The purpose of this competitive grant is to assist school districts in the planning and development of a career-connected learning model for middle school students. In- and out- of school time lessons, activities, and projects will be developed to support students as they discover their personal interests, skills, talents and passions, explore careers that align to those attributes and engage in meaningful experiences to deepen their learning. The model will help students see the relevance of their academic learning as they begin exploring careers and understand all the potential learning opportunities and pathway options that will be available when they transition to high school.