ATLANTA (AP) — State education officials have announced they've developed courses for a new education model geared toward helping students find potential career paths.

Officials from the Georgia Department of Education say the career clusters framework will allow students to choose one of 17 career pathways based on what they'd like to study in college. The pathways range from business management and administration to world languages and are based on a set of core curriculum and electives.

The General Assembly voted in 2011 to allow the Department of Education to implement the career pathways program. State School Superintendent John Barge says the "new career pathways will keep students engaged and on the road to graduation."

He said many students drop out of school because they can't connect classroom experiences to practical applications.