Twitter icon
Facebook icon
LinkedIn icon
YouTube icon



Advance CTE Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Diamond Sponsor, SME Education Foundation – Manufacturing CTE’s Role in Job Creation

September 27th, 2023

In the next decade, job seekers in manufacturing will find plenty of openings. It’s projected that nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled in the next 10 years. The challenge, however, is that there aren’t enough qualified workers to fill the positions. An aging workforce, changing technologies and misperceptions about the industry all contribute to the shortage. This has serious consequences for the manufacturing industry, which is overwhelmingly not prepared. In fact, nearly nine out of 10 manufacturers say that their company is having problems finding skilled workers in manufacturing. When it comes to filling this pipeline of manufacturing talent, state Career Technical Education (CTE) leaders play an essential role in developing the next generation. 

It is important for industry and education to partner together to bring industry-relevant knowledge and skills to the classroom. Aside from learners, manufacturers are the most important customers of CTE programs, and programs should be aligned with the skills manufacturers need and want.  

It’s critical to embed manufacturers into the education process to ensure the curriculum and equipment align with their needs, asking questions such as: What is the market need? Which positions need to be filled? Which machines are you using? Which skills do you require? Which type of training programs do you use? Which certifications do you need?

Matching your state’s programs to local industry needs will ensure well-trained learners from your schools are in demand. Moreover, it can also lead to other opportunities like on-site tours, mentoring, equipment donations, internships, jobs, and even funding. 

Organizations like the SME Education Foundation are valuable partners in such a process. The Foundation’s signature program, SME PRIME®, is predicated on partnering private industry with educators to build transformational hands-on manufacturing education experiences.  Informed by private industry, SME PRIME® builds customized manufacturing and engineering programs in high schools across the country, providing equipment, curriculum, teacher training, student scholarships and funding for extra-curricular activities and program sustainability. SME PRIME® is tailored to meet the needs of local manufacturers and is aligned with over 30 industry-recognized certifications. 

In the past few years, the SME Education Foundation has partnered with both the Michigan Department of Education and the Georgia Department of Education to introduce SME PRIME® to dozens of high schools across each state, engaging hundreds of manufacturers in the process. Nationwide, SME PRIME® provides manufacturing and engineering education to more than 10,000 students at 109 schools in 23 states, and 91 percent of graduates pursue manufacturing post-graduation. Visit the SME Prime® webpage to learn more. 

The bottom line is that manufacturers and CTE leaders can move forward together to elevate CTE’s impact for a generation of learners. 

Rob Luce, Vice President, SME Education Foundation 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Advance CTE Fall Meeting | Comments Off on Advance CTE Fall Meeting Sponsor Blog: Diamond Sponsor, SME Education Foundation – Manufacturing CTE’s Role in Job Creation

Elevating CTE’s Impact in Improving Workforce Development

September 26th, 2023

Career Technical Education (CTE) equips students with in-demand skills and knowledge, preparing them for successful careers in diverse career pathways. State CTE Directors are tasked with the crucial duty of promoting the integral role of CTE in improving workforce development efforts and subsequently their state economies. CTE is a pathway to a skilled and competitive workforce and below are strategies to effectively advocate for CTE’s potential impact.

Work-based learning experiences, such as internships, apprenticeships and on-the-job training, bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical application. Partnering with local businesses and community organizations is critical to expanding work-based learning opportunities for CTE learners. Demonstrating the tangible benefits of such experiences, including increased employability and a smoother transition into the workforce, reinforces the value of CTE as an effective workforce development pathway. 

This can be accomplished through elevating learner voice. Nothing speaks louder than success stories. State Directors can actively showcase the achievements of CTE alumni who have excelled in their careers after completing CTE programs. Featuring these success stories on websites, social media platforms and in local media can inspire current and prospective learners, parents and community members to view CTE as a viable path to achieving their career goals.

To strengthen CTE’s position as a workforce development pathway, an investment in modern infrastructure and technology is critical. Up-to-date equipment and technology not only enhance the learning experience but also demonstrate a commitment to providing learners with the necessary tools to succeed in the workforce. Additionally, leveraging workforce and economic trends to develop career pathways that are relevant to current labor needs creates the symbiosis needed for a properly functioning CTE ecosystem. State Directors can engage in outreach initiatives to build strong partnerships with stakeholders, highlighting CTE’s contributions to economic growth and prosperity. Engaging in conversations with employers and policymakers helps foster a shared vision and commitment to supporting CTE as a critical workforce development strategy.

Promoting CTE as a pathway to improving workforce development efforts is essential to creating a skilled and competitive workforce that meets the demands of a rapidly evolving job market. State Directors have the unique opportunity– and responsibility– to lead this transformative charge. By emphasizing industry-relevant skills, facilitating work-based learning opportunities, building strong partnerships, showcasing success stories and investing in modern infrastructure, CTE can remain at the forefront of workforce development initiatives.

For additional information, resources and tools on promoting CTE as a pathway to improving workforce development, please visit:

Brice Thomas, Former Policy Associate

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Elevating CTE’s Impact in Improving Workforce Development

Research Round-up: Racial Equity in Online and Hybrid CTE Programs

September 25th, 2023

Advance CTE’s “Research Round-up” blog series features summaries of relevant research reports and studies to elevate evidence-backed Career Technical Educational (CTE) policies and practices and topics related to college and career readiness. This month’s blog highlights opportunities for state leaders to consider implications for equity in online and hybrid CTE courses. These findings align with Advance CTE’s vision for the future of CTE where each learner accesses high-quality CTE programs without borders.

Data Insights to Improve Racial Equity in Online Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Research and Learning from CTE CoLab, released by Urban Institute’s CTE CoLab, provides insights into racial equity gaps in postsecondary CTE programs, especially those offered partially or fully online. With the continued growth of online learning, this report underscores the importance of understanding how programs can meet student needs, address barriers, and create equitable experiences for students of color. This blog provides definitions of commonly used terms within the report, the methodology of the research, relevant findings for state leaders, and recommendations with targeted action steps by stakeholder groups.

Key findings  

  • Online learning continues to be more popular following the pandemic.  
  • Hybrid courses (a combination of online and face-to-face) in the CTE CoLab have better learner outcomes overall, relative to fully online or face-to-face courses. 
    • Learner outcomes measured in this report include the grade learners received in the course, passing rate, and completion rate.
  • There are racial equity gaps in CTE student outcomes, nationally and at CTE CoLab colleges.  
  • Addressing racial equity gaps in postsecondary CTE requires action at various levels: 
    • Instructors are the first line of support for CTE students.
    • Programs can identify opportunities to support students.
    • Institutions are the next frontier in addressing racial equity gaps in CTE outcomes.

Research Background & Methodology

CTE CoLab first analyzed available national data and existing literature to establish an understanding of the current racial equity gaps among learners in CTE programs. This data was used to develop a preliminary framework (see below). Twelve community and technical college programs from across the country joined the CTE CoLab’s college community of practice through a competitive selection process. Participating programs shared student academic data with the Urban Institute for calendar years 2021 and 2022 (i.e., spring 2021 through fall 2022) and provided insights on the structural gaps within their programs through an ongoing coaching engagement and targeted interviews.

Feedback from instructor surveys documented faculty characteristics, classroom practices, familiarity and comfort with racial equity concepts, and program challenges related to racial equity. In addition to using the research insights from the Urban Institute to support their racial equity work, many participating programs also conducted their own student surveys and focus groups to better understand student experiences.

Definitions

  • Online education is a learning environment in which technology facilitates interactions between teachers and students who are separated by time or space. It ranges from hybrid/blended instructional approaches to fully online courses and programs. In this brief, we treat the terms “online education,” “online learning,” and “distance education” as interchangeable.
  • An online course is a course that is taught virtually. Online course-taking can mean completing one fully online course during a semester or participating in a fully online program.
  • An online program is a program of study in which all courses are taught virtually.
  • Hybrid/blended instructional approaches combine online and face-to-face courses

 

Key recommendations

Based on the findings, the following recommendations provide targeted action steps organized by stakeholder group. For additional perspectives, refer to page 24 in the report.

  •  Understand racial equity gaps in student outcomes,
    • Instructors and programs:
      • Examine course and program data to identify student characteristics and differences in outcomes by race and other factors.
      • Understand more about where and why gaps exist by collecting qualitative insights from students through prompts/assignments, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and/or feedback forms.
      • Use data insights to inform course design to improve course outcomes. They can seek to improve their own knowledge of resources and supports that may be valuable to students and share these insights with others.
      • Design policies, practices, and supports around student needs and desires, with the goal of reducing inequities in entry, retention, and completion. 
    • Institutions:
      • Identify ways to increase institutional research capacity and provide training for program leaders and instructors on data collection and usage. Institutional research offices can work with individual programs or instructors to monitor student progress and success in real-time or improve data tools easily accessed by faculty, staff, and administrators.
      • Review student data across programs to see where racial opportunity gaps are most severe.
      • Conduct surveys, focus groups, or feedback forums to understand how to respond to students’ needs across program areas.
  •  Design courses for equity,
    • Instructors and programs:
      • Modify syllabi and curricula to be more culturally responsive. 
    • Institutions:
      • Support faculty by offering equity-centered professional development, and professional development instruction on digital tools for faculty may also be beneficial. Leverage stipends to encourage participation and ensure all faculty members are able to participate.
      • Set a standard for language, concepts, and terminology related to racial equity.
  •  Support equity consciousness at a broader system level, and
    • State policymakers:
      • Make disaggregated education, employment, and earnings data available to programs, institutions, and state stakeholders to track long-term student outcomes. 
    • Other system stakeholders:
      • Review accreditation, licensing, and funding procedures that limit colleges’ flexibility to respond to student, instructor, and program needs. Flexibility has emerged as one of the most important elements of promoting student success.
  •  Conduct further research on effective approaches.
    • Institutions and funders:
      • Support research to identify high-impact strategies for hybrid courses and whether certain elements of CTE programming are better delivered through hybrid learning than fully remote learning, focusing on benefits for different types of learners.

To learn more about resources and strategies to increase equitable access for every CTE learner, visit Advance CTE’s Learning that Works Resource Center. 

  • Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool: This goal-setting tool adds a new resource in the data toolbox for state and local CTE and career pathways leaders to assess learner group data in comparison to the broader student population. With this goal-setting tool, leaders can more intentionally plan to recruit, engage, and support underrepresented learner groups to increase access to high-quality CTE programs and career pathways.
  • CTE Without Borders Policy Playbook:This resource, developed in partnership with the Southern Regional Education Board and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, supports state and local leaders in the development of policies and programs that advance the expansion of CTE and work-based learning within and across states.
  • Learner Voice Toolkit: This toolkit provides state and local CTE leaders with actionable resources, guidance and tools to ensure CTE learner voices are elevated and heard for the improvement of CTE policies and practices.

Amy Hodge, Member and Policy Associate

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Research | Comments Off on Research Round-up: Racial Equity in Online and Hybrid CTE Programs

Legislative Update: Stalemate on Funding Continues While House Examines WIOA

September 22nd, 2023

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill remained in session this week but have continued to struggle to find a pathway forward on federal funding for the upcoming fiscal year. Elsewhere, the House held a hearing to formally examine updating workforce development legislation. 

Congress Remains Deadlocked on FY24 Funding

This week the House and the Senate continued to struggle to find consensus on a pathway forward on federal fiscal year 2024 (FY24) funding. With FY24 set to begin on October 1, lawmakers must pass stopgap spending legislation, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to extend current federal funding levels as negotiations on longer-term FY24 legislation continue. House Republican leaders, however, are struggling to build consensus within their own caucus about the duration and content of the CR as well as longer-term FY24 spending proposals. As a result, a government shutdown is appearing increasingly likely on October 1. While the Senate was expected to advance several more FY24 measures this week, those efforts have also failed to move forward as initially scheduled.

Both impasses are due to opposition from conservative Republicans demanding significant spending and policy concessions in exchange for their support for both a CR and, more broadly, full-year FY24 funding legislation. In addition, Republican lawmakers in the House have only considered spending proposals that dramatically reduce current federal funding, including funding for wider education and workforce development investments, by amounts far beyond the requirements of the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) approved earlier this year. With the margins of control in both chambers extremely narrow, continued conservative opposition and demands to further cut domestic programs land exact other concessions have stalled Congress’ ability to reach a consensus. As this impasse continues, Advance CTE will continue to engage with partners in Congress to advocate for robust funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V*) and other funding streams important to the Career Technical Education (CTE) community.

House Holds Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Hearing

On Wednesday, September 20, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Strengthening WIOA: Improving Outcomes for Jobseekers, Employers, and Taxpayers.” The hearing, which was framed by the committee as a formal first step towards a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), focused extensively on a number of issues including potential reforms to the law that would increase access to training opportunities. The hearing also focused extensively on ways to better promote employer engagement and to improve data transparency and accountability within the legislation. Lawmakers and witnesses also discussed strategies and approaches to better support youth populations and provide them with more robust training and employment options. Witness testimony and opening statements can be accessed in the recording of the hearing.

*As amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Legislative Update: Stalemate on Funding Continues While House Examines WIOA

Funding Career Technical Education: Using the 2023 State of CTE Funding Report Resources

September 21st, 2023

Advance CTE’s newly released 2023 State of CTE: An Analysis of State Secondary CTE Funding Models highlights how states and the District of Columbia provide high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) through various secondary CTE funding models and approaches. This blog, the second in a series, describes ways to use the website and supporting resources. 

Overview

This resource builds on baseline research conducted in 2014 by RTI International, with the support of Advance CTE, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, and is generously supported by the Walton Family Foundation. Advance CTE is committed to supporting states as they design equitable funding models that direct funding where it is needed most, as described in Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education (CTE Without Limits). Expanding knowledge about funding models and approaches for state secondary CTE is critical for state leaders to provide high-quality CTE for diverse learners. The website consists of an executive summary, research report and three case studies, interactive national funding landscape map and downloadable state-by-state funding table. Below are tips on using and sharing this research with your colleagues and stakeholders, with links to the resources in each header.

Executive Summary

Read the executive summary to get a background of CTE funding foundational basics, a project overview and recommendations for revising and implementing more equitable funding models. This is a great resource for you to pass along to policymakers, legislative staff, state budget staff, partner agencies or local CTE leaders in your state. Consider adding the summary as a pre-reading assignment or an agenda item during your next meeting about state funding.

Research Report and Case Studies

The research report provides a 50-state landscape of state secondary CTE funding, highlights key trends in state funding models, and provides recommendations to advance equitable, learner-centered funding designs. You can learn about some of the ways states made adjustments to their models in the past decade and read examples of how states have designed elements of their funding models to address CTE program quality, access and completion. Case studies from Massachusetts, North Dakota and Texas showcase how three states implement different categorical funding models. 

These case-use examples provide ideas for you to maximize the website and supporting resources in conversations about CTE funding. 

National Funding Landscape Map

The interactive map provides a comparison of secondary CTE models across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Identify your state’s funding model and then compare it to other states with the same funding model. You can also compare your state’s allocation to other states with similar demographics and CTE learner participation numbers. Use the information for benchmarking purposes when discussing – or advocating for – secondary CTE funding in your state. 

State-by-State Funding Table

The state-by-state funding table provides descriptions of each state’s funding approach, allocations from fiscal year 2022 and sources for legislative and regulatory documents. You have the option of downloading the table for additional analysis. Run keyword searches in the descriptions for “enrollment” or “average daily membership” or “ADM” to identify how states structure funding around learner enrollment. Run a keyword search for “grants” to identify which states are using competitive or one-time grants to support secondary CTE. Compare models and approaches from 2012 and 2022 to identify states that have changed their model and/or approach in the last decade. This is helpful information to reference if your state is considering or is in the process of changing its secondary CTE funding model and/or approach. 

ACTION: Bookmark the website for easier future access, watch the explainer video and share this blog with your colleagues. 

Be sure to read the first blog in this series, Funding Career Technical Education: Secondary CTE Funding Basics, which provides a background on CTE funding and describes various models and approaches states use to fund secondary CTE. In the next blog in this series, we will explore how states have incorporated equity elements into their funding models to address CTE program quality, access and completion.

You can read more about funding in the following Advance CTE resources:

Dr. Laura Maldonado, Senior Research Associate

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Public Policy, Research | Comments Off on Funding Career Technical Education: Using the 2023 State of CTE Funding Report Resources

Welcome Emily Passias to Advance CTE!

September 18th, 2023

I could not be more delighted to join the team here at Advance CTE! A self-proclaimed “Career Technical Education (CTE) evangelist,” I’ve spent much of my career designing, implementing and supporting policies and practices that create the conditions for high-quality CTE to flourish, and have had the pleasure to learn from and work alongside the Advance CTE team and members over those years. As a former State CTE Director and Advance CTE member, it is an honor to be able to give back to an organization that has given so much to me and to the field at large.

I am a Buckeye through and through, having spent nearly two decades either learning or teaching at The Ohio State University. As a sociologist by training, the driver at the heart of my work has always been reducing inequality. After many years of conducting research and teaching research methods, statistics, and substantive sociology courses at The Ohio State University, I became enthralled with the promise that CTE holds to prepare learners to achieve their aspirations. 

That passion took me to the Ohio Department of Education where I spent seven years serving the learners of Ohio, designing state-level policy and practice solutions to strengthen and scale CTE in the state while simultaneously closing long-standing access and performance gaps across student groups. During my tenure at the Ohio Department of Education, I had the opportunity lead the development of the state’s CTE Report Card and CTE-focused pathways to high school graduation, as well as the state’s efforts to launch and scale middle-grade CTE and better align education and workforce by identifying and incentivizing credentials of value in CTE programs. 

Immediately prior to joining the Advance CTE team, I served as the Vice President for Policy at the Linked Learning Alliance where I worked with states and communities to design and implement policies that support college and career pathways that intentionally integrate high-quality CTE, rigorous academics, early postsecondary opportunities, and work-based learning experiences.  I also spent several years as the Director of Career Readiness at Education Strategy Group, where I led the firm’s work on credentials of value and worked with states and communities to plan, implement, and scale high-quality, industry-aligned pathways.

I am based in Columbus, Ohio where I live with my large blended family which includes four teenagers along with my 21-year old, five dogs, and my lovely husband Geoff. For the first time this school year, I get to play another role in the CTE system – that of a CTE parent. Outside of work, you can find me in the garden, cooking, or shuttling kids around to volleyball and basketball activities.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Welcome Emily Passias to Advance CTE!

Legislative Update: Congress Struggles to Find Agreement on Funding

September 15th, 2023

Both the House and the Senate were in session this week as lawmakers struggled to find consensus on a pathway forward on federal fiscal year 2024 (FY24) funding. With only a few legislative days left on the Congressional calendar until the start of FY24, the status of federal funding is currently uncertain. 

FY24 Funding Remains in Focus

On Tuesday, the House formally reconvened after Congress’ annual August recess. The Senate has been in session since last week and is working to advance a “minibus” funding legislation– a measure containing three of the 12 individual spending bills that compose the federal budget. As a reminder, the Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced each of the 12 FY24 spending bills out of committee for full consideration by the Senate just before the August recess. These measures included a proposed $40 million in increased funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act’s (Perkins V*) basic state grant program. 

These efforts stand in stark contrast to the House, where Republican lawmakers have struggled to find consensus on a much broader swath of their FY24 spending proposals. Broadly, the Chamber remains much further behind than the Senate. More importantly, Republican lawmakers in the House are advancing spending proposals that cut federal funding, including for other significant education and workforce development efforts, by significant amounts beyond the requirements of the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) approved earlier this year.

The Senate’s and House’s respective visions for FY24 funding remain dramatically far apart. With only a few legislative days left before the next fiscal year begins on October 1, legislation that would extend current funding levels for a specified period of time (known as a Continuing Resolution or “CR”) will be needed. However, conservative factions in the House have indicated that they will not support a CR without steep spending cuts and a number of other policy concessions, including consideration of the impeachment of President Biden. These demands are not supported by the White House or party leadership in the Senate, leaving all three at an impasse during this critical juncture of the appropriations process.

The extreme distance between the House and Senate FY24 spending proposals and the positions currently taken by the House, Senate, and the White House mean that negotiations in the coming weeks are likely to be contentious and the potential for a government shutdown remains elevated. As these negotiations take place, The National School Boards Association (NSBA) will continue to advocate continued government operations without disruption and for robust funding for critical funding streams important to the K-12 community.

As these talks move forward, Advance CTE will continue to advocate for robust funding for critical funding streams important to the CTE community. Be sure to let your Senators and Representatives know how important CTE funding is by clicking here! 

*As amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Public Policy | Comments Off on Legislative Update: Congress Struggles to Find Agreement on Funding

Legislative Update: Senate Returns from August Recess to Busy Fall Agenda

September 8th, 2023

The Senate returned to Capitol Hill this past Tuesday following its annual August recess while lawmakers in the House are expected to return next week. Elsewhere, policymakers have started to collect ideas regarding how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will impact education and workforce development, while the U.S. Secretary of Education launches a back-to-school bus tour, announces educator diversity efforts and issues new guidance related to teaching and learning in schools. 

Senate Reconvenes for New Work Period

The Senate reconvened this week following its annual August recess. Lawmakers in the House are due back to Capitol Hill next week. On their return to Washington, D.C., the Senate has focused primarily on addressing Congress’s failure to complete work on the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget before the new fiscal year begins on October 1. Just before August recess, the Senate appropriations committee successfully advanced all 12 of the individual appropriations bills that compose the federal budget on a bipartisan basis but these proposals have yet to be approved by the full chamber and reconciled with forthcoming proposals in the House. 

Lawmakers in the House, meanwhile, have been unable to similarly advance their own spending proposals, including legislation providing funding for Career Technical Education (CTE) via the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V*). More importantly, the House and Senate’s proposed funding levels for FY24 differ substantially, with lawmakers in the lower chamber proposing significant cuts to federal spending which do not conform to the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA)—a legislative agreement reached earlier this year that prevented a default on the nation’s debt obligations.

Stopgap legislation, known as a continuing resolution (CR), will likely be needed to avert a government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins later this month. Federal lawmakers are continuing to negotiate a path forward. Conservative lawmakers in the House recently issued a series of policy and spending demands in exchange for their support for any CR, including prioritizing spending levels that fall well below those required by the FRA. House Republicans, led by Speaker McCarthy (R-CA), have further indicated that they want a shorter-term CR rather than one lasting through the end of the year while the Senate and the Biden Administration want a temporary funding extension lasting until the holiday season to provide more time to negotiate a full-year appropriations package.

Given the significant differences between the House and Senate FY24 spending proposals and the positions currently taken by the House, Senate, and the White House, negotiations are expected to be extremely contentious in the coming weeks and months ahead. As these talks move forward, Advance CTE will continue to advocate for robust funding for critical funding streams important to the CTE community. Be sure to let your Senators and Representatives know how important CTE funding is by clicking here! 

Ranking Member Cassidy Issues Request for Information on AI

On September 6, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Cassidy (R-LA) published a new white paper on artificial intelligence and the potential implications for policy areas falling under the HELP Committee’s jurisdiction. AI is still an emerging topic for Congress with two hearings scheduled next week in the Senate within the Judiciary and Commerce Committees.

Ranking Member Cassidy has requested feedback from the public and stakeholders regarding several issues likely to arise in the coming years as AI is further deployed and leveraged in different facets of daily life, including in education and workforce development. Specifically, the Ranking Member seeks feedback on whether and how AI can be used in educational settings, how education leaders promote a better understanding of AI, both among students and their peers, and how these technologies can be used to improve student learning while not diminishing learners’ critical thinking skills. Notably, the white paper includes several questions related to whether and how CTE systems and programs can leverage AI and provide learners more opportunities to pursue pathways in related fields. 

ED Launches Back to School Bus Tour

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has been on a “Back to School Bus Tour 2023: Raise the Bar”—a week-long multi-state trip across the nation to highlight the work schools, districts, institutions, and states are doing to support students as they collectively return to classrooms over the next few weeks. The tour includes stops in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota and features priorities and initiatives that the agency has been promoting throughout the Biden Administration, including its “Career Connected High School” efforts which are intended to promote key pillars of high-quality CTE. More information about the tour can be accessed here. In addition, the Department also recently published a factsheet highlighting the Biden Administration’s ongoing efforts to support learners as they return to school this fall. 

ED Announces Educator Diversity Efforts

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has announced that it will host two convenings in late October to find, promote and encourage wider educator diversity efforts. The first of these national meetings will be a Conference on Equity in Opportunity and will be held in Denver October 26-27. The second meeting, the Teach to Lead Summit, will take place in Denver on October 27. The announcement also highlighted recent ED efforts to prioritize teacher diversity including through investments in teacher quality partnership grants, August Hawkins Centers of Excellence programs, and the Supporting Effective Educator Development. More information can be found here. 

Office of Civil Rights Issues New Guidance on Race and School Programming

Late last month, ED’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issued new guidance regarding how and in what ways schools may include programming aimed at fostering racially inclusive communities. The guidance updates OCR’s legal interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which provides further clarity regarding under what circumstances schools may develop curricula and provide programs that promote racially inclusive school communities. “Today’s resource shares with school communities practical guidance about whether and when federal civil rights laws permit – and in some cases require – schools to take actions related to race, as well as whether and when these same laws may require that schools not act based on race,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon during the release of this guidance. The full letter can be accessed here. 

*As amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Public Policy | Comments Off on Legislative Update: Senate Returns from August Recess to Busy Fall Agenda

ECMCF Fellow Feature: Shelsi Barber-Carter

August 31st, 2023

In September 2022, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the second cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE—Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The Advance CTE — ECMCF Fellows include representation across multiple demographic categories reflecting the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in Career Technical Education (CTE) that closes racial representation gaps and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement. 

This month, we’re excited to highlight two members of Advance-CTE’s second cohort of Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellows. In our interview with ECMCF Fellow Shelsi Barber-Carter (AR), she shared how participating in the Fellowship helped her gain confidence leveraging learner data to inform policies that shape CTE programs across the state.

Tell me more about your journey to the Fellowship.

My journey to the fellowship is the result of networking and being strongly connected to like-minded individuals that play major roles in CTE. As an alumnus of the ACTE Next Level Fellowship, I found myself participating in activities and events that were held or affiliated with Advance CTE. As I attended those events, I heard so many great things about what Advance CTE was doing and how the organization provides greater opportunities for upcoming leaders in Career and Technical Education. With that in mind, I was really drawn to Advance CTE’s work, especially since it aligns so closely with my passion for improving outcomes for learners in CTE programs. As a former resident of rural Louisiana, I know that educational opportunities can be limited based on where you grow up; so, the way Advance CTE structures its approach to support states in providing access to high-quality CTE programming for every learner, regardless of their background, really spoke to me. During the time of my promotion to Louisiana Community Technical College System, my supervisor encouraged me to apply, especially since I was working more in the area of DEI at the time. 

I will say, since I have been a part of the fellowship, Dr. Johnson and my mentor Dr. Shorter-Gooden have been so supportive in helping me to understand where I can have the greatest impact in my community without directly serving in a postsecondary role. They rock!

What skills or areas have you experienced the most growth in the program?

I’ve experienced a lot of growth in my skills around strategic planning and my confidence in working hands-on with data. I’m excited to be able to say that I’m truly data-driven, and I’ve been able to effectively leverage data in my presentations about the impact that poverty has on learners. To add, I believe the skills I have developed through the Fellowship are going to help me increase ways on how to bring about awareness and influence when supporting every learner in becoming successful citizens, including those from underserved communities.

Have you been tapped for new or more advanced roles within your organization as a result of your experience in the Fellowship?

Yes, I was recently promoted to the CTE Special Project and Jobs for Arkansas’s Graduates (JAG) Coordinator for the state of Arkansas. In this role, I’m responsible for overseeing all secondary and post-secondary JAG and college success programs. I have over 600 students on the secondary side and 12 postsecondary institutions that I oversee through the College Success program. I strongly believe participating in the Fellowship helped me become more comfortable in working in a CTE space while embracing a role that calls for me to articulate my knowledge and understanding of learner’s data as it relates to the policies and guidance that I am providing to my team. I also believe my experience in working with Perkins has helped me excel in this role.

How has your experience in the fellowship helped you explore new spaces or positions in postsecondary state CTE leadership? 

With my experience in working with federal grants (Perkins and TRIO) and building partnering relationships with individuals from business and industry, I strongly believe the fellowship has allowed me the chance to openly connect and engage great leaders; as well as maintain important conversations about CTE with the decision makers in that space.  For example, I recently met with one of our state higher education leaders and felt fully equipped to have that conversation. When I speak with someone, I have a purpose in mind. I have a goal in mind. And I think Advanced CTE really prepared me for that.

How has the Fellowship expanded your network? 

Within the cohort alone- I’ve been able to network and bounce ideas off others to get a lot of great ideas about how to approach the work. Their perspectives have been invaluable, and I’ve been able to leverage this confidence and knowledge especially when I am speaking with state leaders about relative topics and issues that focus on the “learners’ voice in rural communities”. 

Have you discovered new opportunities for what a role in postsecondary CTE could look like/ the responsibilities of such a position?

I would love to step into a role where I’m working in adult education and workforce. I’ve built a lot of knowledge through my work with secondary and postsecondary education under Perkins, so I believe I am better prepared now to speak to those areas; as well as assist and provide a service that will really show the type of work that I do. 

A lot of the programs that I oversee include work-based learning, career development, internships, and apprenticeship programs. We connect learners with scholarships and job placements, so I am confident that there is a natural fit for me to step into a role on the workforce side of these programs.

If you have any questions, contact Shelsi Barber-Carter by email at shelsibarber@gmail.com 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Achieving Equitable and Inclusive CTE | Comments Off on ECMCF Fellow Feature: Shelsi Barber-Carter

ECMCF Fellow Feature: Caleb Perriton

August 31st, 2023

In September 2022, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the second cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE—Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The Advance CTE — ECMCF Fellows include representation across multiple demographic categories reflecting the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in Career Technical Education (CTE) that closes racial representation gaps and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement. 

This month, we’re excited to highlight two members of Advance-CTE’s second cohort of Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellows. ECMCF Fellow Caleb Perriton (WY) has experience working and teaching automotive technology internationally and understands the limitless potential of a high-quality skills-based education.

Tell me more about your journey to the Fellowship.

I was made aware of the Fellowship through the Wyoming State CTE Director Michelle Aldrich who is a friend of our college, and she alerted our dean who then passed the information down to me. I have a lot of experience working with under-resourced learners, non-English Hispanic learners in particular, and so the themes of the Fellowship really spoke to the passion I have for creating opportunities for these learners to gain skills that can drastically improve their lives. I don’t have the chance to work directly with this population in southern Wyoming but the Fellowship allows to have a national view of the policies that connect these learners with the knowledge and job skills they need to integrate into society. 

In the trades industry, we face a significant shortage of mechanics and trades workers, and we just don’t have technicians who are qualified to take these jobs. We need to consider how to bring more non-traditional students into these programs, and I believe that access to the necessary training is one of the primary barriers keeping willing workers out.

What skills or areas have you experienced the most growth in the program? 

I am certainly grateful to be learning alongside my colleagues in this Fellowship. My colleagues are brilliant, my coach is brilliant, but I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself an academic. I like to work with people, I like to fix things, and I like to teach people skills, but through this Fellowship I’ve realized the power of using data to tell your story. 

Have you been tapped for new or more advanced roles within your organization as a result of your experience in the Fellowship? 

Since the Fellowship started, I’ve been promoted from my role as a pathway coordinator to a program director with managerial duties. I was also asked to sit in as an interim dean while our dean was on sabbatical. As a pathway coordinator, I was responsible for recruiting students and engaging with industry to secure employment opportunities. As program director, I’ve transitioned to overseeing all of the academic aspects the seven or eight programs in my department as well as the performance management of about a dozen faculty. I am eager to bring experiences and knowledge gained through the Fellowship to my colleagues that have only ever lived in Wyoming. Previously, I was a campus president of a large technical trade school, and in the future, if I were looking to make another transition, I am confident that I could leverage the Fellowship network to find additional opportunities. 

How has your experience in the fellowship helped you explore new spaces or positions in postsecondary state CTE leadership? 

My experience in the Fellowship has allowed me to network in more impactful ways with the CTE leaders in my state. Dr. Aldrich, in particular, has had a bit of influence on my real-world project. She was actually a faculty member at one of the schools I’ve targeted for expanding opportunities for learners to explore trades education as a viable option after high school. I’ve been able to network with just about every level of state leadership here in Wyoming, which is great.

I’m always open to new experiences. I know that there is a lot of love and support for CTE and the trades in this state and I’m grateful for all of the doors that have been opened.

Have these new connections changed your expectations of CTE at the postsecondary level? 

My network has been expanded for sure. My expectations have certainly shifted. I think we need to have higher expectations for our learner’s educational experiences. There are opportunities to bring in more of those learners, the population that is under 21 and not targeted for a university, to recognize the benefits of these programs. This looks like improving our strategies for recruitment and enrolling learners in programs that are relevant to their needs and also those of our industry partners. 

If I could wave a magic wand to eliminate a barrier and make these programs more accessible, I’d want to target the administrative process of enrolling learners. I could have a curriculum for a new light-duty diesel class ready by this afternoon, but typically, you’re looking at a runway of at least two years for learners to go through the process of enrolling and securing financial aid before they can even take the class. Unfortunately, the result is that we get bogged down with administrative processes that end up omitting some really willing learners and eventual earners in our communities.

Ultimately, I think one of the most powerful tools that we have to recruit more learners is the way that we tell the story about the CTE programs. A lot of learners want a traditional college experience, and you can still have that in the trade school. An automotive or diesel electrical class is just as academically rigorous, if not more so than any physics class on a university campus. These courses deal with machinery that’s worth a quarter million dollars and has to tow 80,000 pounds down the road. With the proper training and a few years of experience, it isn’t unrealistic for a diesel mechanic to make between $100,000 and $150,000. We need to dispel the stigma around trade schools and find a better way to blend these programs through higher-level education institutions across America.

If you have any questions, contact Caleb Perriton by email at CPerriton@lccc.wy.edu 

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Achieving Equitable and Inclusive CTE | Comments Off on ECMCF Fellow Feature: Caleb Perriton

« Older Entries

 

Series

Archives

1