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Opportunity Gap Analysis State Catch-Ups: Kansas

November 14th, 2024

Since the fall of 2021, Advance CTE’s Opportunity Gap Analysis (OGA) workshop has provided training, resources, and support to help state leaders identify and address gaps in access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE). To date, Advance CTE has led in-depth gap analysis training with 39 state teams from across the country. These teams have further disseminated the gap analysis process within their state CTE systems, resulting in changes in policies and practices that bring identifying and addressing gaps to the forefront of their CTE programs. This is the third post in a blog series where Senior Policy Associate, Jessi Maddox, interviews previous participants of the OGA workshop to share the impact and the lessons learned from implementing the training in their state. 

As we approach the end of 2024, the current cohort of OGA workshop state teams from Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are coming to the end of their six months of collaborative peer learning opportunities. As Advance CTE closes out this latest cohort, we wanted to continue to connect with prior participants and ask about the impact the gap analysis training has had on equal access to CTE programs within their state. This month we are spotlighting the Career, Standards and Assessment Services Team with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Workforce Development Unit with the Kansas Board of Regents, and the work their combined team has done since the culmination of their cohort in Winter 2023. 

When did your state participate in the Opportunity Gap Analysis Workshop, and what in-state training(s) has your team facilitated using the workshop model and/or related resources?

Kansas participated in the initial Opportunity Gap Analysis Workshop in June of 2023 with a team that consisted of the Director of Workforce Development, the Secondary and Postsecondary Associate Directors of CTE, and other assistant directors and programs consultants from each level. This cross-sector team participated in the subsequent Communities of Practice learning space offered by Advance CTE through December 2023. 

Several training opportunities were held throughout the state following our participation in this opportunity. At the secondary level, the Kansas State Department of Education provided an overview of OGA during our annual Secondary Improvement Application training. We also incorporated Advance CTE resources within the Comprehensive Local Needs Application (CLNA) to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) create action plans and strategies for any identified gaps in enrollment and performance.

At the postsecondary level, the Kansas Board of Regents held a gap analysis workshop with representatives from each Perkins V funding recipient on August 1, 2024. Especially well received were the root cause and strategies materials provided. We now also include OGA in many faculty and staff trainings at postsecondary institutions.

Describe how your team’s participation in the Opportunity Gap Analysis training impacted CTE in general within your state:

At the secondary CTE level, the Opportunity Gap Analysis training helped create renewed focus on resource allocations for gap areas. This included application changes for secondary program Improvement grants. Clearer expectations and Advance CTE resources resulted in improved action plans and budgets to support strategies for gaps. A reserve grant to increase equitable access to CTE was also offered. 

At the postsecondary level, focusing on analyzing gaps opens the opportunity for conversations that are not happening on campuses. With the help of OGA methodology and materials, CTE issues are put into context and issues can be seen instead of hidden. The grouping of root causes into themes was very helpful to the sub-recipient to see that programs may experience similar challenges regardless of content.

Describe how the Opportunity Gap Analysis training specifically led to changes in your state’s data policies and procedures:

No state policy or procedure changes have been made to date, but the two state offices are asking for different kinds of reports now, and we also make sure that all institutions collect data from all students so that CTE student data is not evaluated in a vacuum. 

Please describe any steps that have been taken to improve access for CTE learners after going through the CTE opportunity gap analysis process:

At the secondary level, a Perkins reserve grant was offered in the spring of 2024 to increase equitable access to CTE. Grant recipients were asked to form a team to include a middle school principal, middle school counselor, middle school special education staff, high school principal, high school CTE coordinator, high school counselor, and high school special education staff. 

Secondary local-level grant teams were asked to: 

1) Introduce all students, families and educators to career clusters and pathways. 

2) Collaborate with KSDE specialists in the special population areas that align with the special populations served in the district. 

3) Collaboration of CTE and special education staff to increase special population enrollment in CTE courses.

Grant teams are diligently working to expand equitable access in their LEAs, and will be building upon the OGA process to realize those goals going into 2025. 

2024-2025 monthly CTE & Perkins webinars will incorporate guest speakers to review and provide strategies for core indicators and special population groups. 

Postsecondary – OGA methodology is now included in the CLNA, with grant recipients updating the performance gap analysis section on their local applications each fiscal year. The state incorporated OGA as the model for the analysis section due to the system’s in-depth and cyclical nature. 

Next Steps 

If your organization is interested in learning more about what it takes to conduct a gap analysis in your state, or other opportunities to engage with Advance CTE’s suite of resources addressing methods to close access gaps, fill out the Technical Assistance Interest Form for personalized options that can help both staff and learners succeed.

The next cohort of the Opportunity Gap Analysis workshops will launch in the Spring of 2025. In this six-month cohort Advance CTE is providing training, resources and support to help state leaders identify and address gaps in access to high-quality work-based learning programs. Keep an eye out for upcoming information sessions and the cohort application on the Opportunity Gap Analysis page of the Advance CTE website. 

Jessi Maddox, senior policy associate

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Opportunity Gap Analysis State Catchups: Louisiana

November 6th, 2024

Since the fall of 2021, Advance CTE’s Opportunity Gap Analysis (OGA) workshop has provided training, resources, and support to help state leaders identify and address gaps in access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE). Since 2021, Advance CTE has led in-depth gap analysis training with 39 state teams from across the country. These teams have further disseminated the gap analysis process within their state CTE systems, resulting in changes in policies and practices that bring identifying and addressing gaps to the forefront of their CTE programs. In this second blog of the series, Senior Policy Associate Jessi Maddox talks with the Louisiana CTE state team to share the impact and lessons learned from implementing OGA in their state.

Over 168,000 learners participate in CTE programs in the Bayou State. Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS)’s Division of CTE participated in Advance CTE’s Opportunity Gap Analysis workshop in 2021 to explore how to both expand equal access to CTE programs and fully support learners in these programs. After participating in workshops and a community of practice, Louisiana extended its learning across state and local CTE systems. 

Tell us about yourself and your CTE background:

LCTCS has an unwavering commitment to ensure that all students—regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability—have equal access to succeed in CTE programs. To this end, we are developing and managing a robust framework that fosters an ethical culture and ensures legal compliance. This includes establishing mechanisms to identify, prioritize, and effectively manage compliance risks associated with federal program subrecipients while also overseeing systems to prevent and detect violations.

We are dedicated to fostering collaboration among educational institutions, workforce entities, and community partners to align CTE programs with regional and local workforce needs. This commitment ensures that a seamless educational pathway from K-12 through university to sustainable employment in CTE fields is promoted, with clear transitions from education to career. To support this, we ensure that blended professional development is available for all educational instructors and leaders, offering access to relevant education, workplace training, and credentialing.

When did your state participate in the Opportunity Gap Analysis Workshop, and what in-state training(s) has your team facilitated using the workshop model and/or related resources?

LCTCS participated in the Opportunity Gap Analysis workshop in September 2021 with a team represented by the State Director for Career and Technical Education and Assistant Director for Career and Technical Education. 

Since participating in the workshops the LCTCS team has launched the in-state Opportunity Gap Analysis at our Annual Conference in November 2021 with four virtual sessions, open to all attendees, to spark interest of CTE educators and administrators in the project throughout the system. Four additional workshops followed in 2022 and 2023 targeting implementation of the gap analysis by Postsecondary (PS) CTE and Perkins Coordinators. LCTCS has also implemented communities of practice and participated in cross-state calls to support the work of local administrators. 

The graphic below illustrates the expectation that OGA is embedded in narratives of funding applications and integrated into data-driven activities, including the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA), programs of study, and Annual Performance Reports. While the CLNA, funding applications, programs of study, and Annual Performance Reports are part of Federal and State Requirements, OGA amplifies their connections and strengthens the impact of those requirements on learner outcomes.

 

Describe how your team’s participation in the Opportunity Gap Analysis training impacted CTE in general within your state:

Participating in the Opportunity Gap Analysis has significantly enhanced our team’s data awareness and utilization. This has allowed state agencies to review data using the same parameters when addressing access for all learners. This experience has transformed our approach to data, leading to improved effectiveness in addressing and identifying the needs of all CTE learners.

Describe how the Opportunity Gap Analysis training specifically led to changes in your state’s data policies and procedures:

The Opportunity Gap Analysis training has prompted significant revisions to Louisiana’s Perkins V program practices and procedures, particularly regarding the CLNA and the postsecondary risk assessment. Subrecipients are now expected to use root cause analysis to align their improvement strategies directly with identified needs. For instance, if CTE students are facing difficulties with course enrollment, retention, or completion, subrecipients use OGA resources to identify barriers to access and success. This data provides the justification for additional resources, such as a wireless headset kit to support learners in an Electrical Construction class. 

Furthermore, changes to the basic and leadership application reviews mandate that subrecipients provide more precise SMART goals and specify evidence-based strategies or activities. OGA has amplified the inclusion of data. Below is a graphic with an embedded video that illustrates OGA in action, energizing outreach, impacting enrollment, changing the landscape, and empowering learners. 

Please describe any steps that have been taken to improve access for CTE learners after going through the CTE opportunity gap analysis process:

Our team has implemented several measures to enhance equal access for all CTE learners. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, we incorporated the OGA methodology and the Logic Model into the State CLNA Quick Guide. We emphasized the use of evidence-based practices in the review of local application plans (LAP). Specifically, the LAP includes questions that focus on disparities in access and requires detailed information on identified gaps and the strategies to address them. Local grant recipients must identify access gaps found in their CTE programs and use evidence-based action planning to specify the methods used to mitigate said gaps. Furthermore, all subrecipients are expected to employ evidence-based strategies in their improvement plans and performance evaluations, specifying whether the strategy contributed or did not contribute to results. In the example mentioned previously, data was used to justify the purchase of wireless headsets for an Electrical Construction class, which in turn has supported increased enrollments, and more importantly, has contributed to participants continuing and completing the program.

What lessons learned, or outcomes, from your workshop and facilitation experiences would you most like to share with states considering participating in an Opportunity Gap Analysis cohort?

Throughout this process, our team has gained several valuable insights. If we were to share lessons learned with other states, the foremost recommendation would be to revisit the OGA workshop materials frequently and incorporate it as often as possible. Given the frequent staff changes, the need for refresher training for growing understanding and maintaining familiarity with the work is crucial. To address this, we have integrated various activities into grant operations, the grant application process, and most data-related activities.

If your organization is interested in learning more about what it takes to conduct a gap analysis in your state, or other opportunities to engage with Advance CTE’s suite of resources addressing methods to close access gaps, fill out the Technical Assistance Interest Form for personalized options that can help both staff and learners succeed.

If you missed the first installation in this series, you can catch up with Iowa’s Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness, and how they have integrated the Opportunity Gap Analysis training into their state policies and practices here. 

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Getting to Know the 2024-2025 Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows (Part 4)

September 20th, 2024

Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation are excited to introduce the Fellows of the third 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. 

Over the last few days, this blog series has introduced 15 of the 20 Fellows participating in the third cohort of emerging leaders from across 16 states and one U.S. territory. The remaining five Fellows will be introduced in this final blog of this series.

Willie Thompson is a South Carolina native born in Sumter SC. Willie is married with two young boys. He has a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Communications Engineering Technology. Willie has eight years of industry experience. Willie’s previous roles were quality technician field service engineer, and quality engineer. Willie has been at Greenville Technical College for six years and has been academic program director of mechatronics for the last three years. Willie is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Greenville Section. Willie also teaches the Creative Inquiry course where select students help solve real world advanced manufacturing projects in the THINKER Program alongside Clemson Automotive Engineering Grad students. Willie serves as a mentor for the African American Males Scholars Initiative (AAMSI) program. Willie loves supporting the students and helping students achieve their goals to become successful.  

Dr. Brittani Williams is the director of advocacy policy & research at Generation Hope, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring student parents succeed, achieve economic mobility, and build wealth. She recently earned her doctorate. in educational leadership policy from Texas Tech University, with a dissertation focusing on Black women navigating four-year degree programs. With over 10 years of experience in higher education administration, policy, and research at the institutional, state, and federal levels, Dr. Williams is deeply committed to advancing high-quality and equitable CTE. Her work emphasizes the importance of CTE in supporting state leadership to develop policies, programs, and pathways that ensure career and college success for parenting learners.

Kellise Williamson is an experienced higher education professional, born and raised in Baltimore City. Her vision is to support high school students and adult learners in accessing postsecondary and career opportunities. Kellise currently serves as the postsecondary credit and P-TECH coordinator with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) within the Office of College and Career Pathways. Her role includes serving as the statewide dual enrollment liaison, P-TECH program manager, and articulation agreement coordinator.   Her experience includes providing leadership, management, and supervision to local education agencies and postsecondary institutions in support of dual enrollment and CTE programs.  Kellise’s work supports practitioners by providing guidance with implementing dual enrollment programs under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. She earned her Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and Organizational Management from Drexel University and her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Pennsylvania State University.    

Mike Woods, an influencer in CTE, has dedicated his career to enhancing educational opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities and non-traditional backgrounds. After teaching agricultural science and advising FFA programs in Pennsylvania, he joined the Association for Career and Technical Education® (ACTE) as the state association liaison for region one. This role helped him build a vast network of CTE partners in the Northeast and connect with the CTE Technical Assistance Center (CTE TAC) of New York and Successful Practices Network. Currently, as the director of the CTE TAC of New York, Mike and his team focus on providing high-quality professional learning opportunities for CTE administrators, faculty, and staff across New York State. A firm believer that representation matters, his efforts emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), aiming to empower educators and improve CTE for all students in secondary and postsecondary career pathways. 

Kelly Zinck is the education team research analyst at the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC), Office of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD). In this role, she manages data for both the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II and CTE Perkins programs, ensuring accurate, timely, and transparent federal reports and administering the Title II performance-based funding model. Kelly is committed to empowering collaborative partners by providing the tools and knowledge necessary to enhance program effectiveness and promote equitable opportunities. She provides technical assistance and professional development responsive to program needs, tailored to individual expertise, and aligned with statewide objectives. Kelly’s approach to data is guided by her dedication to data equity and literacy. She strives to translate complex data into meaningful and actionable insights, fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making among colleagues and collaborative partners. Kelly holds a master’s degree in public policy. 

To learn more about the Fellowship, the Fellows of Cohort 3, and the alumni of the Fellowship, please visit https://careertech.org/what-we-do/initiatives/postsecondary-state-cte-leaders-fellowship/

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Getting to Know the 2024-2025 Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows (Part 3)

September 19th, 2024

Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation are excited to introduce the Fellows of the third 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. 

Over the next few days, this blog series will introduce each Fellow participating in the third cohort of emerging leaders from across 16 states and one U.S. territory.

Dr. Cory Ortiz is the dean of the School of Career Education at the University of Alaska Southeast. In his current role, Dr. Ortiz is responsible for serving as the chief academic officer, overseeing Career Education faculty and staff, and providing guidance to the technical education programs in Juneau. His commitment extends beyond his campus, as he collaborates with campus directors in Ketchikan and Sitka to implement academic and workforce development programs. Before joining the University of Alaska Southeast, Dr. Ortiz served as an assistant professor of practice at Utah State University. His professional journey also includes K-12 work, where he served as a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) specialist, work-based learning coordinator, and engineering teacher. Dr. Ortiz’s qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with a major in Career and Technical Education, a Master of Science (MS), and a Bachelor of Science (BS), all from Utah State University.

Brian Rick has been interested in the trades and the CTE field since an early age. He has worked in several high schools as well as local community colleges in both teaching and CTE administrator roles. Brian originally worked in the architecture and construction industry before coaching high school students which allowed him to find his passion and enter the education field. Brian is currently working for the CTE Projects Team at Northern Illinois University which develops new trainings, resources, and materials for CTE Teachers across the state in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education.  Brian is passionate about helping new teachers coming from industry to education as well as work-based learning.  Brian was also an Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) NextLevel leadership fellow (Cohort 3).  When he is not working, he enjoys spending time traveling and at home with his wife and two kids who are five and eight years old.

Dr. Sara Shaw is currently a lecturer in the Career and Workforce Program at the University of Central Florida. She teaches, conducts research, and actively engages in service within the university and the field. Her research interests encompass female leadership in postsecondary education, current issues in career and technical education, and workforce equity.  Dr. Shaw earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a focus on career, technical, and postsecondary education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In 2019, she was named an NC State Postsecondary Research Fellow, sponsored by the ECMC Foundation, to advance postsecondary CTE research. Additionally, she has been a recipient of ECMC’s mini-grants.    

Dr. Shelanda Simmons serves as an educator within the Business Department at Tennessee College of Applied Technology, where she specializes in instructing administrative office technology. Her academic background includes the attainment of a BBA and MBA from Belhaven University, as well as the successful completion of a doctorate degree in education leadership with a concentration in policy from the University of Memphis.

 

 

 

Yingfah Thao has over 20 years of experience in higher education in a variety of roles focused on access and opportunity for low-income, marginalized communities.She is currently the director of professional development for career and technical education for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the third largest system of colleges and universities in the United States. She earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in ethnic studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato, a master’s degree in technical communication, and a graduate certification in user experience (UX) design from Metropolitan State University.

To learn more about the Fellowship, the Fellows of Cohort 3, and the alumni of the Fellowship, please visit https://careertech.org/what-we-do/initiatives/postsecondary-state-cte-leaders-fellowship/

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Getting to Know the 2024-2025 Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows (Part 1)

September 17th, 2024

Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation are excited to introduce the Fellows of the third 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. 

Over the next few days, this blog series will introduce each Fellow participating in the third cohort of emerging leaders from across 16 states and one U.S. territory.

Dr. Kisha Aites serves as the interim department chair/associate professor of engineering technology education in the College of Education at Savannah State University. She holds degrees in technology education from North Carolina A&T State University and a doctorate degree in workforce education from Penn State. Dr. Aites was part of the 2022–2023 USG Executive Leadership Institute and served as Vice Chair of Faculty Senate from 2019-2021. In 2015, she served as editor for the publication Introduction to Critical Issues in Education and was honored by the Georgia Association for Engineering & Technology Education in 2015 and 2016. She has traveled globally, including to Ghana (Fulbright-Hays Fellow) in 2016 and China (GA Education Delegation) in 2017, to explore and promote educational and cultural exchanges. Dr. Aites is dedicated to addressing equity issues in engineering technology, workforce development, and critical issues in education.

NiñaFe Awong is an experienced CTE professional with over 19 years of experience in workforce development, educational leadership, and project management.  NiñaFe’s primary mission has been to align CTE programs with industry needs. She has developed and implemented robust statewide initiatives, policies, and programs that drive student achievement and prepare learners for high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand careers.  NiñaFe has also effectively managed federal and state funding, while successfully navigating complex legislative and regulatory landscapes, ensuring compliance and delivering measurable outcomes. NiñaFe has helped to refocus organizational lenses to recognize and reprioritize CTE at local and state levels. As a product of CTE education, she strongly advocates student-centered learning, supports instructor development, and believes in forging strategic partnerships that enrich educational experiences.  NiñaFe is passionate about removing barriers and creating opportunities for learners to thrive and excel in their chosen careers.

Terryn Batiste leadership of administration and daily operations of third-party accreditations, along with industry-recognized credentials.  Her career includes working in the areas of public policy, enrollment management, accreditation, and compliance.  Batiste holds two degrees from Southern University and A&M College — a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in mass communications and a Master of  Public Administration from the Nelson Mandela  School of Public Policy. She holds a project management professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute and a Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) certification from The Ohio State University.  She is married with two children (boy/girl twins).  

Renee Blackshear is an esteemed professor specializing in computer networking at Texas State Technical College. With degrees in networking, e-commerce and security, her research focuses on the security and scalability of network infrastructures, addressing critical issues in data transmission and internet protocols. Ms. Blackshear’s career spans over 15 years, during which she has continuously helped develop curriculum for emerging technology and has presented at a number of national conferences. Her passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom, where she mentors students and collaborates with industry experts to innovate network technologies. Recognized for her expertise in network design and optimization, she actively contributes to shaping the next generation of networking professionals. Ms. Blackshear’s commitment to bridging theory with practical application has earned her accolades for fostering a dynamic learning environment and preparing students for the evolving challenges of the digital age.

Ignacio Chaparro is a Pre K-16 equity-focused educational professional with a robust background in leadership, systems building, and strategic policy development and implementation. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies at Boston University. Ignacio also holds a Master of Public Administration from Northeastern University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Boston.  As the College and Career Readiness & Pathways Liaison at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Ignacio provides direct support to districts across the state with implementation of high-quality college and career pathways. His previous roles include serving as the director of equity and accountability at Boston Public Schools, and as project specialist for the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. 

To learn more about the Fellowship, the Fellows of Cohort 3, and the alumni of the Fellowship, please visit https://careertech.org/what-we-do/initiatives/postsecondary-state-cte-leaders-fellowship/

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Opportunity Gap Analysis State Catch-Ups: Iowa

September 12th, 2024

Since the fall of 2021, Advance CTE’s Opportunity Gap Analysis (OGA) workshop has provided training, resources, and support to help state leaders identify and address gaps in access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE). While high-quality CTE programs of study across the country are providing opportunities for learners to follow their passion, achieve career goals, and ensure future economic success, the reality is that not all learners have access to these programs. In this blog series, Senior Policy Associate Jessi Maddox interviews previous participants of the OGA workshop to share the impact and the lessons learned from implementing the training in their state.

The reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) on July 31, 2018, elevated the importance of equal access to CTE programs and connected experiences for all learners and has challenged states and local recipients to prioritize this work to address identified gaps. Over the past three years, Advance CTE has led in-depth gap analysis training with 39 state teams. These teams have further disseminated the gap analysis process within their state CTE systems, resulting in changes in policies and practices that bring identifying and addressing gaps to the forefront of their CTE programs. 

With the launch of the newest cohort of the Opportunity Gap Analysis workshop this past May (2024), we wanted to connect with prior participants and ask about the impact the gap analysis training has had on equal access to CTE programs within their state. This month we are spotlighting the Bureau of Community Colleges and Postsecondary Readiness with the Iowa Department of Education and the work their team has done since the culmination of their cohort in Fall 2022. 

Iowa’s participation in the workshop has increased collaboration of CTE professionals at the state and local level, created more connected data systems within the state, and facilitated a data-oriented approach to closing access gaps in their CTE programs. 

Tell us about yourself and your CTE background.

The Iowa Department of Education CTE Education Program Consultants collaborate in the areas of access, equity, accountability, monitoring, and compliance to administer Perkins V at the secondary and postsecondary levels. CTE consultants, coordinators, and administrators (both internal and external stakeholders) have varying levels of experience in CTE program administration across all levels of CTE, such as secondary, postsecondary, state-level management, and local-level management.

When did your state participate in the Opportunity Gap Analysis Workshop?

In June 2022 with a team that consisted of the State CTE Director, Methods of Administration (MOA) Coordinator, data personnel, and an education consultant.

What in-state training(s) has your team facilitated using the Opportunity Gap Workshop model and/or related resources?

The state team has led six trainings (virtual and face-to-face) targeting local-level CTE faculty and administrators over the last two years. These training sessions have focused on serving students with disabilities in CTE to understand the number of local programs where a student population may be under- or over-represented.

Describe how your team’s participation in the Opportunity Gap Analysis training impacted CTE in general within your state.

The training allowed stakeholders to focus on a particular subset of students to identify access barriers to CTE programming. Utilizing a collaborative approach with multiple state agencies serving students with disabilities (SWD), we developed a process of identifying enrollment, participation, and completion patterns for SWD with the construction of data dashboards focusing on students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The dashboards are a work in progress with the goal to include all special population subgroups. This tool has proved invaluable for school districts to develop inclusive and targeted improvement plans.

Describe how the Opportunity Gap Analysis training specifically led to changes in your state’s data policies and procedures.

At the district level, input from stakeholders including CTE teachers, administrators, and counselors regarding the low number of CTE concentrators provided insight into procedures, policies, or practice that needed change in order to address systemic barriers preventing full engagement for students. 

The data dashboards and the accompanying training resources allowed for increased collaboration with internal Department data staff and with outside agencies. For example, to better track the educational and training experiences of youth experiencing homelessness and youth in foster care, the Department entered into data-sharing agreements with other state agencies that also serve these students. This will allow for better outreach and connections with community-based organizations and workforce development to reach disconnected youth at the secondary level as well as older students and young adults aging out of the foster system. 

In addition to setting up long-term data-sharing agreements, CTE data consultants and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services also took short-term steps to better serve learners in foster care through one-time data pulls that match foster care records with community college enrollment records.

 

 

Please describe any steps that have been taken to improve access for CTE learners after going through the CTE opportunity gap analysis process:

Perkins applications for fiscal year 2025 reflect the use of OGA training resources in the development of recipients’ bi-annual Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA)  plans/priorities in serving special population students in CTE. These applications reflect specific language and recommendations from the training in several areas. 

A sampling of activities mentioned in District applications included

 1) data-driven decision making; 

2) incorporating CTE engagement in the development of IEPs; 

3) career counseling and support services; 

4) increasing Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) and work-based learning opportunities; 

5) outreach and recruitment; and 

6) supporting inclusive learning environments in CTE classrooms. 

What lessons learned, or outcomes, from your workshop and facilitation experiences would you most like to share with states considering participating in an Opportunity Gap Analysis cohort?

Collaboration is key in addressing inequities in CTE. Our experience from the state level is that it is necessary to work across divisions internally and to streamline quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis processes across agencies and educational levels. This will assist in the evaluation of existing procedures and practices in CTE program delivery to facilitate a change-oriented approach in the program improvement process in our efforts to better serve all students in CTE. 

Bring the Opportunity Gap Analysis to Your State 

If your organization is interested in learning more about what it takes to conduct a gap analysis in your state, or other opportunities to engage with Advance CTE’s suite of resources addressing methods to close access gaps, fill out the Technical Assistance Interest Form for personalized options that can help both staff and learners succeed.

Join us at Advance CTE’s upcoming Fall Meeting in Phoenix, AZ on October 21-23, 2024. During this three-day convening, there will be specific sessions dedicated to OGA and upcoming enhanced versions of the original workshop. These new iterations of the workshop will focus on state-requested program areas like work-based learning, apprenticeship, and credentials of value. We hope to see you in the Grand Canyon state! 

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State CTE Policy Spotlight: 2023 Policies Expanding Accessible CTE for Special Populations

January 30th, 2024

While policies grouped under “Funding” and “Industry Partnerships/Work-based Learning” categories have consistently remained in the top five key policy trends for the past ten years, the “Access and Equity” grouping has steadily moved up the ladder, ranking from 10th place in 2017 to 3rd place in 2022. In this blog, we will review four policies enacted in 2023 that are founded in improving access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs.

As explained in Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career and Technical Education (CTE Without Limits), CTE plays a vital role in creating an inclusive and equitable future, providing learners with the education and training necessary for success in financially secure and self-sufficient careers while meeting industry talent demands. Advance CTE is committed to supporting states as they tackle the various barriers–program costs, transportation, and eligibility among others–that continue to exacerbate the access and equity challenges special populations face when accessing CTE programs.

In 2023, CTE leaders adopted innovative strategies to expand access to CTE in their state. Examples of such strategies can be found in the following policies enacted by California, New Hampshire, and Virginia: 

California

In October 2023, California enacted A.B. 368 which expands eligibility for learners who are “underrepresented in higher education” in the state’s College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) dual enrollment partnership grant opportunity. The CCAP Grant awards $100,000 to local education agencies who are interested in establishing or expanding a partnership with a community college to enable learners at participating high schools to access dual enrollment opportunities. A.B 368 expands access to now include first-time college learners, learners experiencing low-income, learners who are current or former foster youth, learners experiencing homelessness or learners at risk of being homeless, learners with disabilities, learners with dependent children, and undocumented learners. By expanding which populations are considered underrepresented, this policy better aligns with learners identified as special populations in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V).

In the same month, California also enacted A.B. 91 which exempts qualifying learners from paying the nonresident tuition rate. Learners who qualify for this exemption are nonresident learners who: experience low income, reside in Mexico, are registered in lower division courses at a qualifying California college, and reside within 45 miles of the California-Mexico border. This policy aims to decrease the financial burden that may hinder nonresident learners from participating in California’s CTE programs by reducing the cost of participation in CTE.

New Hampshire

In October 2023, New Hampshire passed H.B. 364 which authorized the Department of Education to reimburse the full cost of transportation to learners classified as “at-risk learners” who attend alternative education programs at a regional career and technical education center. This policy aims to mitigate the transportation barrier that may prevent learners from participating in New Hampshire’s CTE programs by covering the cost of transportation to CTE centers.

Virginia

In March 2023, Virginia enacted S.B. 1430 which required the Department of Education to convene a “stakeholder workgroup” to offer recommendations on improving access to paid work-based learning experiences for English Learners. The workgroup was directed to submit their recommendations to the Governor and the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2023. No information is available yet on the outcome of the working group, but their recommendations are expected to be published in early 2024. This policy aims to analyze barriers that hinder English Learners from participating in CTE by creating a workgroup tasked with providing strategies to mitigate these barriers.

For more strategies to expand access to CTE for special populations, check out the “Maximizing Access & Success for Special Population” briefs prepared by Advance CTE and ACTE for:

  • Foster Youth
  • Non-traditional Learners
  • Out-of-Workforce Individuals

Coming in February 2024: Advance CTE and ACTE’s eleventh annual State Policies Impacting CTE: 2023 Year in Review and Advance CTE’s 2023 State Policy Tracker, which will examine CTE and career readiness policies across the nation. While the report focuses on policy trends, the tracker comprises every CTE-related policy enacted within each state.

View the 2022 state policy tracker here.

Velie Sando, Policy Associate

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The Future of Dual Enrollment Policy and Programs

January 29th, 2024

Late last year, the College in High School Alliance (CHSA) released “The Next Phase of Dual Enrollment Policy: A Vision for the Field,” laying out a set of critical priorities to ensure all learners get the full benefit of early postsecondary opportunities. As a member of CHSA’s Steering Committee, Advance CTE is excited about the potential—and ambition—of this new vision and what it can mean for learners, in Career Technical Education (CTE) and beyond, across the country.

The vision starts with a goal: states eliminating access gaps for participation and success for historically marginalized students in college in high school programs by 2030. To achieve this goal, it will take a mix of critical state- and national-level imperatives and commitments, including:

  • State Imperatives:

    • Setting a Statewide Vision (and goal) for Dual Enrollment informed by the experiences and needs of learners and designed with intention about how it can fit into other statewide priorities, such as CTE and career pathways.
    • Doubling Down on the Equity Mission by intentionally removing barriers and providing supports for historically underrepresented students in dual enrollment programs, such as learners with disabilities, learners of color and learners experiencing low income. 
    • Focusing Policy on Intentional Dual Enrollment Experiences to ensure learners only engage in “intentional acts of dual enrollment.” This is particularly relevant for CTE learners as dual enrollment courses should be aligned with their programs of study, as encouraged by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V).

  • National Imperatives:

    • Setting a National Vision for Dual Enrollment by Raising Expectations for Policy Support, which includes having a common federal definition that is more comprehensive than what is in law now and signals clearer expectations for quality and program design.
    • Aligning the Field on Key Terms in Policy, given the vast array of state-level definitions and interpretations for college in high school programs (within and across states). 
    • Examining New and Emerging Policy Trends to ensure quality assurance and equitable access in areas such as online programming and creative funding models. 

Importantly, this vision was not developed in a vacuum. Rather, it is the result of a year-long strategic planning process that engaged CHSA’s steering committee members (Achieving the Dream, Advance CTE, Bard Early College, JFF, KnowledgeWorks, The Middle College National Consortium and The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships) as well as policymakers and practitioners from across the nation. It builds on years of policy adoption and implementation—elevating what has worked and where more attention is critically needed. That is key as it will take individuals at all levels working in concert to advance and achieve this new vision for dual enrollment. 

Going forward, CHSA is committed to making this vision a reality at the state and national levels by publishing new resources that elaborate upon the various components of this vision; providing direct technical assistance to states to help them develop visions that promote equity, set inclusive goals and expand intentional dual enrollment; and convening policymakers to support ongoing collaboration in this space.

As noted in Without Limits: A Shared Vision for Career Technical Education, “the current landscape of college in high school and postsecondary transfer policies and programs is overly complicated, often results in loss of credit and does not consistently support equitable access and success.” As dual enrollment rates continue to rise and more learners, including CTE learners, participate in college in high school opportunities, it is more important than ever that we ensure our systems are designed to be equitable, meaningful and intentional. Advance CTE is excited and proud to be part of this work.

Relevant Resources

Kate Kreamer, Executive Director

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Delaware CTE Youth Leaders Take the Mic

December 7th, 2023

Last month, I had the privilege of attending a briefing at the U.S. Department of Education, led by a group of Career Technical Education (CTE) learners from the state of Delaware. Their expertise and passion demonstrated the true power, inspiration and innovation that can come from centering learners in matters of policy and practice within CTE.

Over the last year, Delaware participated in Advance CTE’s Leveraging Learner Voice to Strength CTE’s technical assistance cohort and this visit to Washington DC was a culmination of this effort. Over the year, Delaware recruited CTE youth leaders to participate in two cohorts:

  • One cohort is working to redesign their state’s teacher preparation program of study. Going forward, Delaware is committed to ensuring learners are engaged in the development and re-approval of CTE programs of study as those directly experiencing those pathways, and this group of learners is providing input into both the teacher pathway and the policy and process going forward. As Dr. Jon Wickert, State CTE Director for Delaware noted, “We are looking to CTE youth leaders in how we name programs, how we design programs. Programs should be designed in the ways learners want them to function.”
  • The other cohort, focused on building capacity around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in CTE classrooms and Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), co-designed and co-led the state’s 2023 Fall Leadership Conference, which had over 750 middle and high school CTSO learners participating.  As Madison Retzlaff, one of the youth leaders and the state president for Educators Rising, shared, “Every voice matters…and everyone should feel a sense of belonging in CTSOs and CTE.”

To prepare these learners to serve as leaders at both the state and local levels, Delaware worked with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago to provide training around culturally responsive instruction and practices. 

Presenting to senior leadership within the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE), including Assistant Secretary, Dr. Amy Loyd, learners explained the construct of culturally responsive teaching practices that they collectively developed and refined as the CTE Youth Leadership Team and how they are individually committing themselves to the implementation of culturally responsive teaching in their roles as CTSO leaders and CTE peers. Jennae Overton, state president of Business Professionals of America (BPA), led the presentation and Ahmad Edwards, who participates in Future Health Professionals (HOSA), offered thoughts on what culturally responsive teaching means to him as a CTE youth leader, noting “I will implement culturally responsive practice [by] honoring each student’s voice. I want every student to be able to open up and express how they feel about a certain topic.” 

Armed with a greater understanding of culturally responsive practices and the ins and outs of CTE in Delaware, the learners are now engaging their school-level leaders and teachers on how they can improve access and equity at the district, school and classroom levels. Dr. Wickert reflected that “As a result of this work, we have become more thoughtful on local engagement,” adding that even though the state has invested dollars to encourage a greater focus on equity at the local level, it wasn’t moving the bar as quickly or as far as they had hoped. “With the learners driving this mission and work, I believe it will have a greater impact at the classroom level,” said Dr. Wickert.

As Dr. Michael Hill-Shaner, the Education Associate/Culturally Competent Workforce Lead at the Delaware Department of Education regularly says, “It’s our job to build the stage, turn on the lights and pass the mic.” This briefing and the arc of the last year demonstrate the true power of passing the mic. I personally cannot wait to see what these learners do next and how Delaware and other states continue to live up to the promise of the second principle of CTE Without Limits so that each learner can truly feel welcome in, be supported by and have the means to succeed in the career preparation ecosystem.  

Additional Resources:

Kate Kreamer, Executive Director

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Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Cohort of Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows!

November 30th, 2023

On November 17th, Advance CTE held a celebration of completion for the 2022-2023 cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE – Sponsored by ECMC Foundation.

Fellows received a special message from Advance CTE Executive Director, Kate Kreamer, echoing the importance of their voices and presence in CTE and congratulating them for their accomplishments and completion of the 15-month Fellowship.

Join us in recognizing the Fellows from the 2022-2023 cohort and their real-world capstone projects completed during the Fellowship.

 

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