1. Office of Postsecondary Coordination and Alignment
Division of Career and Technical Education
TICUA Drive to 55 Meeting
November 7, 2013
WEBB
As an agency, we have always had a duty to the children of our state: to support their schools and their teachers in helping students – all students – achieve and prepare for their futures
Now, however, we have a special responsibility and privilege to Tennessee’s children, and working with our districts through the state we now have the resources to turn that responsibility into results
First to the Top is about making achievement – college and career readiness – a reality for students all across our state

2. Office of Postsecondary Coordination and Alignment
Who Is OPCA?
Office of Postsecondary Coordination and Alignment
An office in the CTE Division of the Department of Education
Designed to expand and promote early postsecondary credit opportunities for all high school students (in general education and CTE content areas)
Works closely with representatives from higher education (UT, TBR, THEC, TICUA) to support successful transitions from high school to postsecondary

3. Office of Postsecondary Coordination and Alignment Core Beliefs
All students should have an opportunity to earn postsecondary credit while in high school.
Early postsecondary offerings must be relevant and rigorous.
Students who demonstrate mastery of postsecondary curricula should be awarded college credit.
All stakeholders must collaborate to ensure smooth student transitions from secondary to postsecondary.
Students, parents, counselors, and educators need comprehensive information outlining early postsecondary offerings.
Office established in 2012 … Dept. of Education, CTE Division … liaison between secondary and postsecondary for academic and CTE courses
The beliefs that drive our work

4. What Are EPSOs?
Early Postsecondary Opportunities (EPSOs) allow students to earn college-level credits in high school.
Common types of EPSOs are:
Dual Enrollment (DE)
Dual Credit (DC)
Advanced Placement (AP)
International Baccalaureate (IB)
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Articulated Credits
TDOE in general, and CTE Division specifically, believes that students should progress along a clear, thoughtful pathway from secondary through postsecondary and into careers. Early postsecondary opportunities are an important component of this pathway, as they smooth the transition from high school to postsecondary.
This office is staffed by an Executive Director and a Program Manager

5. Why Should EPSOs Be Offered?
By 2020, nearly two out of every three U.S. jobs will require some postsecondary education and training.
All students need to plan to pursue some type of postsecondary education.
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce,
CTE: Five Ways That Pay

6. The Future Of The U.S. Workforce
In 2012
3.4 million job openings go unfilled because companies cannot find qualified candidates
By 2014
Need to fill new jobs and replace retirees
Require high skills - 33%
Require middle skills – 45%
Require low skills – 22%
By 2018
Labor market demand projected to increase by 10%
Expected addition of 15.3 million jobs
“The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development projects an increase
of 173,000 jobs in Tennessee through 2018, with the greatest gains in the industry groups of ambulatory healthcare services,
educational services, and professional and technical services. These occupations often require postsecondary education or skills.
Source: Sept Achieve, Middle Skills Jobs and the Growing Importance of Postsecondary Education

7. Different Types of Dual Credit
LOCAL
STATEWIDE
Agreement between one postsecondary and LEA (typically)
Agreement between all TN public postsecondary and high schools
Earned college credit only valid at institution stated in agreement
College credit transfers to all TN public postsecondary institutions
College records student assessment outcome until student enrolls at postsecondary institution
State repository maintains student assessment results until postsecondary accesses student record of EPSOs
Prior to the recently developed statewide courses, some colleges offered DC.
Statewide DC not intended to discourage or hinder current local DC agreements.
Example: Northeast Intro to Chemistry for Eastman Chemical potential employees … does not need to transfer to other colleges. Northeast created their own exam for their use to offer to local high schools.

8. 2013-14 State Approved Dual Credit Courses
College Algebra/Advanced Algebra Trigonometry (3124)
Introduction to Agriculture Business/Agricultural Business Finance (5943)
Introduction to Plant Science (Ornamental Horticulture)/Greenhouse Management (5954)
Let’s talk about college algebra …
Dual credit pilot limited to 50 schools since first dual credit course. Should be open to all schools next year if pilot successful. Two day teacher training provides info about postsecondary expectations/ learning objectives

9. What is P.C. 967?
A legislative response to the needs of the Tennessee workforce
A call for collaboration between education organizations
An initiative to increase early postsecondary opportunities and participation
What is the driving force for this legislation?
Why Was Legislation Enacted?

10. 2014-15 Statewide Dual Credit Pilot
Art Appreciation
Introduction to Sociology
Health Informatics
Pre-Calculus
Introduction to Criminal Justice
World History

11. Logistics of the Dual Credit Pilots
MOU and LCN will register students
All students enrolled sit for exam
Fall webinar-testing guidelines
Memorandum of Understanding has been submitted by your LEA director, CTE director, or principal
Local course number must be accurate for your students to be registered – confirm with Patrice Watson
All students enrolled in a dual credit course will receive a PIN to access the assessment and are expected to test.
The pilot coordinator … identified in the MOU … receives assessment information and updates.

12. Office of Postsecondary Coordination and Alignment
Questions?
Patrice Watson, Program Manager
Office of Postsecondary Coordination and Alignment Division of Career & Technical Education
(615)
Questions 12