This Week in CTE « Series « Advance CTE Blog

This Week in CTE

July 24th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

DAY OF ACTION OF THE WEEK

Many took to social media to advocate for the next COVID-19 (coronavirus) relief package to include funding for the E-rate program. You can take action, today, by emailing your members of Congress addressing the need for the inclusion of the Emergency Educational Connections Act (S. 3690/H.R. 6563).

COVID has blown wide-open one of the nation’s worst kept secrets: the inequity with which students are not able to access the internet at home. Congress should invest at least $4 billion in E-Rate to close the #HomeworkGap before the fall. pic.twitter.com/01MfGXX1Mo

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) July 21, 2020

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OF THE WEEK

Earlier this year, one Florida college was awarded the opportunity to expand their current apprenticeship program into new territories. College of the Florida Keys (CFK) will now offer Construction Technologies, Plumbing and Carpentry, Electrical and HVAC and Electrical and Carpentry as new apprenticeship programs at varying locations beginning this fall. Learn more about the opportunity awarded to CFK and the benefits of apprenticeship by reading this article published by Keys Weekly.

A new registered apprenticeship program from The College of the Florida Keys and @EducationFL >> https://t.co/6VuafEFbL9.

Earn credentials and grow your wages with skills in construction technology.

— CareerSource Florida (@CareerSourceFL) July 15, 2020

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

The U.S. Department of Education invites high schools and local educational agencies to propose technology education programs that use competency-based distance learning. Finalists will be chosen to develop, implement and evaluate their programs. A panelist of judges will convene to select an overall competition winner and award an additional $100,000. Submit your program proposal today! The Rural Tech Project is open to any publicly funded school or local educational agency that delivers education to a rural community and to students in grades 9-12.

STATE COMPARISON TOOL OF THE WEEK

The Education Commission of the States released a new 50-state comparison tool for states to leverage when considering how state policies approach funding for postsecondary institutions. Alongside the comparison tool are individual state pages where you can find a detailed view of one state’s policy. Click here to view the comparison tool and individual state pages.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

One of the core components of a high-quality CTE program is that it culminates in a credential of value. But with more than 4,000 credentialing organizations in the United States today, states are grappling with the challenge of narrowing down the field. Credentials of Value: State Strategies for Identifying and Endorsing Industry-Recognized Credentials highlights promising practices from Florida, Kansas and Louisiana, which have each made considerable progress developing a system for students and employers to navigate the tangled universe of credentials. View the policy brief in our Learning that Works Resource Center.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

Tags: apprenticeship, Florida, kansas, Louisiana
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This Week in CTE

July 10th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

WEBINAR OF THE WEEK

Advance CTE hosted a webinar with the Aspen Institute to provide state and local leaders with support in their recruitment and communication strategies for diverse student populations. Questions were addressed around access and equity for CTE postsecondary opportunities at the state and local levels.

View the recording here, and sign up for our next webinar, 2020 Elections Landscape: Implications for Career Technical Education on July 30!

STUDENT OF THE WEEK

South Carolina graduate of Bonds Career Center, Josiah Wright, will soon begin his apprenticeship. Josiah will become a full-time employee and student at Greenville Tech, will learn and earn from industry professionals and become certified as an industrial electrician.

Congratulations Josiah!

Riverside/Bonds Mechatronics grad Josiah Wright will soon be an apprentice for Hayes & Lunsford. The four-year program includes a full-time job, tuition and books at Greenville Tech, and industry certifications needed to become an industrial electrician. More proof that #CTEWorks pic.twitter.com/TbPPXyKsea

— Bonds Career Center (@BondsCareer) July 8, 2020

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

This week, the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies introduced their Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations bill. The bill proposes a 1.4% increase for CTE, bringing the funding level to about $1.3 billion. The full House Appropriations Committee will vote on this bill on Monday at 1:00pmEST, you can watch here.

TWITTER CHAT OF THE WEEK

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF) hosted a twitter chat on Tuesday, July 7, highlighting the importance of increasing federal education funding right before the House Labor-HHS-Ed Appropriations Subcommittee went into their mark-up for the FY 2021 funding bill. Follow the #HearOurEdStories hashtag on Twitter to read responses on why education funding matters.

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK

The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) has launched a national campaign to help states recruit and maintain females and underrepresented student populations in the field of manufacturing. Download free resources and learn more about the Making The Future, Connecting Girls to Manufacturing Campaign here.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

To expand access to CTE and advanced coursework more generally, the Idaho legislature authorized Idaho Career & Technical Education to work with Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA), a fully-accredited online school serving students in all of the state’s 115 districts, to develop CTE Digital. Through IDLA, Idaho students all over the state can access online CTE coursework.

Check out the Idaho CTE Digital policy profile in the Learning that Works Resource Center.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

Tags: Idaho, South Carolina
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This Week in CTE

July 3rd, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

State CTE Director of the Week

Welcome Craig Statucki to Advance CTE! In his new role as State CTE Director, Craig is excited to lean on his experience building relationships between state and local CTE stakeholders to lead Nevada through change. Read more about Craig on our blog.

CTE Completers of the Week

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) recognized eight North Carolina CTE high school graduates as Advanced Career (AC) STEM Pathway completers or scholars. The AC program of study has prepared these graduates for college and career opportunities in a high-demand STEM field critical to the nation’s economy. You can learn more about the qualifications these learners met to be recognized here.

Learners were recognized at their school’s graduation ceremony and received the distinguished SREB Advanced Career STEM Pathway Academy certificate of completion, AC Scholar recognition and graduation chords specially made for this unique honor.

Video Competition of the Week

JFF hosted the Horizons Virtual Conference a few weeks ago and announced the winner of their “Why I Apprentice” national youth apprenticeship video competition. Congratulations Brenden Rohland of Wisconsin! View his video submission here.

“Why I Apprentice” is a national video series that celebrates the stories of youth apprentices. A compilation of all the video submissions from youth apprentices across the United States can be viewed here.

Legislative Update of the Week

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced this week the approval of the final wave of Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) state plans by the Department of Education. In this wave, we celebrate the approval of the following states and territories: Alaska, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, West Virginia and Puerto Rico. View all approved Perkins V state plans and resources here.

Resource of the Week

Enrollment in CTE programs has remained stagnant over the last decade while demand soars for skilled employees in today’s global economy. If we are to prepare all learners for success in the careers of their choice, more parents and students need to understand all that CTE has to offer them.

Advance CTE, with support from the Siemens Foundation, commissioned focus groups and a national survey to explore the attitudes of parents and students currently involved in CTE, as well as prospective CTE parents and students, to better understand the promise and opportunity of CTE. View the results here.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

Tags: Alaska, apprenticeship, Connecticut, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Perkins V, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, wisconsin
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This Week in CTE

June 26th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

VIRTUAL CONFERENCE OF THE WEEK

Nebraska Career and Technical Education (CTE) held a Virtual Symposium, which was the first of its kind for the state. There were more than 700 CTE district, state and national level attendees. Among them were Commissioner Matt Blomstedt and Scott Stump, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education for the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education.

During the symposium, winners of the annual Nebraska Excellence in Career and Technical Education Awards and Richard Katt Outstanding Nebraska Career and Technical Educators Awards were announced. Read more about the symposium and learn more about the award winners here.

STUDENT OF THE WEEK

In Michigan, one student has shown great leadership by joining Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Return to Learn Council. Dominic Gonzalez is one of the district’s dual enrollment learners, which allows him to attend a local community college and earn college credit while still in high school. Dominic will be tasked with providing Governor Whitmer and the council a student perspective of what returning to school should look like in the fall. Read more in the article published by The Detroit News.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Texas CTE students did not let graduation or the pandemic stop them from completing one meaningful project. Engineering and veterinary science students developed a prosthetic paw for a local puppy who suffered complications at birth. View this video for highlights from the project, prototypes of the prosthetic paw and the student’s stories.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

The U.S. Department of Education approved four more state plans under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V): Arkansas, Mississippi, Nevada and Tennessee. 35 state plans are approved in total so far. Check out this chart to see which states have been approved, and links to the state plans.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Launched in 2016, JPMorgan Chase & Co. New Skills for Youth is a $75 million, five-year global initiative aimed at transforming how cities and states ensure that young people are career ready. The local investments from across the world – Innovation Sites – aim to identify and implement the most promising ideas in career education, with a special focus on communities with the greatest needs. Over the past year, Advance CTE has released a series of snapshots documenting the progress of the local investments. This week, Advance CTE released the final two snapshots featuring investments in the Greater Washington Region and Germany.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

Tags: Arkansas, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, tennessee, texas
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This Week in CTE

June 19th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

WEBINAR OF THE WEEK

Advance CTE hosted a webinar with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and industry leaders who have built long-lasting and meaningful two-way partnerships to improve both learner outcomes and industry’s talent needs. New resources from The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, developed with support from Advance CTE, were shared and discussed to strengthen employer-CTE relationships using the Talent Pipeline Management(R) process.

View the recording here, and sign up for our next webinar, CTE Forward: How to Attract and Recruit Diverse Students at the Postsecondary Level: Lessons from Aspen Institute on July 9!

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Many school districts have developed innovative ways to honor graduating seniors in ceremonies in light of social distancing orders. Take a look at how seniors from one high school in the state of Virginia raced to the finish line. Read more here.

Did you see how our seniors received their diplomas last week? https://t.co/FasapMhe1g @HenricoCTE @HenricoSchools #CTEWorks pic.twitter.com/SP9d0FAdVu

— Henrico CTE (@HenricoCTE) June 16, 2020

PRIZE COMPETITION OF THE WEEK

The Evergreen National Education Prize identifies and scales programs that best help low-income youth access and complete college or CTE degrees. Learn more about what the prize consists of, past prize winners, eligibility criteria and more. Applications are now being accepted and must be completed in full by 5 p.m. ET on July 3, 2020. Email info@evergreenprize.org with any questions.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

The U.S. Department of Education approved six more state plans under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). The newly approved plans are from Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, New York, South Carolina and Utah. As of now, 31 state plans have been approved in total. You can check out which states’ plans are approved, as well as the final materials on our website.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Advance CTE examined research and best practices in Developing Credit for Prior Learning Policies to Support Postsecondary Attainment for Every Learner. This report features data on the benefits of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for learners, as well as best practices in Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Tennessee and Virginia across topics such as CPL for military service members, portability of credits and how to communicate about CPL opportunities. View the report here.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

Tags: Colorado, Florida, kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Perkins V, postsecondary, South Carolina, tennessee, Utah
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This Week in CTE

May 29th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

WEBINARS OF THE WEEK

Advance CTE kicked off the Summer Learning Series on Thursday, May 28th, 2020, with a webinar covering how state CTE leaders can ensure each learner has opportunities for career success and is supported in identifying and realizing their career goals. National experts shared how CTE systems should be constructed to close equity gaps during and after the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The webinar recording can be viewed here.

In addition, NCLA co-hosted a webinar with the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Presenters discussed school re-entry in the fall,what can be done to compensate for class time that has been missed, and how the current pandemic will alter education in the near future and beyond. The webinar recording can be viewed here.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

The U.S. Department of Education announced the first round of approvals of Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) state plans. We congratulate the following six states: Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. View this Twitter feed for a key point from each state’s plan that will contribute to the local and national economic recovery.

Today, @BetsyDeVosED approved the first batch of Perkins V state plans. A new era of CTE has begun! Thank you @BetsyDeVosED, OCTAE staff, and all the hard-working State leaders, engaged employers, instructors, and students that have made this day possible. (1/11)

— Scott Stump (@SStumpOCTAE) May 22, 2020

The U.S. Department of Education also announced the second round of approvals of Perkins V state plans. We congratulate the following nine states: Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming

EDUCATION INNOVATION OF THE WEEK

One CTE teacher in Colorado turned their backyard into a crime scene lab for criminal justice students. Another supplied lumber to students for at-home renovation projects. Boulder Valley School District teachers have demonstrated their creativity and are sharing how they have made their curriculums work in an online format. View the article here, published by Boulder Daily Camera.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

This resource is a comprehensive guide that builds on research from Advance CTE’s “Connecting the Classrooms to Careers” series to help states develop and implement a statewide vision for work-based learning. The guide provides key considerations and guiding questions to walk states through the steps of building and scaling a high-quality work-based learning system, drawing on examples from states such as Tennessee and West Virginia to highlight innovative solutions to common challenges.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

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This Week in CTE

May 22nd, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

States are increasingly innovative in their use of technology during the pandemic to deliver CTE to learners across the country. Here are two great stories of how CTE continues despite social distancing and stay-at-home orders.

VIRTUAL FACILITIES TOUR OF THE WEEK

In North Carolina, the cosmetology program at Union County Public Schools created a virtual tour of their facilities for prospective students and their families.

VIRTUAL CAREER EXPLORATION TOUR OF THE WEEK

Career counselors in Ohio have switched gears from in-person business tours for CTE concentrators to a virtual week-long career exploration tour with local businesses. Students were able to tour the facilities and speak with a professional in the industry where they were provided the opportunity to ask questions about education, skills and on-the-job activities. Read more in the article from The Business Journal of Youngstown, Ohio.

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

One factor contributing to the alignment of CTE programs to the workforce is the equipment made available to students. In California, new robotics equipment has arrived! The robotics program is open to students across the Shasta Union School District, making this new equipment accessible to all program concentrators. Learn more in this article by KRCR News.

PODCAST OF THE WEEK

CTE is going to be essential to the economic recovery of our nation. One school district in the state of Virginia is already getting a head start on framing the conversation of what high-quality CTE looks like and sharing its robust programs to students, families and the community. Listen to episode four of their podcast, HENRICO CTE NOW, as they discuss the energy career cluster.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

This study from the Online Learning Consortium examines six institutions in the United States that are experimenting with alternative credentialing strategies to provide flexible learning opportunities, including digital distance learning and prior learning assessments. View more resources such as this in our Learning that Works Resource Center.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

We encourage you to let your representative know that you support including CTE funding and flexibilities in the next stimulus bill by following the quick prompt here.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

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This Week in CTE

May 15th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

MEMBER OF THE WEEK

This week, Advance CTE welcomes Melissa Hickey as the State CTE Director for the Connecticut State Department of Education. Melissa serves in this role while also leading Reading/Literacy for the state. Top of mind for Melissa is working with business and industry leaders as well as high school and community college leaders to engage in conversations to establish new industry-recognized credentials.

CTE AWARD OF THE WEEK

In Arizona, the J.O. The Unified School District continued the tradition of hosting the annual CTE awards program recognizing students who have completed their CTE program. In addition to the program concentrator awards, a Spirit of CTE Award is presented to a student, advisory board member and community partner for their impact and contribution to the success of the district’s CTE program. View the Spirit of CTE Award winners here. All achievements were announced virtually.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Gavin Schmidt, a Custom, Collision and Restoration student from Batavia Career and Technical Education Center in New York practices his skills while social distancing. Gavin has found an innovative way to keep working on his industry skills by turning his home into a body shop.

GRANT RECIPIENT OF THE WEEK

United Way of North Texas has announced its seventh round of grant recipients. On the list is Per Scholas, which helps the nation meet the demand of skilled workers in the technology sector. With this grant, Per Scholas will be re-skilling and upskilling learners in preparation for their re-entry into the workforce.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

The Fordham Institute provided a new analysis of data comparing workers with bachelor degrees to workers without one. In the end, job skills and on-the-job training is agreed upon as a necessity for upward mobility across industries.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education has responded to the House’s proposed HEROES Act. View the letter, and all of our responses, on our COVID-19(Coronavirus) state resources page.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

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This Week in CTE

May 8th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

This week we celebrate the expertise and skill of our educators nationwide. Follow @CTEWorks on Twitter and Follow us on Facebook for our messages of gratitude to all the CTE educators providing academic knowledge and real-world skills to learners, especially during this difficult time.

Students from the state of Utah have shared their words of appreciation for CTE educators. Read them here, in the latest CTE Directions Newsletter.

Twitter Chat of the Week

The ECMC Foundation hosted a Twitter chat on Thursday, to discuss with national partners what is needed to support students during COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Their conversation also covered what is needed to ensure the future of postsecondary is more equitable once we return from the current pandemic. If you missed the highlights, you can view the hashtag #ECMCFchat on Twitter.

Question of the day. #ECMCFchat https://t.co/0PBREFqCbs

— ECMC Foundation (@ECMCFoundation) May 7, 2020

Work-Based Learning Activity of the Week

Direct engagement with employers has presented its challenges during the current pandemic. However, the state of Wisconsin has partnered with organizations and local businesses to offer online job shadowing to CTE students. View the list of sessions they are offering in May!

Federal Policy of the Week

On Thursday, advocates took to Twitter to address the homework gap during the E-Rate Day of Action asking Congress to provide at least $4 billion in funding for home internet access through E-rate. This day of advocacy was led by the Alliance for Excellent Education. Follow these hashtags on Twitter to join the advocacy: #HomeworkGap and #Erate.

Schools are closed, but classes are open online. Every student needs access to the internet. We call on Congress to provide at least $4 billion to expand #Erate and close the #HomeworkGap. https://t.co/f9huGKfDHY #CTEWorks #ECMCFchat pic.twitter.com/JrXAmI98At

— Advance CTE (@CTEWorks) May 7, 2020

Resource of the Week

Advance CTE and Association for Career and Technical Education have released the Middle Grades CTE repository of resources. State and local leaders can leverage this repository as they begin to develop and expand high-quality CTE into the middle grades.

Happy Nurse Appreciation Week!

This week we celebrate all the nurses across our nation and shine the spotlight on our health occupations CTE programs. Recent and soon-to-be graduates are selflessly joining the workforce to serve the needs of their communities while earning credit toward completing their program of study. In the state of Massachusetts, 17 students from postsecondary institutions are now working, under guidance from the Governor, to fulfill their graduation requirements. Thank you, all!

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

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This Week in CTE

April 24th, 2020

We have compiled a list of highlights in Career Technical Education (CTE) from this week to share with you.

Legislative Update of the Week

Advance CTE and 52 other national organizations have signed the letter supporting H.R. 6563, the Emergency Educational Connections Act of 2020, that Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced on April 21. The homework gap affects millions of low-income, minority and rural households. COVID-19 (Coronavirus) brings forth this existing inequality that prevents students from completing schoolwork. This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to receive $2 million and disburse the funds through the E-Rate program, prioritizing support to students, staff or library patrons that lack access to such equipment and/or internet.

Earth Day 2020

This week we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. View the facts that attest to the impact CTE has on preserving the life of our environment.

April is Community College Month!
Follow ACCT (@CCTrustees) on Twitter and tweet with the hashtag #CCMonth.

A letter to the President of the United States and other government leaders urges them to consider community colleges and their students in future legislation- leading to a more fair and equitable America.

Career Pathway of the Week

Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) in North Carolina have hosted a virtual spirit week to keep the spirit. View #NCFCSEd on Twitter for participants throughout the week.

Join us for a virtual spirit week starting Monday to #SayYestoFCS! Post your pictures each day using #NCFCSEd and #ctefornc to be entered into a drawing for prizes! Let’s show our FCS spirit! pic.twitter.com/0m3TcFNbbd

— NC FCS Education (@NCFCSEd) April 15, 2020

Research of the Week

The Institution of Education Services (IES) has released new data that compares labor market outcomes and unemployment rates post-graduation (and more) for students who have completed three or more CTE credits in high school against graduates who did not complete three or more CTE credits.

April is Second Chance Month. View the proclamation here.

Twitter Chat of the Week

A Twitter chat on second chances brought forth resources and solutions to offer inmates and those released from prison support as they begin their paths forward. The Twitter chat was hosted by FHI 360. View #SecondChance2020 on Twitter to review the conversation.

A6: Pell Grants are a great way for the national, state, and local leaders to collectively support young adults in and out of prison. @CTEWorks advocates for reinstating Pell Grant eligibility in prisons. View our HEA recommendations: https://t.co/kU1SzCYNXz #SecondChance2020 https://t.co/gzq0rlN2ot

— Advance CTE (@CTEWorks) April 22, 2020

Video of the Week

Flavors For Life Next-gen competition program awards culinary teams for healthy meal alternatives to address the nation’s obesity concerns. Congratulations to the high school teams representing the state of Nevada and their culinary programs.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

Tags: community colleges
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