Overview Career and Technical Education Career and Technical Education (CTE) is at the forefront of preparing students to be college- and career-ready by providing instructional programs through which students acquire core academic skills and knowledge, and learn relevant technical applications of current and emerging careers while preparing for postsecondary studies and employment opportunities following high school graduation. This program provides for a variety of career and technical education courses in all middle and high schools. The CTE curricula are focused around six program-specific areas: business and information technology, family and consumer sciences, health and medical sciences, marketing, technology and engineering education, and trade and industrial education. The CTE program adheres to mandates and regulations established by the Virginia Department of Education which govern CTE. Another key regulator of CTE is the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Reauthorized in 2006, the Perkins Act provides federal funds to increase focus on the academic achievement of career and technical education students, strengthen connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improve state and local accountability. (Funds received for the local CTE program through the Perkins grant are reflected as offsetting revenue in the budget program narrative. See below.) In compliance with requirements of the Carl Perkins grant, school divisions with CTE programs are required to have a yearly Federal Program Monitoring process in place with reports sent to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) every six years. In addition, over the past years, FCPS CTE has implemented a national model, referred to as Exemplary Program Review, to provide schools with a format of comprehensive self-evaluation and continuous improvement. The local CTE staff streamlined the process by combining both programs and it is now referred to as CTE Federal Monitoring and Program Improvement. The self-assessment includes using the data gathered to encourage best practices in all schools with CTE programs and developing continuous improvement models and strategies that will strengthen the CTE programs in the division. Career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) are an integral part of CTE and a requirement of the Carl Perkins grant. These co-curricular CTSOs provide unique programs of career and leadership development, motivation, and recognition for students enrolled, or previously enrolled, in CTE programs. The CTE instructional team provides the necessary instructional and curriculum support for schools, career awareness and experience opportunities for students, curriculum development, co-curricular student organizations, local and program-specific advisory committees, staff training and development opportunities, business/community partnerships, student certifications and licensures, dual enrollment, and postsecondary articulation agreements. In addition, CTE is responsible for Federal and VDOE reporting requirements for local CTE programs. A program budget narrative for FY2016 for CTE can be found on page 96 in the following document: http://www.fcps.edu/fs/budget/documents/approved/fy16/programbudgetfy16.pdf CTE supports Student Success Goals. By reasonable interpretation, the knowledge and skills students develop in fine arts and CTE courses form the basis for 21st century skills that require cultural literacy, inventive thinking, problem solving, and creativity. Evidence of support can be found throughout CTE courses by way of industry validated course content, opportunities to earn credentials and advanced placement credit, and career exploration and preparation activities. One of the measurements used for Student Success Goalsis the number of seniors earning a CTE related industry credential. Additional information may be found on the Career and Technical Education website at http://www.fcps.edu/is/cte/index.shtml. 1 of 6
Student Summary Targeted groups include all middle and high school students in grades 7-12. Note: The data below is from end-of-year SY14-15. Economics and Personal Finance (EPF) enrollments are reported to the state as part of the CTE enrollment and are included in the data below. NCLB Subgroups CTE White 26,063 Black 7,094 Hispanic 12,808 Asian/Native Hawaiian 11,863 Other ethnicities 2,959 Total Enrollments 63,746 -------------------- --------------- LEP 5,094 Special Ed 8,675 Fee Waiver 17,147 Note: if a student is enrolled in more than one CTE course, he or she is counted for each course. In accordance with Virginia Standards of Quality and Virginia Standards of Accreditation, CTE programs are offered to all middle and high school students in FCPS. Standard course offerings are available to students at three secondary schools, 24 middle schools, and 24 high schools. A limited selection of courses is offered at two alternative high schools. In addition, specialized courses are offered at six high school academies (Chantilly, Edison, Fairfax, Falls Church, Marshall, and West Potomac) and at the following community-based locations: practical nursing at the Plum Center for Lifelong Learning; classroom-on-the-mall at Fair Oaks Mall; and construction technologies at the Spring Village Residential Construction Site in Springfield, Virginia. Approved Materials Virginia's CTE Resource Center supports career and technical education programs by providing resources for curriculum development and program design and implementation in response to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Verso, Virginia's Educational Resource System Online, is the Center s primary method of distributing CTE curriculum. This web-based system allows educators online access to the detailed instructional frameworks developed by VDOE for its CTE programs. FCPS CTE teachers use Verso to locate state approved curricula and other resources. A link to the CTE Resource Center and Verso is provided. http://www.cteresource.org/about/ 2 of 6
Assessments Many CTE courses prepare students for industry certification opportunities. Students who desire this professional credential must pass an industry-developed, industry-evaluated exam at the end of the CTE course. Earning an industry certification demonstrates the professional skill level the student has achieved and provides industry-recognized proof that the student is prepared for career-related responsibilities or postsecondary education or training. The Virginia Board of Education has approved many exams for the purpose of awarding verified credit, specifically designated as Student-Selected Verified Credit. In addition, the number of seniors earning a CTE related industry credential is a measurement used for Student Success Goals. A link to the current chart of industry certifications and licensures available to career and technical students is provided. http://www.fcps.edu/is/cte/documents/industrycertifications.pdf Current Focus The mission of CTE is to educate FCPS students with a focus on 21st century skills to prepare them for college and technical career pathways that are linked to their individual passions, interests and talents for current and future societal needs. The office of CTE provides support including equipment, curriculum and opportunities to teachers, students, parents, administrators, and the business community that improves the learning experiences for students. The goal is to assist teachers and administrators with the resources and guidance to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will prepare them for college and the world of work. To this end, the CTE instruction team is currently focusing on the following goals: Industry Credentialing In support of Student Achievement Goal 1.3, there will be an increase in the number of CTE students who pass an industry credential and an increase in the number of additional credentialing exams made available to CTE students. Specifically: By June 2016, 75%% of seniors will have taken and passed an industry credential resulting in a 5% increase over last year s data. By June 2016, 66% of the CTE Completers for SY2014-15 will have taken and passed an industry credential resulting in a 5% increase over last year's data. (Note: VDOE data is provided to local school divisions via the VDOE Career and Technical Education Annual Performance Report approximately nine months after the end-of-school year data is processed.) The following steps will be taken to achieve these goals: 1. All six of the CTE programs continue to develop best practices to better prepare more students to pass industry credentialing tests. During SY2015-16, CTE program managers will provide staff development opportunities as needed which focus on technical skills and/or content knowledge by subject area to support the related measures of Student Success Goals. 2. CTE program managers will work with the VDOE to offer additional, appropriate credentialing exams in order to expand the opportunities for students. 3. Strategies to prepare students to take the Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth Examination will be shared with teachers through various professional development and collaboration opportunities. 3 of 6
CTE Federal Monitoring and Program Improvement (FMPI) All CTE programs are in compliance and meet the requirements of the VDOE CTE Federal Program Monitoring self-assessment. The following steps will be taken to maintain this goal: 1. In compliance with requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (federal grant), school divisions with CTE programs are required to have a yearly Federal Program Monitoring process in place. In addition, FCPS CTE has implemented a format of self-evaluation and continuous improvement. The streamlined combination of both programs is locally referred to as Federal Monitoring and Program Improvement (FMPI) and documentation for the review process is managed through FCPS 24-7. The annual review uses data to encourage best practices and develop continuous improvement strategies that strengthen the CTE programs in FCPS. 2. During SY2015-16, all CTE teachers will be expected to continuously update data and records and submit appropriate documentation to their program managers as VDOE and federal compliance requires all CTE programs to have a yearly Federal Program Monitoring process in place. 3. During SY2015-16, CTE program managers will monitor documentation from all CTE teachers and take steps to correct any issues of noncompliance. Career Clusters and Pathways By March 2016, one additional sample plan of study will be submitted to VDOE in accordance with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and the Local Plan for CTE Perkins Funds. The following steps will be taken to achieve this goal: 1. The sample plan of study will focus on a specific Career Cluster and will include CTE courses. This plan of study (and others designed in prior years) will also provide a resource in the development and implementation of the Academic and Career Plan for FCPS (see Virginia School Board regulation 8 VAC 20-131-140), which is directly related to Student Success Goals. 2. The plan of study will also be shared with CTE and other FCPS students. CTE will work with other departments and offices to determine best practices for teachers and counselors to provide opportunities for students. Future Focus Assessment Training and professional development activities across all six CTE programs will include instruction and best practices to support the school system's assessment initiative with a specific focus on helping prepare students to successfully pass authentic assessments, such as industry credentialing exams. Industry Credentialing CTE will continue to develop instructional strategies to better prepare more students to pass industry credentialing tests, and to expand the opportunities for students by working with the VDOE to offer additional, appropriate credentialing exams. CTE Federal Monitoring and Program Improvement The recently revised program evaluation is a sustainable model for continuous improvement. Documentation of all CTE middle school and high school programs (and any associated academies) will be updated, then reviewed, with site visits conducted as needed for the purpose of continuous improvement and to meet federal regulations associated with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Career Clusters and Pathways CTE will continue to develop at least one additional sample plan of study 4 of 6
to submit to VDOE in accordance with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The plan of study will also be shared with CTE and other FCPS students. CTE will work with other departments and offices to determine best practices for teachers and counselors to provide opportunities for all FCPS students to explore career pathways that are linked to their individual passions, interests, and talents. ecart CTE staff will work to input curriculum from all six program areas. Resources and assessments for select CTE courses will be developed and submitted for input. Data Narrative Many CTE courses lead to certification, licensure, or college credit. As reported in the Student Success presentation to the School Board, the percentage of seniors who graduated and passed a CTE industry credential increased by 19 % over the previous reporting period. In addition, the Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth Examination which exceeded the published goal. The number of industry-recognized certification tests accepted as student-selected verified credit options continues to grow each year as does the number of CTE students who take and pass credentialing exams. New agreements with two-year and four-year colleges for dual-enrollment and advanced placement credit continue to be developed. Collaboration with colleges also provides opportunities to support students with suggested pathways to education and career success in all 16 career clusters. In compliance with requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (federal grant), school divisions with CTE programs are required to have a yearly Federal Program Monitoring process in place with reports sent to VDOE every five years. In addition, over the past years FCPS CTE has implemented a national model referred to as Exemplary Program Review to provide schools with a format of comprehensive self-evaluation and continuous improvement. The CTE staff streamlined the process by combining both programs, now referred to as Federal Monitoring and Program Improvement (FMPI). In fall 2012, the annual FMPI self-review process was implemented in all FCPS high school and middle school CTE programs. All schools were compliant in this year. The revised process helps CTE programs to build collaborative teams, uses gathered data to encourage best practices in all schools with CTE programs, and develops continuous improvement models and strategies that will strengthen the CTE programs in the division. In accordance with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and the Local Plan for CTE Perkins Funds, a sample plan of study was submitted to VDOE in March 2015. To date, seven sample plans of study have been created and submitted to VDOE and include the following Career Clusters: Business Management and Administration; Education and Training; Health Science; Hospitality and Tourism; Information Technology; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics. These plans provide an additional resource in the development and implementation of the Academic and Career Plan (locally known as the Student Learning Plan) for FCPS. In preparation of the implementation of Virginia School Board regulation 8 VAC 20-131-140, which includes reference to the Academic and Career Plan, CTE has been in collaboration with other departments and offices on a continuous basis. 5 of 6
Locations ELEMENTARY MIDDLE HIGH OTHER Carson Middle Cooper Middle Franklin Middle Frost Middle Glasgow Middle Hayfield Secondary Herndon Middle Holmes Middle Hughes Middle Irving Middle Key Middle Kilmer Middle Lake Braddock Secondary Lanier Middle Liberty Middle Longfellow Middle Luther Jackson Middle Poe Middle Robinson Secondary Rocky Run Middle Sandburg Middle South County Middle Stone Middle Thoreau Middle Twain Middle Whitman Middle Annandale High Bryant Alt High Centreville High Chantilly High Edison High Fairfax High Falls Church High Hayfield Secondary Herndon High Lake Braddock Secondary Langley High Lee High Madison High Marshall High McLean High Mount Vernon High Mountain View Alt High Oakton High Robinson Secondary South County High South Lakes High Stuart High West Potomac High West Springfield High Westfield High Woodson High 6 of 6