Responsive Design

Career-Connected Project-Based Learning

Empowering educators to design engaging, career-connected learning experiences.

In partnership with the New York City Public Schools’ Office of Student Pathways, the Bank Street Education Center supports school leaders and educators in integrating career-connected learning across schools through a range of initiatives, including the Principal Innovation Fellowship and educator professional learning opportunities. A key focus of this work is strengthening educator practice in order to advance our vision for effective and equitable teaching and learning for all.

The Career-Connected Project-based Learning (PBL) Working Group is a year-long professional learning opportunity that supports teachers as they design and implement innovative, industry-informed projects that bring pathway learning to life across classrooms and schools. Through the program, teachers develop projects that are:

  • Student-centered and grounded in project-based learning principles
  • Aligned to pathway and core academic standards, as well as durable skills
  • Responsive to the needs, expectations, and realities of industry

Over the past two years, the Bank Street Education Center has partnered with 52 teachers across 34 New York City Public Schools to design and refine projects across the Education, Technology, Business, and Healthcare pathways. Visit the Bank Street Career-Connected PBL Hub to explore examples of teacher-created projects.

Explore the Career-Connected PBL Hub

Explore our full project library or navigate to a specific pathway below.

Program Design

The Career-Connected PBL Working Group involves a combination of in-person, virtual, and school-based learning experiences:

  • Four full-day in-person sessions
  • Three after-school virtual learning sessions
  • An intervisitation to another school in the pathway
  • Ongoing, asynchronous coaching and feedback on project designs

Teachers participate in cycles of design, implementation, and reflection while collaborating with peers from across the city. In parallel, school leaders engage in leadership coaching with their teams. Together, Bank Street partners with schools to build the capacity to design, integrate, and align instruction with the key tenets of the Portrait of a Graduate and the durable skills students need for success in college, career, and life.

Group shot of the Career-Connected Project-Based Learning Working Group

Program Impact

Educators develop the capacity to:

  • Design lessons, units, and projects that enrich curriculum and enhance learning for students
  • Strengthen the standards and future-focused skills components of their learning experiences
  • Enhance the criteria for assessing student learning
  • Implement learning experiences and instruction that are responsive to the needs and identities of students and the demands of the pathway

Teacher Reflections
After teaching a US History Regents course for nearly a decade, I felt like a new teacher when I started teaching this pathway class. It was as disorienting and confusing as it was exciting. This working group helped anchor me, gave me ideas, and helped me develop a vision for this to not just be a class, but a transformative leadership development program for young people.
Teacher Reflections
I have seen an increase in [student] confidence that can only be described as transformative after completing real-world projects… Many students have clearly articulated these changes to their self-concept.
Teacher Reflections

I think there is something very meaningful about having students complete a significant project. Projects are accomplishments they look back on with pride, that build confidence as well as durable skills.
Teacher Reflections
I walked in believing that PBL is one of the most effective tools to engage students and help them passionately develop their understanding of any topic and I am leaving today even more certain of that belief.
Teacher Reflections
I am planning with more intention.