I designed the model as a grade 9 to 14 school, combining high school with a community college with an employer as a full partner, in an integrated program that gives students a free associate degree and the skills needed to enter into a high-growth career in the STEM field. And, we have experimented with innovative school models like P-TECH, early college high schools, and small schools that have addressed the challenges of combining a strong academic curriculum with workplace skills. Most P-TECH schools implement summer “bridge” programs that ease the transition from middle schools to high school by effectively using the summer between grade 8 and 9.