Characterized as "schools within schools," NAF academies serve a small community of students who are "organized as a cohort over their four years of high school" Academy teachers are typically skilled in both academic and the technical knowledge of the field in which the academy is focused. They are provided support with NAF professional development, training and curricula that integrates "core subject area content, career-themed content or technical education under a specified theme" ... based on NAF's input, that of CTE (Career Technical Education) and the local labor markets. Teachers meet often to coordinate the curriculum, take care of administrative details and are involved outside the classroom with local businesses and sponsors "to make learning relevant with real-world career support to build strong connections between school and work." The academies are typically run and taught by the same teachers for a number of semesters.