Building the Foundation for Profession-Based Learning in Middle Grades
We’re thrilled to officially announce the launch of the CAPS Middle School Network, and to share what’s been happening in recent months.
Middle school is a pivotal moment in a student’s journey. It is a time when young people begin asking big questions about who they are and where they belong. And yet, it’s often the stage where meaningful career-connected learning is least present in school. The CAPS Middle School Network exists to change that.
16 pilot affiliates
11 states represented
6 months in
This past January, we launched our Pilot Affiliate cohort with 16 programs spanning 11 states, from small rural schools serving fewer than 100 students to large districts with over 6,000 students, and everything in between. Four of our affiliates are virtual schools, reflecting the diverse ways students learn today. This is a network built for the full spectrum of how middle school looks across the country, making it possible for any program to engage in the work. A list of the CAPS Middle School pilot affiliates can be found below.
Since January, our Middle School Pilot Affiliates have gathered monthly to engage in the work of building this network together. We’ve established shared norms and a collective understanding of the landscape, explored what meaningful Pro-BL experiences can look like for middle schoolers, examined their program context and readiness, and most recently, heard from a variety of pilot partners on the types of experiences we can bring to students this fall. Programs are now identifying which pilots might fit their context, from embedded durable skills building to experimentation with micro-credentialing to community-based projects.
This is early-stage, intentional work. We’re not just building Middle School CAPS in a silo, we’re co-creating a flexible framework with CAPS practitioners who know their students and communities best. We invite you to follow along as we build this collaborative community together!
MEET OUR CAPS MIDDLE SCHOOL PILOT AFFILIATES
| State | Affiliate |
| Arkansas | Bentonville Schools |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Connections Academy |
| Arizona | Peoria Unified School District |
| Florida | Babcock Ranch Neighborhood Schools |
| Iowa | Cedar Falls CAPS |
| Iowa | Iowa Connections Academy |
| Iowa | Denver Community School District |
| Kansas | Blue Valley School District |
| Massachusetts | Uxbridge Public Schools |
| Missouri | Blue Springs School District |
| National | Pearson Online Academy |
| Nebraska | Sandy Creek Schools |
| Pennsylvania | Pennwood Cyber Charter School |
| Tennessee | Kingsport City Schools |
| Utah | Syracuse Arts Academy |
| Utah | Provo CAPS |
WHAT’S AHEAD
Fall 2026 pilots will launch across our affiliate schools and we’ll be sharing what we’re learning along the way. Interest forms for the next middle school affiliate cohort are anticipated to open by November 2026.
Learn more about the CAPS Middle School Network here.
Interested in learning more or joining the network? Contact Kate Parsons, Chief Strategy Officer at kate@yourcapsnetwork.org.
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