Southern Regional Education Board HSTW What should quality career-technical studies look like in a Tech Center? Ann Benson Facilitator Marna Young Recorder TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Leaders Must Do Hard Things… “Far too many young people today enter high school at risk of becoming “lost in transition” because our K-20 educational system has failed in its duty to build clear pathways to academic and career success. This tragic waste of human resources will not only condemn millions of adults in the next generation to unfulfilling lives marked by low-wage jobs and unrealized potential,.... TCTW Source: Lost in Transition, 2008

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies.... it will threaten the economic security and social stability of our states and nation.” TCTW Source: Lost in Transition, 2008

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Challenges  Align new and existing CT curricula with essential college- and career-readiness standards.  Create a flexible system of optional career pathways in high schools to better prepare all students for college and careers.  Create a policy framework that keeps students’ future options open by developing CT and academic programs that: (1) link high school to postsecondary studies and works, (2) blend academic and technical studies, and (3) connect students to a goal. TCTW Crafting a New Vision for High School, SREB

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Challenges  Assess the contributions CT education can make to improving academic and technical achievement.  Prepare and enable CT teachers to teach essential academic skills through application in authentic activities, projects and problems. “A new vision requires new actions.” TCTW Crafting a New Vision for High School, SREB

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Key Principles of CTE  Draws its curricula, standards, and organizing principles from the workplace.  Is a critical and integral component of the total educational system, offering career-oriented benefits for all students.  Is a critical and integral component of the workforce development system, providing the essential foundation for a thriving economy. TCTW Source: NASDCTE

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Key Principles of CTE  Maintains high levels of excellence supported through identification of academic and workplace standards, measurement of performance (accountability), and high expectations for participant success.  Is robust and flexible enough to respond to the needs of the multiple educational environments, customers, and levels of specialization. TCTW Source: NASDCTE

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Are well-designed CTE programs simply…  Focused on making students more postsecondary education- and career-ready?  Rigorous?  Relevant?  Project-based?  Effective? TCTW U. S. Chamber of Commerce, 2008

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT StudiesSDW for CT9 TCTW Key Practices  Culture of Continuous Improvement  Challenging Program of Study  Challenging Career/Technical Studies  Work-based Learning  High Expectations  Challenging Academic Studies  Active Engagement  Teachers Working Together  Guidance and Advisement  Extra Help and Transitions TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies TCTW Key Practice: Career/Technical Studies Provide more students access to intellectually challenging career/technical studies in high-demand fields that emphasize the higher-level mathematics, science, literacy and problem-solving skills needed in the workplace and in further education.

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Quality CT Involves:  Creating new courses blending academics and technical content  Developing standards, conditions and agreements for awarding postsecondary credit  Requiring that teachers be certified in their field (state/national employer certification)

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Quality CT Includes:  Requiring a senior project with academic, technical and performance standards  Providing student opportunities to earn a recognized employer certification  Including dual enrollment opportunities for students to earn college credit through dual enrollment

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Quality CT Education Indicators  Completed four or more credits in CT courses  Used mathematics to complete challenging assignments weekly  Read and interpreted technical books and manuals weekly to complete assignments  Read a career-related article weekly and demonstrated understanding of the content  Used computer skills monthly to do assignments in their CT studies

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Quality CT Education Indicators Continued…  Had challenging assignments in CT classes at least monthly  Completed a project that required research and a written plan  Had to meet certain standards on a written exam to pass a course  Completed a senior project that included researching a topic, creating a product or performing a service and presenting it to the class  Spoke with or visited someone in a chosen career field  Spent 30 minutes or more on CT homework each day

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies So, what do you think quality career-technical studies should look like in a tech center? TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies How can we explain: On the 2008 Teacher Survey, 11% of the teachers said they are comfortable recommending 81 percent or more of current seniors as highly competent to an employer in their area of specialization. TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies How can we address the issues of offering the right programs---how do we maintain relevance to the business/industry community? TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Skill Level of U.S. Job Openings TCTW U. S. Chamber of Commerce, 2008

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies How do we meet the workforce needs of the future? TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Other thoughts? TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies Thank you for your participation. TCTW

Southern Regional Education Board HSTW TCTW Forum-Quality CT Studies If we can provide you with any assistance, please contact: Ann Benson Marna Young