Career academy models depend on consistent attendance, engagement, and academic readiness; however, many schools try to meet student needs through fragmented, opt-in services that operate separately from core instruction. When supports are uncoordinated or peripheral, they often fail to reach the students who need them most and may do little to influence learning and persistence.

This brief from WestEd and the Career Academy Network of Public Schools (CANOPS) demonstrates how professional learning communities (PLCs) can work as an adult response system that coordinates instruction, intervention, enrichment, and student support within a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS). Instructional leaders, counselors, and teachers are provided with concrete examples, implementation guidance, information on common risks, and indicators for assessing whether supports are reaching every student.