Can America Heal Its Deep Divisions? Stride Says ‘Yes’ With New Career Curriculum

Stride’s new Criminal Justice career pathways offer students a more inclusive, community-based view of law enforcement-related careers

HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following a pivotal year of social unrest and heightened awareness of systemic racial inequity in the United States, Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) is expanding upon its Criminal Justice and Community Services career pathways at schools offering the Stride Career Prep program, with the goal of building a more diverse, socially conscious, and community-supportive law enforcement workforce.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the predicted growth in criminal justice careers over the next ten years is higher than average, with police, detectives, paralegals, legal assistants, and cybersecurity analysts on track to grow up to 31%. With the Criminal Justice and Community Services pathways, Stride Career Prep schools and programs aim to provide the academic, professional, and social skills students need to thrive in these high-demand career fields.

“At Stride, we have a special responsibility to help learners find positive solutions for today’s challenges and leverage the power of education to ensure racial and socioeconomic equity for communities everywhere,” said Dr. Shaun McAlmont, President of Career Learning Solutions at Stride. “This new curriculum reaffirms our dual commitment to creating learning environments in which students feel safe, and to ensuring different points of view are discussed in an honest and authentic way.”

Stride Career Prep’s robust Criminal Justice and Community Services curriculum was thoughtfully designed to provide a 360-degree view of the law enforcement workforce with input from criminal justice educators, members of law enforcement, and formerly incarcerated individuals. The new pathways will include brand new course offerings in Cybersecurity, Sociology, Human and Social Services, Interpersonal Communication, and Customer Service, as well as updates to existing courses on Criminal Justice, Law and Order, Criminology, and Forensic Science.

Eight Stride K12-powered schools will include the new content as part of their Fall 2021 Career Prep curriculum: Destinations Career Academy of Colorado, Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin, Indiana Digital Alternative School, Indiana Digital Learning School, K12 Private Academy, Pikes Peak Online School, Utah Virtual Academy, and Wyoming Virtual Academy.

Over 3 million students will have access to these schools where they can discover and explore potential criminal justice careers through a culturally sensitive, community-focused lens, with more Stride Career Prep schools to be added in the coming years.

The Criminal Justice and Community Services curriculum is only one part of the company’s pledge to end racism and discrimination in and through education. Other commitments towards diversity and equity include interactive courses on the history of systemic racism, $10 million in scholarships for Black students, and expanding the number of Black teachers employed by Stride.

For more information on Stride Career Prep schools and programs, visit k12.com/stride-career-prep.

About Stride, Inc.

At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) we are reimagining learning – where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed the teaching and learning experience for millions of people by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and post-secondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K-12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculum. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.