​ASK
​What is it?
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Where will the road take us?
​Or
​Will we take the road of our own choosing?
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                Accessing Self Knowledge
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ASK is a five step framework for college, career pathway, and life readiness.  It's aim is to help students make clear, careful, and creative plans for transitions from grade school to middle school, middle school to high school, high school to year 13.  ASK is a process, not a product.  ASK helps students learn a process of goal setting and decision making.  ASK is best achieved in conjunction with a caring adult.  ASK helps students to answer the following questions:  Who am I? Where am I going? How will I get there? 
​Its primary objectives are:
  • Equalize opportunities for all levels of students
  • Encourage student engagement
  • Enhance student achievement
  • Involve parents and guardians
  • Strengthen community
Research indicates that students begin thinking about their future well before the 6th grade.  Students who are not engaged in school and fail to see the relevance of school begin to disengage from the educational process as early as elementary school.  A C3 follows student progress through the five steps of ASK.  The conversation, which lasts about 10 minutes, demonstrates their level of preparation and goal setting for the future.  Schools,  parents and students are assured that 100% of the students who engage in this process have a meaningful, dynamic plan for their self-selected post-secondary goals.  Reaching out to students to help them imagine their future is personal. Through ASK and the five steps students build voice and choice and gain agency in their education. ​

ASK was launched to help prepare students for their futures.  The program has its roots in  Navigation 101 that originated in Washington State.    The ASK program was born through grants (2011 to present) from the Olin and Desta Schwab Foundation.   From 2011 until 2020 ASK utilized Indiana Career Explorer(ICE), administered by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, and approved for college and career planning for schools and districts.  In 2017 a fully digital ASK Curriculum grades 6-12 was launched. 

Further digital efforts continued with the 2020 launch of an ASK Digital Workbook.  The workbook in google slide format utilized the robust resources of Indiana Career Explorer.  It was editable, shareable, and systematically supported the five steps of a C3. Students could work independently day or night.  However, in June 2020 the state rebid the platform  for Indiana Career Explorer and effectively withdrew this tool while they worked with a new vendor leaving all schools without a free, web based  tool for career awareness, exploration and preparation. 

Timing is everything and when Indiana Career Explorer was no longer available the ASK team created the student ebook, with open source links using Learn More Indiana, and O’ Net etc.  The student ebook has taken the idea of a digital curriculum and expanded it in a whole new way.  The  ebook makes the process of a C3  more flexible. The current ebook may be used by Naviance, and Xello users. 

 The C3, College and Career Pathways Conversation is the process for students to engage, explore and ensure readiness for postsecondary transitions.   Students identify their strengths and areas of concern, and make the connection between their personality strengths, interests and their career.  
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In 2020 we began working on ASK professional development products. We sought the exptertise and guidance of Region 8 and MakersSpace.   New ASK education leaders are supported in the 
​ CANVAS Professional Development Course(Student Learning Platform).  This hybrid (4 Virtual meet ups and 6 self paced modules)  culminates in a C3.   Grantees receive 13 Professional Growth Points (PGP’s) and a $500.00 stipend.  This course  helps educators to grow in their practice and to reignite their passion for teaching and learning…..the WHY!