaching & Learning teams – led by Dr. Barbara Wall and Dr. April Aldridge – to make this a reality in Georgia’s schools, and look forward to continuing to customize the educational experience for every child.”

More Information on Academic Career Pathways

The 21 new Academic Career Pathways blend academic and CTAE courses, with students completing three sequenced courses that connect rigorous academics with hands-on learning.

The Academic Career Pathways do not replace CTAE Pathways, Academic Pathways, or Advanced Academic Pathways. Students can choose the option that best meets their individual needs and goals.

All Academic Career Pathways are aligned to the state’s High Demand Career List, and student participation is recognized on the College & Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).

Click here to see a full list of the 21 new Academic Career Pathways. Students have access immediately for the 2025-2026 school year and the new pathways will be recognized in the 2026 CCRPI.

More Information on Construction for Geometry

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, students can fulfill the Geometry mathematics graduation requirement by successfully completing and passing all the courses in the Carpentry Pathway within the Construction Career Cluster. This fulfillment meets the admission requirements for Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institutions.

Georgia requires all students to earn four units of core credit in mathematics, including Algebra or its equivalent, Geometry or its equivalent, and Advanced Algebra or its equivalent. After review, GaDOE recognizes the alignment and equivalency of the Carpentry Pathway standards with the Georgia K-12 Standards for Geometry.

The Carpentry Pathway includes skills and competencies that apply key Geometry concepts. To further support Construction teachers, GaDOE has developed model lessons that highlight and emphasize Geometry concepts in a carpentry setting.

Additional information on both initiatives has been provided to district and school leaders and professional learning will be provided at the district and school level.