1. NYS CTE Program Approval Process
An Introduction and Overview

2. Career & Technical Education
CTE Program Approval
NYS Board of Regents Approved New Regulations for Career and Technical Education on February 6, Regulations became effective in September 2001

3. The 2001 Regents CTE Policy
The use of Career and Technical Education as a means by which students can achieve state academic standards is a core concept underpinning the 2001 Regents Policy on Career and Technical Education. The Policy created the Program Approval Process, which has raised the bar for program quality.
Some feel, the CTE Policy is one of the defining moments for Career and Technical Education. It marked the change from Vocational Education classes to Career and Technical Education. The policy refined and standardized CTE programs across the state. At one time, CTE programs were not aligned to standards and, therefore, the quality could vary from program to program. The approval process added merit and standards to CTE Programs and created an awareness to the business and educational community of what CTE is and how it can be a viable option for all students. 3

4. Regulation to Application
Reading to get started:
CR 100.5(d)(6)(iv)
Approval of career and technical education programs
New York State Education Department
Approval Application for CTE Programs
Accuracy * Completeness * Appropriateness
The approval application is the way we operationalize the Commissioner’s Regulation.
It has been updated and refined several times since the regulation was adopted in 2001.
That why a certain set of questions comprise the application.
Print it out and refer to it as you go through the process.

5. “Readiness is more than an academic pursuit”
The NYS CTE Program Approval Process provides clear alignment with the 3 Domains of College and Career Readiness. All students who successfully complete an approved CTE program are ready to move to post-secondary experiences, with a true understanding of a particular career cluster. They have the academic knowledge and skills that prepare them to continue in that field, they have specific work based learning experiences to understand the environment and expectations to be successful in that career area, and they have focused on and been evaluated in those soft skills that make a person successful in college or a career.

6. And as we know, CTE has been identified as one of the specific pathways in NYS for students to earn a regents diploma. But, in reality, all of the other pathways could be looked at as “career” pathways. Going through this same process as you look at your programs in humanities, STEM, Biliteracy or the Arts would provide beneficial opportunities for your students.

7. So, when you complete the CTE Program Approval Process—what will you have.
Remember that there will be specific follow-up webinars on each of these areas to help you complete the work for the completeness, accuracy, and appropriateness that is expected.

8. Lets look at the process from beginning to end.
I always recommend that as soon as you receive a letter that the program is approved, you download and print the reapproval application. You will need to collect very specific data each year on your program, and it’s best to know what data you will need.

9. Key Elements of the Approval Regulation Include:
A program approval process
Flexibility in the delivery of core academic courses
A work skills employability profile
Technical assessments based on industry standards
Technical endorsement on the regents diploma and regents diploma with advanced designation
(Difference between integrated and specialized courses) Food Science is a state-developed course that can be used as a specialized course to meet the third unit of science requirement for graduation. It is available on the NYSED FACS “Course Offerings” webpage. It was written by FACS and Science teachers. 9

10. CTE Program Approval Process
Assures quality technical and academic curriculum
Evidence of postsecondary articulation agreements
Work-based learning opportunities
Established partnerships with local business and industry
Certification of individual programs; Recertification every five years : 10

11. Technical Assessments Provides a foundation for a technical endorsement on a Regents Diploma (May be used in a pathway as an alternative to a regents)
What constitutes an acceptable technical assessment?
Alignment to industry standards
Commencement/experiential learning standards
Administration under uniform conditions
Availability for use in other educational agencies
Written examination, student project, and demonstration or performance 11

12. Technical Endorsement on the NYS Regents Diploma
A technical endorsement on the High School Diploma reflects student achievement in the CTE program of study and academic core
Completion of all graduation requirements and CTE sequence
Passing a two-part Technical Assessment
Completing a student project
Passing a minimum of 4+1 Regents examinations
If you think about it, CTE students really are doing more than just the basics to graduate from high school. They will need to complete a rigorous curriculum and pass a nationally recognized exam. When they do that the policy allowed the students to receive a Technical Endorsement and Diploma with Advanced Designation when they meet the requirements. 12

13. The Implementation Guide for Career and Technical Education Program Approval
Cross walked to CDOS, Math and ELA commencement level learning standards and industry standards
Career and Finance Management course taught as integrated, or stand alone – part of sequence
Non-duplicative
Challenging, logical, sequential free of bias
Encompasses applied learning experiences to link academic knowledge with technical skills

14. Utilize the CTE TAC Website

15. Contact your CTE TAC Field Team Associate

17. CTE TAC Support www.nyctecenter.org 518-723-2137
Western New York State Long Island
Charlie Crumb Ellen Palazzo
Northern New York State New York City & Yonkers
Carol Zygo Marsha Iverson
Southern New York State New York City
Bernard Pierorazio Ted Gershon
CTE TAC Director CTE TAC Assistant Director
Tim Ott Connie Spohn

18. Where to start? Start with a look at course offerings
Do you have a meaningful learning strand or a series of electives?
Can offerings be amended to become meaningful program of study?
Can the same course be used in more than one learning strand? More strands means more flexibility for students
Are there enough courses to equal at least 3 units of content beyond Career and Financial Management?
Are your teachers appropriately CTE certified?
Not all students in a particular course need to be students who intend to complete the approved program—class enrollment will likely be a combination of “approval” students and “elective” students. Synergy—“approval” students make the course necessary in the school because students are using the courses for a graduation purpose. At the same time, “elective” students fill the seats required for enrollment numbers that allow the courses to run within the school. 18

19. Programs of Study Business Management & Administration Career
General Management Pathway
Business Information Management Pathway
Human Resource Management Pathway
Operations Management Pathway
Administrative Support Pathway
Finance Career Cluster
Securities and Investment Pathway
Business Finance Pathway
Accounting Pathway
Insurance Pathway
Banking Services Pathway
Do we have a meaningful, challenging, logical and sequential program of study—preparing a student for college and/or a career. Consider alignment with post-secondary programs and needs of the business community in your region. 19

20. Marketing Career Cluster
Marketing Management Pathway
Professional Sales Pathway
Merchandising Pathway
Marketing Communications Pathway
Marketing Research Pathway
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster
Agribusiness Systems Career Pathway
Animal Systems Career Pathway
Environmental Services Systems Career Pathway
Food Products & Processing Systems Career Pathway
Natural Resources Systems Career Pathway
Plant Systems Career Pathway
Power, Structural & Technical Systems Career Pathway

21. NYSED CIP CODES Classification of Instructional Programs
The following general CIP codes reflect the six major CTE content areas: Agriculture: use CIP code Business and Marketing: use CIP code Family and Consumer Sciences: use CIP code Health Occupations: use CIP code Technology Education: use CIP code Trade and Technical: use CIP code
We are going to look at the NYSED website and a resource to see programs that are already approved. One of the items on the website is something called a CIP code. There are more specific codes that align with programs related to these areas, which you will need to include on your application.

22. Looking for some programs that are already developed?
Also, notice this is where you go for more information on the CIP Codes

23. NOTICE those ending 6/30/16. Should have already gone through a review, and the reapproval application should be on its way to or at SED. Changes to programs once approved need to be reported to SED. For example, if a new teacher is hired, a letter needs to be written on school letterhead from the principal or superintendent indicating the change. If it is anything that needed to be attached to the application, like a teacher’s certification, then a copy of that will need to accompany the letter.

25. 16 Career Clusters® Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Architecture & Construction
Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
Business Management & Administration
Education & Training
Finance
Government & Public Administration
Health Science
Hospitality & Tourism
Human Services
Information Technology
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
Manufacturing
Marketing
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Considerations:
What courses are you already offering?
With which post-secondary programs will you align your CTE program?
What are the needs of your local community? (conversations with partners, Regional Economic Development Plan, etc)

28. Challenges--
Can you partner with other CTE programs in school--FACS? Technology? Ag?
Could Business accelerate grade 8 students to begin courses in middle school?
(Acceleration in CTE is allowed by CR 100.4)
Acceleration is allowed as long as the student is receiving high school credit toward graduation requirements.

29. Self-Study Team Post Secondary CTE/Academic Faculty Industry/Business
School Administrators
Other Key Stakeholders
CTE and academic faculty
Representatives for students with disabilities
Parents, students, graduates of program
School principal or an individual who can represent the school
For BOCES CTE programs, include two academic teachers from different districts in each core academic area to review the curriculum crosswalk to academics
Guidance personnel who are knowledgeable
Budget/HR representative from the district/BOCES
Post-secondary and Business/industry/union representatives
Local Workforce Investment Board (WIB) or economic council participant who is knowledgeable regarding employment in the region

30. External Review Members are not on the self-study team
Review and assess program
Develop recommendations or approve as presented
While you are considering who should be on the self-study team, you might come up with the names or organizations that should be included in an external review. Start keeping track of who would be best on each of the teams.
Signatures from Superintendent and Board of Education
Complete SED Application

31. CTE Approved Program Hard copy Electronic version
Many program capture all their work and keep track of this information in a working binder or through an electronic binder.

32. Approval Process Let’s look at the process one more time.
Support across the state with Field Team Associates from CTE TAC of NY. 32

33. Visit these websites: www.nyctecenter.org www.nysed.gov
Call us for further assistance:
CTE TAC of NY