AchieveTexasinAction
NationalBiomedicalandHealthSciences
Governor’sIndustryCluster
SecondaryProgram
Initiative
BenBarberCareerandTechnology
In2004,GovernorRickPerryannounced
Academy,MansfieldIndependentSchool
hisvisionofbuildingthefutureeconomyof
Texasandexpandingopportunitiesfor
District
lifelongsuccess.Thatvisionfocuseson
www.mansfieldisd.org
buildingcompetitiveadvantagethroughsix
BenBarberCareerandTechnologyAcademyinMansfieldis
targetindustryclustersandbringinghigh-
steppinguptosolvetheshortageofhealthcareworkersinTexas.
payingjobstoTexas.
EdFoster,CareerandTechnicalDirectorfortheMansfieldSchool
TheobjectiveoftheGovernor’sIndustry
District,citesanagingpopulationofhealthcareworkersandgrowing
ClusterInitiativeistostimulatelong-term
health-relatedproblemssuchasobesityanddiabetesforthe
sustainedgrowthandfocusstateresources
substantialstaffingshortfallsinmanyhealthcarefacilities.The
onkeytargetedindustryclustersthatwillbe
innovativeNationalBiomedicalandHealthSciences(NBHS)
theenginesofjobcreationandeconomic
secondaryprogramisintendedtohelpalleviatethecurrentand
“Ourstudents
developmentinthe21stcentury.
projecteddeficit.
Thisobjectivewillberealizedbyensuring
“Thearrayofclassesweofferservesstudentswithinterests
haveahuge
thattheeducationalpipelineisrobust,
varyingfromacareerasalabtechniciantoaspirationsformedical
advantageafter
aligned,andresponsivetothefuture
school,”saysFoster.“Thisprogramattractsthebestandthe
employersofstudentsbycarefullyanalyzing
brightest.” highschool
currentandfutureworkforceneeds.Itis
TheNationalBiomedicalandHealthSciencesprogramisthe
becausetheyare
essentialthateducationclosesthegapswhere
resultofapartnershipbetweentwonationalorganizationsthat
theyexistandhelpscreateaclimatethatis
focusoncurriculumdesign,professionaldevelopment,program
graduatingwith
conducivetotherecruitmentandretention
evaluation,andhealthcareworkforcedemands.MPRAssociates
ofhigh-payinggrowthindustriesthatwill
andtheNationalConsortiumonHealthScienceandTechnology
marketableskills
ensurelifelongsuccessforallstudents.
Education(NCHSTE)havepartneredtocreateacourseframework
andreal-world
thatintegratesahealthsciencescorewithtraditionalacademic
classesandprovidesproject-basedinstructionrelatedtohealth
experience.”
care.
—Ed Foster,Careerand
MoststudentsintheNBHSprogramspendonlyhalfofeach
TechnicalDirector,
schooldayattheirhomehighschoolcampuses.Followinga
MansfieldIndependent
nine-weekintroductiontohealthscience,studentsparticipatein
SchoolDistrict
clinicalrotationsatareahospitals,doctor’soffices,andclinics,
observingandgaininghands-onexperienceinavarietyofhealthcarefields.Fostersaystheclinical
experienceshavebeenabighitwithstudentsinterestedinpursuingapre-medicalcollege
program,andthatgivingthecoursesweightedcreditallowsstudentstoimprovetheirgradepoint
averagesastheyheadintothecompetitiveprocessofapplyingforpostsecondaryeducation.
BarberwasoneofeighthighschoolsinthecountryselectedtoimplementtheNBHS
curriculuminthefallof2005.Successhascomeevenintheprogram’sfirstyear,asstudentsare
enrollinginthecoursesfornextyearwithplanstoseekcertification.Thecertificationoptionisthe
crownjewelofBarber’sNBHSprogram.Itallowsstudentstograduateaspharmacytechniciansor
certifiednurse’sassistants.BecauseofBarber’sacceleratedblockscheduleoffourclasseseach
semester,studentsareabletotakemorehealthscienceelectiveseachyear.“Astudentmaytake
pharmacologyandpharmacytechduringtheirjunioryear,andthentakepharmacytechagaintheir
senioryearandsitforthecertificationexam,”Fostersays.
TheBenBarberCareerandTechnologyAcademyisfedbythefourhighschoolsinthe
Mansfieldareaandserves2,500studentseveryyear.Fostersaystheschoolispreparingforan
influxofstudentsinterestedinenrollinginhealthsciencecourses.AnEmergencyMedical
Technician(EMT)certificationprogramisbeingaddedforthe2006–2007schoolyear,andthe
schoolhasbuiltastate-of-the-artbiomedicallab.
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