Colorado’s Special Populations Career and Technical Education Division ACE Alternative Cooperative Education

ACE / Special Populations CTE Division Mission Statement ACE provides high-risk* students with a lifelong pathway for graduation, employment, and career development. * Includes individuals: with disabilities; from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children; preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents, including single pregnant women; displaced homemakers; and individuals with limited English proficiency.

What is ACE? ACE is the only Career and Technical Education program designed specifically for high-risk and special populations students*, which addresses individualized and transition needs. ACE is the only Career and Technical Education program designed specifically for high-risk and special populations students*, which addresses individualized and transition needs. ACE works to transition these students from high school to post-secondary education and training or into the workforce. ACE works to transition these students from high school to post-secondary education and training or into the workforce. The ACE framework is the multi-occupational program spanning multiple career pathways for students. The ACE framework is the multi-occupational program spanning multiple career pathways for students.

Students at high-risk of dropping out or not graduating from high school Indicators may include but are not limited to: educational barriers special education qualified limited English proficiency economically disadvantaged; including foster care head-of-household students; displaced homemakers pregnant and parenting teens non-traditional career goals involvement with the criminal justice system Who are Special Populations?

Current facts on Colorado Youth Colorado Youth Population Based on 525,713 youths ages ,985 Juvenile Arrests 6,829 Live Births by mothers ages ,600 Dropouts 44% of students with an IEP drop out of high school

What is the cost of 23,000 dropouts per year? What is the cost to Colorado’s school districts? 23,000 x $6,000 1 = $138,000,000 revenue lost What is the cost to Colorado’s communities? 23,000 x $250,000 2 = $5,750,000,000 will be spent supporting this year’s dropouts! What is the cost to you, your family, your community? By supporting ACE Programs we pay a little now as opposed to a LOT later. 1 state average per pupil allocation 2 average cost to community over the lifetime of a dropout

ACE Programs enrollment in ACE programs = 6,535 number of ACE programs = 113 data shows 92.5% of ACE students are employed or continuing their education ACE students are successful! 1 Colorado Vocational Act required, annual data report (VE-135)

Response to Intervention is built into every ACE program Response to Intervention is federally mandated by NCLB and IDEA Response to Intervention is federally mandated by NCLB and IDEA The ACE program meets a tier 2, targeted-level intervention, by meeting the needs of students identified as high-risk or those who require specific supports to make adequate progress in general education, through a nationally identified and funded Career and Technical Education program.

ACE Curriculum is… designed for students who are high-risk or have special needs equivalent to the Special Populations Definition. designed for students who are high-risk or have special needs equivalent to the Special Populations Definition. a comprehensive curriculum providing a continuum of pre-employment, employment, 21 st Century Skills, independent living skills, financial literacy, etc. a comprehensive curriculum providing a continuum of pre-employment, employment, 21 st Century Skills, independent living skills, financial literacy, etc. CTE standards-based (11 essential skills) CTE standards-based (11 essential skills) aligned with Colorado Academic Standards. aligned with Colorado Academic Standards. an enhancement to the application of academics providing contextual learning opportunities and relevance. an enhancement to the application of academics providing contextual learning opportunities and relevance. academic assistance for struggling and/or credit deficient students academic assistance for struggling and/or credit deficient students also taught under other program names (e.g. Achieve, JET, GAIN, Options, ICE, ACE/WES, etc.) also taught under other program names (e.g. Achieve, JET, GAIN, Options, ICE, ACE/WES, etc.) ACE is the only Career and Technical Education program designed specifically for high-risk and special populations students, which addresses individualized and transition needs.

ACE supports other CTE programs by: providing work-related opportunities for practical, hands-on experiences for all pathways including those which may not offer work- related components. providing work-related opportunities for practical, hands-on experiences for all pathways including those which may not offer work- related components. building a foundation for students to explore multiple career pathways. building a foundation for students to explore multiple career pathways. coordinating a variety of multi-occupational employment opportunities. coordinating a variety of multi-occupational employment opportunities. Career and Technical Education incorporates over 80 different career pathway opportunities in specific career fields.

Context and Relevance Work-based Work-based Internship Internship Work evaluations Work evaluations Job coaching Job coaching Job shadows Job shadows Job fairs Job fairs Providing opportunities to build strong community relations and group dynamics business community relationships Providing opportunities to build strong community relations and group dynamics business community relationships Soft skills Soft skills Earn credit towards graduation for work experiences Earn credit towards graduation for work experiences

ACE is a Solution ACE provides students who are high-risk or have special needs* with fundamental Career and Technical Education Skills ACE enhances the application of academics by providing contextual learning opportunities and relevance ACE provides assistance with academics in and out of class. * Includes individuals: with disabilities; from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children; preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents, including single pregnant women; displaced homemakers; and individuals with limited English proficiency.

Colorado ACE ACTE Special Populations Division Colorado Dept of Ed: Exceptional Student Services unit