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Achieving Inclusive CTE: Early Achievements and Upcoming Opportunities to Support Inclusive CTE

Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

In 2022, Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group, through the New Skills ready network initiative, released the Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool (AICTE). This tool adds a new resource to the data toolbox for state and local CTE and career pathways leaders to assess learner group data. The goal-setting tool enables leaders to analyze CTE learner group data in comparison to the broader student population. The purpose of the tool is to support leaders with their efforts to recruit, engage and support underrepresented learner groups to increase access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and career pathways.

Over the past six months, four states, Alabama, Indiana, Louisiana and Utah, have participated in a technical assistance cohort to leverage the AICTE Goal-Setting Tool to evaluate the inclusivity of their system and establish goals to improve equitable access and outcomes for learner populations in their states. The cohort of technical assistance included two workshop sessions to review the tool and its analyses; ongoing support and coaching calls with each state team to guide the use of the tool in their states; and two Communities of Practice sessions to share promising solutions and discuss shared challenges. The two states that completed the pilot of the Goal-Setting Tool, Colorado and South Carolina, were also invited to attend the Communities of Practice sessions.

Lessons Learned

Over the course of the technical assistance cohort, key themes and lessons learned emerged from the states using the Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool:

The Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool Supports Perkins Performance Indicators;

The Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool is a Strong Companion in the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment Process; and

The Achieving Inclusive Goal-Setting Tool Supports Data Tools Alignment.

Continue reading for detailed information on the lessons learned and examples from the states who participated.

The Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool Supports Perkins Performance Indicators: The AICTE Goal-Setting Tool analyzes data for 11 indicators across all learner populations. This level of analysis includes gender, race and ethnicity and special populations (English learners, Migrant learners, Economically Disadvantaged and Learners with disabilities). The disaggregated design of the Goal-Setting Tool supports users in drilling down specific areas for improvement and support. Utah is utilizing the tool to support one of its Perkins performance indicators: nontraditional participation. With the help of the AICTE Goal-Setting Tool, the team will leverage the data analysis to identify areas where their state and local leaders can make a greater impact to increase nontraditional participation and understand if the adjusted performance targets the state has set are reasonable to achieve.

As the team works towards achieving its Perkins performance goals, the Utah team will also conduct a state-level analysis of nontraditional participation for multiple years to compare the data and identify any changes in the groups over time. Additionally, the state team plans to conduct training to support local leaders with the use of the Goal-Setting Tool and allow them to enter their own data to identify opportunities for a more inclusive CTE system. The team will provide this training to local CTE leaders during the winter months of 2023 and will align the Goal-Setting Tool with their Opportunity Gap Analysis workbook and data.

With the assistance of the Goal-Setting Tool, the team shared that the greatest benefit is having more insightful data analysis in conjunction with their Opportunity Gap Analysis. According to the team, using the tools together offers a greater understanding of the CTE system and areas where learners need to be recruited, supported or engaged.

The Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool is a Strong Companion in the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment Process: One of the many use cases for the Goal-Setting Tool is the examination of equity and disaggregated learner performance data as part of the Perkins V Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA). The Goal-Setting Tool takes a deeper dive into the CTE continuum to identify priority areas for Perkins plans. The team in Indiana is taking full advantage of the Goal-Setting Tool with their CLNA process by planning to include training on the use of the goal-setting tool in their next round of Equity Labs. Equity Labs are regional sessions held across the state to share the importance of equity and inclusivity in CTE programs and career pathways.

The Goal-Setting Tool will support Indiana’s CLNA process by providing a tool to facilitate a deep dive into each district’s data. The state team plans to supply regional and district CTE leaders with the Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool to analyze data, set a goal to increase equity and inclusivity and implement a practical strategy to achieve the goal.

To use the Goal-Setting Tool to its full potential in Indiana’s CLNA process, the team plans to provide local CTE leaders with ongoing support and opportunities for follow-up to ensure locals are leveraging root-cause analysis to better understand data trends. The state plans to leverage the tool for continuous monitoring of the practical strategies and interventions deployed to create a more equitable and inclusive CTE system.

The Achieving Inclusive Goal-Setting Tool Supports Data Tools Alignment: Each state selected to participate in the pilot and technical assistance cohort previously completed the Opportunity Gap Analysis Train-the-Trainer workshop, a workshop that prepares CTE leaders to provide comprehensive training on the importance of equitable access to high-quality CTE, demonstrates how to conduct a percentage point gap analysis to identify gaps among learner groups including race and ethnicity, gender and special populations and conducting a root-cause analysis to understand the implications on the data.

The AICTE Goal-Setting Tool is the next phase of data analysis work to support inclusive and equitable CTE systems: analyzing the current representation of learners in CTE programs compared to the learners that could be engaged, recruited and/or supported in CTE and setting goals to achieve a more equitable system.

While these tools complement each other in their analyses and findings, participants using the tools identified the importance and value of ensuring the two tools work together and clearly communicating the alignment of the tools to their local-level CTE leaders and practitioners. Colorado is making progress leveraging both tools with their local-level CTE leaders and practitioners. To support the local-level use of the tools, the Colorado state agency provided the Opportunity Gap Analysis dashboard to their local-level teams. Then it provided guidance on using the AICTE Goal-Setting Tool. By leveraging the two tools together, locals were able to identify opportunity gaps in CTE enrollment and then further drill down on equitable access and inclusivity in every stage of the CTE continuum across specific CTE programs using CIP code-level data. Conducting analysis with CIP code-level data allows districts within a state an opportunity to identify where they have gaps. As districts continue to leverage both tools, they can work collaboratively with industry partners to expand access to CTE career pathway programs and work-based learning opportunities.

To ensure alignment between the tools, the Colorado team launched both tools to every district and consortia to review regional data to account for small n-sizes. The Colorado team has held several sessions on data quality and interpreting the data dashboards. These sessions include guidance and support to identify trends in the data. The state team continues to offer support sessions and office hours to discuss all data-related issues.

As the team looks ahead, they plan to leverage the two tools in their Perkins state plan revisions. The team will begin regional meetings for the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) to gather input for the state plan to ensure it includes robust and diverse perspectives especially when setting state performance targets. The state team will set Perkins performance targets leveraging both the Opportunity Gap Analysis dashboard and the AICTE Goal-Setting Tool.

Looking Ahead

The Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool is a strong data analysis tool for CTE leaders and Advance CTE is committed to supporting states with the use of the tool to achieve more inclusive and equitable CTE systems. In the coming months, Advance CTE will launch a second round of technical assistance to guide participants through the use of the tool, provide individualized coaching and support for states using the tool and elevate the promising approaches and successes from the use of the tool. To learn more about this cohort of technical assistance and apply, please visit this form.

If you have any questions about the Achieving Inclusive CTE Goal-Setting Tool or the upcoming technical assistance cohort, please contact Haley Wing, Senior Policy Associate, Advance CTE at hwing@careertech.org.

By Layla Alagic in Achieving Equitable and Inclusive CTE, Resources
Tags: Access and Equity, Alabama, CLNA, Colorado, Education Strategy Group, Indiana, Louisiana, New Skills ready network, Opportunity Gap, Perkins V, South Carolina, Utah

State CTE Policy Update: Examining CTE Instructor Compensation Strategies

Thursday, September 22nd, 2022

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released its report “State of the States 2022: Teacher Compensation Strategies” earlier this month. This report takes a deep dive into the compensation strategies each state and the District of Columbia use to continue to recruit and retain talented instructors.

Instructors are the backbone of high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) and are essential to ensuring that each learner is fully supported by the career preparation ecosystem of their state. “Teacher Compensation Strategies” divides compensation strategies into three different categories: 1) Differentiated pay; 2) Performance pay, and 3) Pay for prior work. While the first two offer their own merit, and all can perhaps be used in some combination, pay for prior work may offer an elegant solution for staffing CTE teachers.

A common barrier to CTE teacher recruitment and retention is matching instructor salaries, which are historically lower than industry salaries talented CTE instructors often transfer from. In an effort to reduce the gap, states can offer instructors an increase in pay based on experience from non-school related careers relative to the subject matter they are teaching. This strategy embraces the promise to capture and value all learning that occurs, wherever and whenever it occurs. Below are some highlights from the report on the current application of this strategy::

When it comes to paying for prior experience, only five states—California, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, and North Carolina—grant extra pay for relevant prior experience in another industry and allow administrators the discretion to determine its relevance.
Six states—Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Texas, West Virginia—allocate pay for prior experience in non-academic industry in selected cases only. The majority of those states limit this extra pay to teachers of CTE only. Hawaii limits this extra pay to those who have prior military experience.
Thirty-nine states make no mention of adjustments in starting salary for prior relevant experience for individuals entering teaching from other professions.

Of the states currently using pay for prior experience strategies, North Carolina and Louisiana took two different approaches. North Carolina, per the report, awards one year of credit per two years of relevant, non-education work experience pre-bachelor degree, and a one-for-one exchange post attaining a bachelor’s. Louisiana school districts are required to develop compensation plans that take into account effectiveness, experience, and demand with no one factor being given a weight of more than 50 percent. The report highlights that language surrounding this particular strategy is often vague which makes it hard to track if it is being enacted.

With teacher attrition at unprecedented levels and teacher recruitment levels dropping, state CTE leaders have the opportunity to provide innovative solutions to teacher compensation. You can read the full report here: State of the States 2022: Teacher Compensation Strategies. Advance CTE’s Learning that Works Resource Center provides additional tools on embedding credit for prior learning and other state approaches to fully documenting skills.

Brice Thomas, Policy Associate

By Stacy Whitehouse in Public Policy
Tags: Alabama, Credit for Prior Learning, CTE Teacher pipeline, CTE Without Limits, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, texas, West Virginia

New Mini-Brief Series Highlights Progress Towards Cohesive, Learner-Centered Postsecondary Data Systems in Five States

Thursday, August 18th, 2022

Two years ago, Advance CTE launched the Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative (PDI), supported by ECMC Foundation. Through the initiative, five grantees have received funding, technical assistance and access to a national peer learning network to:

1) Examine critical problems of practice and;

2) Implement innovative solutions to improve the quality, and use of postsecondary CTE data.

Grantee states and agencies include the: Alabama Community College System (ACCS); Delaware Department of Education; University of the District of Columbia Community College; Florida Department of Education, and; Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

By supporting states to improve their postsecondary Career Technical Education (CTE) data quality and use, Advance CTE is attending to a foundational commitment – actionable, transparent and trustworthy data – in Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education (CTE Without Limits). Each of the five foundational commitments are critical to states’ abilities to enact the Vision principles. Actionable, transparent and trustworthy data underlies a coordinated, learner-centered career preparation ecosystem.

About the Briefs

In the coming months, Advance CTE will release a series of four briefs to share strategies put in place by the PDI states to advance postsecondary CTE data quality and use. The first brief explores how postsecondary CTE data can be used in support of state education and workforce goals, and features Alabama and Florida.

The second brief advances a theory of change for centering learners in postsecondary CTE data collection and use, featuring the District of Columbia and Oregon. The topics of briefs three and four will be fostering a positive culture of data use among CTE stakeholders and building a strong data infrastructure across systems and silos, respectively.

Shared Challenges

As with many projects underway over the last two years, states’ implementation of their PDI action plans were challenged by staff-level capacity constraints due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, many of the grantees’ plans were validated by the context of the pandemic, which demonstrated the critical nature of effective – and data-driven – career preparation systems to meet states’ education and workforce goals.

An evergreen challenge that the PDI states wrangle with is how best to build well-integrated data systems across the silos of state agencies and in collaboration with postsecondary institutions. Further, examining and implementing ways to more effectively communicate CTE data continues to be a priority.

Common Strategies for Success

Despite these challenges, each of the grantees has demonstrated a commitment to improving postsecondary CTE data to improve learner outcomes. All five states have used stakeholder engagement processes to drive the development and use of new data elements or reports. And each has invested in professional development strategies to foster a strong culture of data use.

Visit the Learning that Works Resource Center to read the first two briefs and for additional data and accountability resources

Candace Williams, Data and Research Manager

By Stacy Whitehouse in Publications, Resources
Tags: Alabama, data quality, Delaware, District of Columbia, ECMC Foundation, Florida, learner voice, Oregon, postsecondary, professional development, Stakeholder engagement, system alignment

Getting to Know the Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows

Wednesday, February 9th, 2022

In November, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the inaugural 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 which emphasizes the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in CTE that closes racial representation gaps, and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement.

Over the past few months, this blog series introduced each Fellow participating in the inaugural cohort of emerging leaders from 12 states, including 13 professionals of color.

Dr. La-Tonya Dixon (Alabama) has deep experience in CTE and served in leadership positions in the food production industry before transitioning to higher education, where she currently serves as an Assistant Professor in Nutrition and Hospitality Management at Alabama A&M University. She received a bachelor’s degree from Oakwood University, and a master’s degree and a doctorate in Food Science and Technology from Alabama A&M University.

Raymond James (South Carolina) is a veteran of the United States Army, and currently serves as Department Head for machine learning at Greenville Technical School in Greenville, South Carolina. James earned an associate degree in General Engineering Technology at Tri-County Technical College and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Kaplan University.

Rich Crosby (Texas) is a product of CTE, with over a decade of postsecondary instruction experience. Crosby currently serves as a drafting instructor at Trinity Valley Community College in the Correctional Education Division. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology and a master’s degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Texas at Tyler.

Click here to learn more about the Fellowship and each Fellow.

Brittany Cannady, Senior Associate Digital Media

By admin in Uncategorized
Tags: Alabama, ECMCF Fellows, PSCTE Fellowship, South Carolina, texas

Braiding Funding in Career Pathways Supports CTE Without Limits

Tuesday, January 25th, 2022

Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education (CTE Without Limits) calls on leaders to build a cohesive, flexible and responsive career preparation ecosystem and work across systems to align funding streams and resources. One initiative Advance CTE is supporting to advance this work is the New Skills ready network, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. funded initiative, which draws on cross-sector partnerships in six cities, each composed of state, regional and local partners. This work of building sustainable, equitable career pathways systems at each level requires braiding funding and other resources by combining or leveraging funding streams to share costs for employees, equipment or systems outright between entities. As gaps continue to widen between well-resourced and under-resourced communities and institutions, state and local leaders should identify opportunities for flexible funding streams, target new sources of funding and resources and build upon and leverage partnerships to ensure that funding and resources go to the learners that need them most.

In support of this effort, Advance CTE recently published Braiding Funding to Support Equitable Career Pathways, which also includes key steps to effectively braiding funds and resources. Here are some examples of promising practices from states, how they align with CTE Without Limits and considerations states can take to implement this type of practice in their own state.

One foundation of CTE Without Limits is a commitment to meaningful public/private partnerships with industry partners deeply invested and involved in the design, delivery and success of the CTE system. Delaware leverages these types of partnerships and their connected funding streams through Delaware Pathways, which coordinates and organizes education and workforce development systems for youth and adult learners. Because this initiative brings together dozens of national, state and local partners, a named priority of the strategic plan is to coordinate financial support for career pathways and to braid funding to ensure long-term success. Recently, the state used ESSER funds braided with GEER and philanthropic funds to help launch a $15.8 million expansion called Delaware Pathways 2.0. The investment will reach 6,000 middle school learners and more than 12,000 additional secondary learners and specifically targets career pathways in health care, information technology, finance and engineering. As states consider long-term program sustainability, they can institutionalize this type of stakeholder engagement and partnership and create champions to carry work through periods of transition.
The first principle of CTE Without Limits calls for established shared, statewide goals for a cohesive career preparation ecosystem. Alabama aligned multiple agencies and initiatives around Governor Kay Ivey’s goals for education and workforce development. The Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Development, the Alabama Department of Labor, the Alabama Workforce Council, and the Alabama Department of Education partner on and financially support multiple initiatives, including a statewide longitudinal data system and alignment around equity and access goals. Braiding funding and resources requires political will and support from leadership across the spectrum, including state and local administrators. This alignment was organized through legislative support and gubernatorial direction for initiatives that can affect the futures of all Alabamians. States can engage leaders at all levels to ensure consistency and credibility needed to achieve goals through a singular, coordinated effort.
Another action step of Principle One of CTE Without Limits is that leaders must design equitable funding models that direct funding to where it is needed most. Underutilized federal funds like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can be used to support adult education and workforce training programs. Arkansas uses SNAP and TANF funding in part to support its Career Pathways Initiative (CPI), which supports educational and workforce training while providing additional non-academic supports. The initiative requires coordination and support from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE), the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services and the state’s 22 two-year colleges and three technical centers. ADHE directly allocates CPI funding to each of the institutions based on a formula of enrollment of students with low income, completion rates, credential attainment and employment outcomes. Since 2005, the Arkansas CPI has provided services to more than 30,000 qualifying students enrolled in career-oriented programs in community and technical colleges. With intentionality, states can ensure that funding goes toward the populations who most need the support to address opportunity gaps and increase access.

This resource is the fourth policy brief in the Strengthening Career Pathways series. For more resources on funding and high-quality career pathways, please visit the Learning that Works Resource Center.

Dan Hinderliter, Senior Policy Associate

By Stacy Whitehouse in Advance CTE Resources, Resources
Tags: Alabama, Arkansas, career pathways, Delaware, funding, Montana, New Skills ready network, Oklahoma

This Week in CTE

Friday, May 7th, 2021

Developed with input from nearly 200 national, state and local education and workforce development leaders and supported by 40 national organizations, Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education lays out five inter-connected and equally critical principles.

Only through shared commitment and shared ownership among leaders and practitioners at all levels can we realize the possibility and aspiration of a new career preparation ecosystem that provides each learner with limitless opportunity. The This Week in CTE blog series will highlight state and local examples where CTE Without Limits has been made actionable. If you would like to highlight how your CTE program creates limitless opportunities for each learner in this blog series, please email Brittany Cannady, bcannady@careertech.org.

This Week in CTE: May 3-7, 2021

Each learner engages in a cohesive, flexible, and responsive career preparation ecosystem

CTE programming in Phenix City, Alabama is anchored by credentials of value and includes opportunities for work-based learning leading to careers defined by high-skill, high-wage and in-demand. Congratulations Kiara and all other learners who are now certified!

Add another to the front line of the health care field. Kiara Covington is now a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant! #CTEWorks pic.twitter.com/QLzipArIOf

— Central High School (@CentralRedDevil) May 6, 2021

Each learner feels welcome in, is supported by, and has the means to succeed in the career preparation ecosystem

Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center’s (Ohio) SkillsUSA members will advance to the national competition this year with the help of local industry leaders! CTSO members were able to use skills gained from on-the-job training to compete, virtually, on the state level in leadership and skills-building activities. Through industry collaboration, learners were able to utilize industry machinery in their respective events.

“PRCTC, overall, was well represented by some amazing competitors and delegates,” said Jennifer Widdig, one of Pickaway Ross’ SKillsUSA advisors. “I loved seeing the excitement in the students and how proud they were to show off their skills and trades.”

Read more in this blog entry published on the Pickaway-Ross district blog.

Each learner skillfully navigates their own career journey

As seen in CTE Without Limits, stakeholders across the CTE community must intentionally develop processes to allow labor market information (LMI) to reach learners in ways that are transparent, reliable and filled with real-time information on career opportunities, earnings, and how their educational decisions will impact their access to support services.

This week Advance CTE, in partnership with Education Strategy Group through JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s New Skills ready network, released Practical Guidance for Aligning Career Pathways to Labor Market Data in the Time of COVID-19. This policy brief is the first in a series designed to help build better pathways and offers promising practices for enhancing the career preparation ecosystem locally and state-wide by leveraging LMI to align programs to high-skill, high-wage and in-demand occupations.

More LMI resources can be found in the Learning that Works Resource Center.

Each learner’s skills are counted, valued, and portable

This week we celebrated National Skilled Trades Day!

Today we celebrate #NationalSkilledTradesDay and honor the skilled individuals who are the backbone of our workforce. Our country has and always will depend on a skilled workforce to keep us moving forward. Be sure to thank skilled craftsperson today! pic.twitter.com/sq7jvRdeUf

— National Technical Honor Society (@NTHS1) May 5, 2021

DYK? Today is #NationalSkilledTradesDay! It was established in 2019 to increase awareness of the benefits of skilled trades jobs and to celebrate the skilled trades workers. Thank you for your professionalism and contributions! #SkillsUSA #SkilledTrades #CTE #CTEWorks #waedu pic.twitter.com/Oexfw7M35C

— CTE – Washington (@waOSPI_CTE) May 5, 2021

Each learner can access CTE without borders

Advance CTE released a new policy brief that provides recommendations for CTE leaders on how to address short-and long-term priorities with the new funding authorized through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Now, there is an opportunity for states to put in place transformative and bold solutions to support each learner in the career preparation ecosystem without limitations. State CTE leaders have a strong foundation to build upon, having recently done the hard work of crafting their Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) state plans. These new federal investments present a one-time opportunity to accelerate change, incubate innovation, disrupt systems that perpetuate inequities, and redesign with intention. States must strategically approach how to operationalize these funds to create a career preparation ecosystem that ensures each learner can access limitless opportunity.

Read the full resource and other COVID-19 state resources here.

Brittany Cannady, Senior Associate Digital Media

By admin in Uncategorized
Tags: Alabama, COVID-19, Credentials of Value, Federal Policy, Ohio, skillsusa, This Week in CTE

This Week in CTE

Friday, October 30th, 2020

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

CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION MONTH

Build Your Future is hosting a construction video contest, I BUILT THIS, and giving away more than $20,000 in prizes. Learn more and submit a video here.

Thank you for participating in Careers in Construction Month! Continue to share these resources to engage with students about the opportunities in the construction industry.

TWEET OF THE THE WEEK

Congratulations to Alabama welding instructor, Mark Pilotte, for being recognized by SkillsUSA as the instructor of the month!

Our Welding Instructor, Mark Pilotte, was recognized as the @SkillsUSA Instructor of the Month for Alabama! One of Mr. Pilotte’s former students nominated him because of his dedication and support to all his students. @HCTCounselor @HSVk12 @HSVCTE @CTEWorks pic.twitter.com/hphhgeKmnP

— HCS Career Coaches (@HSVCareerCoach) October 24, 2020

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

Opportunity America has launched a survey, with the support of the Lumina Foundation, aimed at learning about community colleges’ workforce education. The results will be essential information for state and federal policymakers by providing evidence to support an increased need for funding. Institutions that take part will be entered in a drawing, and three will receive donations of up to $10,000 to fund scholarships for noncredit workforce students. Participating institutions will also receive customized reports that allow them to compare their institutions to an aggregate of other colleges that take part – a tool for planning and innovation. The study can be found here and will be in the field through January 2021.

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM OF THE WEEK

The School Ambassador Fellowship Program strives to fulfill the U.S. Department of Education’s mission to leverage the perspectives and expertise of outstanding educators to inform national education programs and initiatives. The Fellowship program is now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 cohort!

Selected Fellows become a liaison between their local schools and district and the department. Through local, state and national interactions with key stakeholders, fellows will help to elevate student voices and provide solutions to the challenges learners face today.

Program information and applications can be viewed here. The application period remains open through Monday, January 11, 2021.

MIDDLE GRADES CTE PROGRAM OF THE WEEK

In a pilot program for middle grades CTE, Idaho has selected a career navigator tool for learners. Learners in the early stages of schooling will have the opportunity to embark upon career exploration and career counseling before entering into high school and postsecondary opportunities. Read more here.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Through an analysis of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) state (and Washington D.C.) plans, Advance CTE identified common aspects that are indicative of a comprehensive and cohesive state plan, a number of which go beyond the law’s requirements and expectations.

The State of Career Technical Education: An Analysis of States’ Perkins V Priorities is the first of its kind to examine how states have leveraged the development of Perkins V state plans to advance the dual priorities of expanding quality and increasing equity within their CTE systems.

View The State of Career Technical Education: An Analysis of States’ Perkins V Priorities in our Learning that Works Resource Center.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

By admin in Uncategorized
Tags: Alabama, Idaho, Middle Grades CTE, Perkins V

This Week in CTE

Saturday, October 3rd, 2020

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

CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION MONTH

This week we have kicked off Careers in Construction Month. Take the pledge to engage with students about the opportunities in the construction industry this October.

"It's an extremely rewarding endeavor to go into." #CareersInConstruction #CICM pic.twitter.com/QN5YSwDjup

— Build Your Future (@BuildYourFuture) October 2, 2020

MANUFACTURING DAY 2020

MFG Day helps show the reality of modern manufacturing careers by
encouraging thousands of companies and educational institutions around
the nation to open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community
leaders. #MFGDay20 @MFGDAY @TheMFGInstitute @ShopfloorNAM @cmta pic.twitter.com/Ps4Ikrn2m7

— MBC Aerosol (@MbcAerosol) September 30, 2020

Today is #MFGDay20, a celebration of US manufacturers aimed at inspiring the next generation of skilled workers. NC manufacturers are building that next generation through apprenticeship. 63% of youth apprentices are in advanced #manufacturing, the most of any industry sector. pic.twitter.com/d7o4eesXFm

— ApprenticeshipNC (@ApprenticeNC) October 2, 2020

AWARD RECIPIENT OF THE WEEK

During the recent AlabamaWorks! Virtual Conference, recipients of the first AlabamaWorks! Innovator Awards were recognized. These awards recognize individuals in the state of Alabama that are innovatively advancing workforce and career opportunities.

Adopted from AlabamaWorks!

Tiger Mochas is a collaborative effort between special education students, FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) members and peer volunteers at Auburn High School. This student-led organization is serving up a lot more than hot cups of coffee to their peers because through their work, students are provided meaningful, hands-on work experience that teaches important functional, social and daily living skills. Graduates of the program leave with not only work and employability skills, but in-demand soft skills that will help them succeed in life and work.

More on each award recipient can be found here.

CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) announced the Rethink Adult Ed Challenge to advance pre-apprenticeships. Eligible AEFLA-funded organizations are now invited to submit preliminary designs of a program that is innovative, aligned to industry demand and provides support to program participants as they move into apprenticeships and the workforce. For more information, register for the virtual information session held October 15, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OF THE WEEK

On October 1, the president signed a stopgap funding bill, avoiding a government shutdown since federal funding expired on September 30, 2020. The Senate passed this continuing resolution (CR) on Wednesday in a bipartisan vote of 84-10, following the House vote on the CR last week. This bill (H.R. 8337) extends federal funding at the currently enacted levels through December 11, 2020 for all 12 appropriations bills, including Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Ed). All education programs will continue at the currently enacted funding levels through the duration of the CR.

Follow the CR and more legislative updates here.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Kansas designed the Excel in CTE initiative to help more learners enter high-wage, high-demand careers by providing funding for industry-recognized credentials and allowing secondary students to access CTE dual enrollment opportunities. Since the program was launched in 2012, Kansas has seen dramatic increases in the number of high school students earning industry-recognized credentials and postsecondary CTE credit.

View the full policy profile in our Learning that Works Resource Center.

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

By admin in COVID-19 and CTE
Tags: Alabama, COVID-19, kansas

Welcoming Jimmy Hull to Advance CTE

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2020

Jimmy Hull began his career in education as a classroom teacher in Alabama. Since then, Jimmy has served in numerous roles including high school principal and the president of the Association of Career and Technical Education Alabama. As of July 2020, Jimmy now serves as the Assistant State Superintendent of Education in the Career and Technical Education/ Workforce Development Division for the Alabama State Department of Education.

Jimmy has entered into his new position at an interesting if not difficult time, balancing the start of a new and unusual school year under mandated social distancing, while also implementing the first year of his state’s new plan for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). Alongside these challenges, there are still multiple priorities on Jimmy’s list. As a former educator, it is clear that a passion lies in heartfelt teacher preparation and training, recruiting and sustaining quality teachers for Career Technical Education (CTE) classrooms. He has plans to develop and implement a teacher prep program that would align with a teacher’s first three years of teaching.

Core components of Alabama’s state Perkins plan is the commitment to breaking barriers of entry and access to CTE programs for identified student populations; building transitions for a seamless progression from high school to postsecondary education and finally to the workforce; and increasing postsecondary attainment for learners. The plan was driven by key stakeholders including a strong partnership with the Governor’s office. Jimmy also identified other key areas of growth for Alabama including career exploration in the middle and elementary grades, innovative ways to offer apprenticeship opportunities, and a working partnership with the state’s community colleges.

Jimmy believes strongly in CTE’s vital role in economic development in his state and in the nation and has plans to begin fulfilling this role by ensuring that every voice is heard by meeting with schools’ administrative teams and formulating new strategic goals for the future ahead.

Welcome Jimmy!

Brittany Cannady, Digital Media Associate

By admin in Advance CTE State Director
Tags: Alabama, Perkins V, State CTE Director

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Monday, February 2nd, 2015

Thereâ€™s still time to register for NASDCTEcâ€™s upcoming webinars!

2014 State CTE Policy Review
February 5, 2015, 3 â€“ 4 p.m. ET
States are increasingly looking to CTE as a means to help close the skills gap and boost the number of people with a postsecondary credential. Join us as we step through the major state policy trends affecting CTE from 2014 including new laws, executive actions and regulatory activity. This webinar will coincide with the release of the second annual â€œ2014 State CTE Policy Review,â€ a joint publication from ACTE and NASDCTEc.

Speakers:

Catherine Imperatore, Research Manager, Association for Career and Technical Education
Andrea Zimmermann, State Policy Associate, National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium

Employer Engagement: State Perspectives
February 10, 2015, 2 â€“ 3 p.m. ET
Join us for an in-depth discussion as we take a closer look at how Alabama and Kansas, in concert with their employer partners, work together to inform, align and enhance their CTE systems at the secondary and postsecondary levels. This webinar is the second in a series on employer engagement. To learn more about employer engagement in CTE, check out our newest report!

Speakers:

Dr. Philip C. Cleveland, Alabama State Director of CTE and Workforce Development
George Clark, President, Manufacture Alabama and Chair of the Alabama Workforce Investment Board
Dr. Blake Flanders, Vice President of Workforce Development, Kansas Board of Regents
Keven Ward, Public Sector Consultant, Trane

By admin in Advance CTE Resources, Meetings and Events, Resources, Uncategorized, Webinars
Tags: Alabama, Employer Engagement, kansas, state policy, Webinars

Posts Tagged ‘Alabama’

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