NAF Logo - Go to Home Page
Sign In

Academy Development

NAF’s educational design includes four essential elements of practice that help ensure high school students are college, career, and future ready. Each element is comprised of standards and strategic actions that reflect everyday academy practices for continuous growth and development.

Elements of NAF's Educational Design

Academy Development & Structure

NAF academies are structured as small, focused learning communities that fit within and enhance high school systems, allowing NAF to become an integral part of a plan for higher achievement at low cost. NAF promotes open enrollment for its academies in order to maximize every student’s chance at a successful future. The flexible structure encourages teacher collaboration across subject areas and fosters personalization to meet student, school, district, and state needs and goals.
Next Up: Advisory Board

Advisory Board

NAF advisory boards provide an essential bridge between schools and the workplace. Businesspeople and community leaders volunteer on local advisory boards to play an active role in developing their future workforce by shaping talent in high school. Advisory board members collaborate with educators to inform curricula and help organize work-based learning activities. Advisory boards give students the opportunity to build relationships with mentors early and learn from successful adults.
Next Up: Curriculum & Instruction

Curriculum & Instruction

NAF provides rigorous, career-focused curricula that incorporate current industry standards and practices, project-based learning, and performance-based assessment. NAF empowers teachers to expand the classroom boundaries by exposing students to real-world issues in career-focused industries through connections with industry professionals and the business community. Students acquire essential workplace skills and 21st-century competencies to be future-ready for college and career.
Next Up: Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning

Work-based learning brings the classroom to the workplace and the workplace to the classroom. This instructional strategy provides students with a well-rounded skill set that goes beyond academics and includes the soft skills needed to succeed in college and the working world. NAF’s approach to work-based learning is centered on a continuum of work-based learning experiences beginning with career awareness activities, progressing to career exploration activities, and culminating in career preparation activities, including internships.
Next Up: Academy Development & Structure
Admissions
Guidance for new academies on the application process and steps for completing the Year of Planning and Fast Track programs.
User Management
Location for academy leads to assign Roles and Permissions for academy team members.
Quality Center
Central location for all data collection related to NAF’s academy quality process.
Action Plan
Track goals for continuous academy improvement with NAF's Action Plan tool.
Marketing Library
Tools, resources, samples, and templates for branding, marketing, and publicizing your academy.