ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference 2026

In this interactive session, participants get an inside view of Denver Public Schools Xplore Program and how we bring career exposure to students in alternative education settings (i.e. “Pathway Schools"). Pathway School students often face personal and systemic challenges that make traditional career development opportunities hard to access. Attend this session to learn how DPS leverages one program specialist to ensure access to work based learning for sixteen pathweay high schools.

Participants will gain strategies for starting a program from the ground up, steps for crafting uniquely curated events to meet student interests, and tips for specialized programming for students in the juvenile justice system. We will also discuss the benefit of stackable experiences that lead to a stronger career direction for students.