• Career Pathways
• Small Business Development
• Computing
• Financial Management – Accounting
• Financial Management – Services
• Interactive Media
• Administrative and Information Support
• Computer Systems and Support
• Computer Networking
• End of Pathway Assessments (Technical Skills Assessments)
• Career and Technical Student Organization
• Georgia Future Business Leaders of America
• Georgia CTSO
• Equipment Lists
• Industry Certification Standards
• Lab Layouts
• Teacher Certification Requirements
• Unit Plans – GeorgiaStandards .org
• Middle School BCS Performance Standards
• 07.08300 Business and Computer Science (Grade 6)
• 07.08400 Business and Computer Science (Grade 7)
• 07.08500 Business and Computer Science (Grade 8)
• FAQs about Business and Computer Science

What It's About

Business and Computer Science programs prepare students to become productive members of the business community and to enter a post-high school institution after graduation. Students develop competencies in such areas of instruction as finance, legal operations of business, administrative support, information management, international business, entrepreneurship, and management.

Business and Computer Science programs consist of three components: classroom/ laboratory experiences, which provides instruction that meets industry-validated standards; work-based learning directly related to classroom instruction in the form of internships, cooperative education, school-based enterprises, and youth apprenticeship; and the career and technical student organization of FBLA, which provides co-curricular activities within the program area to develop teamwork and leadership skills.

Why It's Important

"Business and Computer Science programs in Georgia's high schools provide students the opportunity to learn about the business community. Georgia's economic prosperity depends upon an educated population to operate, initiate, and expand business in the 21st century. These programs in our high schools provide students the foundation to be the business leaders of tomorrow."
Monica Anderton, Human Resources Manager
BellSouth.Net, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia

"As an employer in a small, rural community, for more than 25 years we have experienced the results and realize the value of secondary technical education programs offered students in our schools. Students are given a chance to acquire skills needed in the workforce, giving them a way to be productive, self-supporting citizens. These students learn work ethics and build self- confidence in seeing the fruits of their efforts. Six of the students whom we hired from these programs have remained with us from high school through their adult careers as a viable, contributing part of our workforce."
Jimmy Benefield, President
Farmers and Merchants Bank
Lakeland, Georgia

Work-Based Learning:

Work-Based Learning placements represent the pinnacle of the Career-Related Education experience. To qualify for a WBL placement, a student must be in grades 11 or 12 and at least 16 years old. Students must also have a defined Career Pathway in order to participate in the Work-Based component of Career-Related Education. This is especially important for successful completion of a student’s pathway in that their job placement is directly related to the curriculum of the Career Technical and Agricultural Education classes they have completed or in which they are concurrently enrolled. There are several opportunities for students to participate in a work-based learning. These opportunities include Cooperative Education, Internship, Youth Apprenticeship, and Clinical Experiences. A document with more information related to each opportunity can be found in the Files and Presentation box to the right.

Industry Certification:

• Revise industry certification standards for each program strand on a two-year rotation basis.
• Update equipment and facility standards/guidelines for all programs.
• Seek industry certification and recertification of 25 percent of the programs per year.
• Convert business and marketing labs to business technology centers for expanded use in entrepreneurial ventures and e-commerce.

Professional Development:

• Update teachers on current trends in selected areas of business and the use of emerging technology.
• Provide staff development for teachers in the development of instructional strategies for special education students.
• Provide a statewide bank of shadowing opportunities for teachers.
• Provide professional development for teachers pursuing industry certification.