When rigorous academics are combined with demanding technical learning and real-world experience, students are better prepared to succeed after high school.

This seven-year study found that participation in the Linked Learning program at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART), a high school in Clovis, CA, led to a higher percentage of college enrollments.

The study found that participation in CART’s Linked Learning approach increased the community college entrance rate by 11 percentage points — 71 percent for CART students compared with 60 percent for a demographically similar group of non-CART students. Entrance rates to four-year colleges were also higher for CART students.

“The message is clear: When students see a connection between what they’re learning today and what they’re earning tomorrow, they’re more successful in the classroom, in college and, ultimately, in the workplace,” said California’s Superintendent of Instruction Tom Torlakson, as part of the study’s release.