ctat

On November 30, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) posted a revised proposal for calculating the uniform GPA in the Texas Register (click here to download). The proposal states that career and technical education (CTE) courses aligned with university programs of study shall be included in the calculation. And, increased weight will be provided for courses taken for dual credit.

The proposal does not include increased weight for courses taken for articulated credit. And, the proposal is vague in its description of which CTE courses will be included in the overall calculation. A 15-member GPA Advisory Committee is to be established and will include representatives from public education, higher education and the workforce. This committee will determine which CTE courses will be included in the calculation and is also responsible for ensuring compliance with the rules relating to dual credit requirements. THECB, Texas Education Agency and Texas Workforce Commission are each expected to name five representatives to serve on the committee.

The Career and Technology Association contends that including all CTE courses and additional weight for courses taken for either dual or articulated credit would provide an incentive for students to pursue college level coursework in high school, support the state’s effort to prepare students to enter college and would more fully advance the goals of Closing the Gaps.

Public comment on the revised proposal will be accepted prior to the board’s consideration of the rules at their meeting in January. Comments on the proposal may be submitted to:

Natalie Coffey
Senior Program Director
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
P.O Box 12788
Austin, Texas 78711

Or natalie.coffey@thecb.state.tx.us. Comments will be accepted for 30 days following publication of the proposal in the Texas Register.

The Texas Register can be accessed at these links.
HTML version

PDF version

Please submit your comments today to in an effort to support the inclusion of all CTE courses and for increased weight for courses taken for articulated credit.

Thank you for your support of CTE!

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CTE Review Panel Recommendations

Recommendations of the CTE Review Panel are scheduled for presentation to the State Board of Education on Nov. 20.

Scheduled to present are panel members

Robin Painovich, Executive Director, CTAT
Michael Bettersworth, Associate Vice Chancellor, TSTC
Cindy Miller, CTE Director, Frenship ISD

The cover letter and recommendations are accessible with the following links.

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Posted November 10, 2008

ACTE News: Democrats Sweep Presidency, Congressional and Senatorial Elections

The 2008 election was a big win for the Democratic Party. Not only was current Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) elected the 44th President of the United States, but Democrats picked up at least five new seats in the Senate (four races are still too close to call) and over 20 House seats.

Senator Obama and Vice President-elect, Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) will be sworn in on January 20, 2009. However, their work begins almost immediately. In the next few months it is expected that Senators Obama and Biden will begin naming their cabinet members, including Secretary of Education, and other staff members. ACTE tracks this process very closely, and will be reporting on all decisions that have a potential effect on CTE.

In the Senate, the Democrats now control at least 56 seats, shy of their “super majority” goal of 60 seats that would allow them to override legislation delaying tactics from the minority party. A somewhat surprising Democratic win came from Kay Hagan in North Carolina, who defeated current Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC). Another current Senator, Senator John Sununu (R-NH) was upset by New Hampshire’s former Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen.

The other Democratic gains in the Senate came from retiring Republican Senators in New Mexico, Colorado, and Virginia. Tom Udall, Mark Udall and former Governor Mark Warner will fill those seats, respectively. Governor Warner was a strong CTE advocate during his time in state office.

In the House, Democrats secured their majority by unseating over a dozen Republican incumbents, including CTE Champion and Co-Chair of the Congressional CTE Caucus Rep. Phil English. This upset is disappointing to the CTE community, but we will continue to work with the incoming Representative in that district, Kathy Dahlkemper, and will reach out to other Republicans interested in CTE issues to find a new Co-Chair for the caucus.

The Democrats also captured at least a dozen districts that were left open by retiring Republican Members. Exit polls stated that Americans’ number one issue was the economy. The incoming Administration and the Congress will have numerous fiscal challenges to face during these difficult economic times. Incoming President Obama said his first order of business will be dealing with the economy and current fiscal crisis. This could delay efforts to focus on education policies like No Child Left Behind.

For more information on how schools are impacted by the financial crisis, please see the story below, CEF Hosts Forum on Financial Meltdown and Education. Each ACTE member should take these next few months to introduce yourself and your program to all the incoming Members of Congress, especially newly elected ones. ACTE will continue contact with the Obama/Biden Administration and the incoming 111th Congress during the transition. Please continue to check ACTE’s Issues and Advocacy Web page for the latest information.

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Posted November 10, 2008

ACTE News: Secretary Spellings Announces New NCLB Regulations

On Tuesday, October 28, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced a series of new regulations pertaining to the No Child Left Behind Act. The new regulations focus on three areas that the Department termed:

"improved accountability and transparency,”
“uniform and disaggregated graduation rates,” and
"improved parental notification for Supplemental Education Services and public school choice.”

The Secretary noted that the uniform graduation rate regulation is based on the work of the National Governor’s Association, which developed a graduation cohort calculation several years ago, although the Department’s plan does differ somewhat.

Schools will be required to calculate their cohort graduation rate based on all of the students in the school, not just seniors as some states and localities currently calculate. The regulation is especially aimed at addressing the “abysmal” graduation rates of minority students, said Spellings. The new regulations also require schools to better publicize choice options to parents, including posting the information on state and local Web sites and highlighting the information in mailings to parents. This could include activities such as copying the choice notice on different colored paper or in a post card format that stands out from other mailed materials.

The Secretary has been critical of schools’ efforts related to publicizing choice options to parents as required by Supplemental Education Services provisions in the law. Department staff have referenced that only half of parents in some districts know that choice is an option.

Finally, the regulations include provisions allowing multiple assessments within a subject area to be used in determining student performance. Department officials note that this is a clarification more than a new provision, claiming that the law never mandated a single test for these purposes. Allowance of a growth model is also provided, which has been supported by multiple organizations including ACTE.

Other changes in the regulations include a requirement National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores be reported on state and school district report cards and that student scores be disaggregated by subgroup. Many of the provisions in the regulations do not take effect until school year 2009 or later.

The timing of the announcement was criticized by some organizations and individuals as occurring too close to the election and as the Bush Administration prepares to leave office. Secretary Spellings defended the timing saying that it would take some time for the new President and Congress to begin real work on the reauthorization and that the release was needed since Congress did not reauthorize the law last year. She said the regulations reflect lessons learned over the past six years.

For additional information on the regulations view the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site.

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Posted November 10, 2008

National Governors Association Announces CTE Policy Academy

On October 23, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) announced five states that will have the opportunity to participate in an NGA Center Policy Academy on Meeting Academic and Economic Need through Career Technical Education. The five states include Arizona, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio and Oklahoma.

States were selected to participate in the Policy Academy through a competitive process. ACTE has served as an advisor to NGA throughout the development of the Policy Academy and the selection of participants. The Policy Academy is designed to help each state develop a specific action plan for equipping more high school students with both academic and technical skills. Teams from the five states will participate in two meetings and a learning lab, perform a diagnostic analysis of state CTE efforts with assistance from the NGA Center and other national experts, and receive ongoing technical assistance in order to develop the action plan. Each state's action plan will address how state policies can:

Connect CTE courses to high-paying, skilled jobs;
Infuse greater academic rigor into CTE courses; and
Build a system of CTE centered on standards, curriculum, assessment and accountability that prepares students for transition to postsecondary opportunities such as community college.

In releasing the participating states, John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center said, “With the number of jobs requiring both academic and technical skills increasing, today's students need to graduate high school better prepared for additional training and specialization. This Policy Academy will help states improve the rigor of their CTE programs and better align them to emerging workforce demands.” For more information about NGA’s efforts related to improving CTE, read the NGA Center's Issue Brief entitled Retooling Career Technical Education, or visit the NGA Center’s Web site.

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Posted November 10, 2008

CEF Hosts Forum on Financial Meltdown and Education

On Friday, October 31, the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) hosted a forum entitled, “Financial Meltdown and Education: The Impact of Today’s Financial Crisis on Students and Education Funding at the Federal, State and Local Levels.” This forum featured speakers Stan Collender, an expert on the national budget and Mary Peloquin-Dodd, the lead on higher education and not-for-profit corporation ratings and an analyst for Standard & Poor’s Corporate and Government Ratings.

These experts brought with them very dismal news on the economy and how the financial markets’ fall and virtual freeze of credit will affect all schools, from the elementary level to higher education. When asked, “What can we expect in our schools over the next four years?” Stan Collender said simply, “Less, less of everything.” Collender continued by explaining that, with 39 states facing a deficit totaling over $100 billion, schools will be unable to rely solely on revenue from state and local taxes. A freeze in the credit markets preventing schools from selling their short-term bonds means that the next few years will be very difficult and leave schools strapped for resources. He said that many schools will be postponing large projects, not hiring for open positions and cutting spending as much as possible over the next several years.

Peloquin-Dodd reinforced Collender’s remarks by saying that these tough economic times also affect the higher education community. In the past, many students attending a private postsecondary institution have relied on private student loans, and many of these loans are no longer available because of the current financial crisis. Even if a student can find a lender, there likely will be strict qualification guidelines. All institutions, private and public, have steadily increasing enrollment, and Peloquin-Dodd said it will be interesting to see what happens in the next year when many students need increased student aid, but many financial aid entities are not able to provide more money.

The two speakers did have a few words of encouragement. They said that a strong solution to all of our economic needs would be for secondary schools to partner with local community colleges to develop job training programs. ACTE is working to promote this message. For more information on CTE and Perkins funding please visit ACTE’s Web site, and for a personal look at the economic crisis affecting postsecondary education visit ACTE’s blog.

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Posted October 15, 2008

Uniform GPA in Texas

In a meeting regarding proposed rules for Uniform GPA Calculation, Commissioner Paredes suggested the discussion be framed in the context of college readiness, acknowledging that career and college readiness are one in the same.

When discussing career and technical education, Commissioner Paredes expressed his view that CTE courses are “largely irrelevant” to studies in a four year institution and dismissed suggestions that career and technical education prepares students for a variety of educational and occupational pursuits. On the contrary, he indicated that the arts should be included in the calculation, allowing some enrichment courses to be included to the exclusion of others for the purposes of predicting success in pursuing a baccalaureate degree.

It was acknowledged that Texas is making great strides to include career and college readiness standards in K-12 courses to prepare students for a highly competitive workforce requiring both academic and technical skills and that we must do more to align coursework and rigor between K-12 and higher education. Labor market statistics indicate that 85 percent of current and emerging occupations require a two year degree or less and 15 percent require a baccalaureate degree or higher, yet Commissioner Paredes supports a proposed rule for calculation of GPA that is a predictor of success solely in pursuing a baccalaureate degree. This policy contradicts the focus Texas places on career and college readiness to the extend that it excludes career and technical education.

When the 80th Texas Legislature passed HB 3851 and amended the Texas Education Code § 51.807 to require the THECB to establish a standard method for computing a student’s high school grade point average, the intent seemed to be that this would be something done “behind the curtain” for institutes of higher education. As we now recognize, any rule that is promulgated by the THECB will have a significant impact on high schools and is generally viewed as negative by local school trustees, public school personnel, and parents.

As the discussion progressed, David Anderson from Hillco Partners suggested an alternative proposal for GPA point conversion system to Commissioner Paredes that would encourage districts to continue calculating GPA as they do today and allow more time for stakeholders to work with Commissioner Paredes on this issue.

It should be noted that the commissioner will submit his proposal to members of the Higher Education Coordinating Board next week prior to their meeting Oct. 22 to discuss the proposed rules for Uniform GPA Calculation.

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Posted September 30, 2008

Statewide CTE Survey

Related to the Senate Interim Charge released in January, TEA conducted a survey to Review the access and quality of career and technical education programs in the state and make recommendations to improve these programs to address the economic and workforce needs of this state.

The CTE Survey provides information related to the barriers to implementing quality CTE programs. Survey responses will be used to inform stakeholders and policy makers on ways to improve Career and Technical Education in Texas.

Click here to see the results of the survey.

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Posted September 30, 2008

ACTE First Time Attendee Stipend

The message below refers to the ACTE Conference to be held Thursday, December 4 - Saturday, December 6, 2008 in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information about the conference please visit the ACTE Conference Website .

Generous sponsors help make the first-time attendee stipend program possible, the number of stipends awarded depends on the amount of donations received. Submitting an application doesn't guarantee that a stipend will be awarded. Recipients will be selected by drawings and all applicants will be notified by e-mail of their application status by October 20, 2008. All first-time attendees are invited to attend the First-Time Attendees Orientation at the Convention, which is where stipends will be distributed.

Click here to download the form

Eligibility Requirements
In order to qualify, applicants must be ACTE members in good standing who have pre-registered for the 2008 ACTE Convention by October 1, 2008. Stipend recipients must attend the Convention or they forfeit their stipend.

Deadline for Application
Wednesday, October 1, 2008

To Apply
1. Fill out the form completely.
2. Copy and mail to: ACTE First-Time Attendees Program1410 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
or
Fax to: 703-683-7424

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Posted September 29, 2008

Uniform GPA Proposal Does Not Include CTE

After a hearing held September 21, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board announced that it will delay ruling on the proposed rules for a uniform system to calculate GPA. Witnesses requested weight be given to pre-AP, pre-IB and career and technical education courses.

A special hearing will take place October 22 so that additional public comment can be taken prior to a ruling. THECB released a document addressing issues and concerns regarding the ruling. Uniform GPA Key Updates **click to download file

Legislation called for THECB to develop a standard method to compute a high school student’s grade point average for admission to general academic teaching institutions. The proposed rules provide weighted scores for academic courses, advanced placement (AP) courses, international baccalaureate (IB) courses, and academic dual enrollment courses. The rule change proposes that these courses "be weighted equally with an additional weighting of 1.0 points in the calculation of the Uniform Grade-Point Average."

The proposed rule change does not include additional weight for career and technical courses, nor does it include career and technical education courses in the overall calculation. Career and technical courses serve as critical feeders into the state’s postsecondary technical workforce training programs as well as four-year universities. Texas Education Agency data also shows that students who take CTE courses in high school have higher attendance rates, lower dropout rates, higher graduation rates and score better on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests.

If career and technical courses are not included in this calculation, we can expect to see less participation in career and technical course taking throughout the state's secondary schools, thereby reducing participation in postsecondary training programs which are key to the economic competitiveness of Texas industries including: advanced manufacturing, energy, aerospace and emerging high-tech sectors that are engines of the Texas economy.

The proposed new rule sends the message to students and parents that pursuing an education that includes career and technical courses are less valuable than the programs that track exclusively to four year universities. Career and technical education includes college level courses in engineering, information technology, finance, biotechnology, medicine, teaching, business management, transportation and many more that prepare students for careers in the globally competitive workplace.

This rule would more fully advance the goals of Closing the Gaps if college level career and technical courses were included to provide as many incentives as possible for students to pursue college level work in high school.

It is critical that all dual credit and articulated courses, including locally and state articulated career and technical courses, receive the additional weight in the proposed rule change.

The public comment period ends October 22. All comments should be submitted to Natalie Coffey, Senior Program Director, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, P.O. Box 12788, Austin, Texas, 78711.

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Posted September 29, 2008

TIER Releases Policy Paper on CTE

The Texas Institute for Education Reform (TIER) released a policy paper last week called "Career and Technology Education: Many Paths, Equal Rigor, and One Destination for Texas High Schools". The paper and an Executive Summary are available for download below.

Career and Technology Education: Many Paths, Equal Rigor and One Destination for Texas High Schools Paper

Executive Summary

This and other policy papers can be found at www.texaseducationreform.org.

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Posted September 29, 2008

Opportunity for Math-in-CTE Workshop

Are you interested in learning more about how to effectively integrate challenging academic & career instruction? Then join the National Research Center for Career & Technical Education for the 2008-09 Math-in-CTE Jump Start in Charlotte.

You and your teams of CTE and Math teachers will experience five days of quality professional development led by experienced staff from the National Research Center for CTE (NRCcte). You will learn about the only research-tested curriculum integration model supported by the US Department of Education.

More specifically, you and your team will develop an in-depth understanding and gain experience with key aspects of the Math-in-CTE curriculum integration model.

Sending a team to Jump-Start will benefit your state or region by:

Developing early leadership capacity in your state or region in advance of implementing the model;
Working with NRCcte staff to determine if you need or are ready for full implementation of NRCcte provided, Math-in-CTE technical assistance;
Participating with other committed leading educators from around the country who are committed to the integration of CTE and academics; and
Ensuring a priority response to a request for NRCcte technical assistance.

The 5-day Jump-Start will be conducted in two parts:

The first 3 days will be offered from December 1-3, as a pre-session to the 2008 ACTE National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The two-day follow-up workshop will be conducted in spring 2009 (date and location TBA).

Total cost for all five days (parts one and two): $995 per participant.

Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

See this flyer for registration details.

For more information, contact Jennifer Sawyer: jennifer.sawyer@louisville.edu or phone: 502.852.6428

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Posted September 19, 2008

Congressional News from ACTE

For the first time in 10 years, Congress has approved a new version of the Higher Education Act. As reported in ACTE’s last legislative update, a deal was imminent in the last week of July. However, at that time, final action wasn’t expected until September. Since then, several procedural issues were cleared, and Members of Congress wanted at least a small victory before the August recess.

The conference committee met to negotiate differences between the respective House- and Senate-passed bills on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 to iron out the final issues. On Thursday, July 31, 2008, the House adopted the agreed-upon conference report, the new Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R. 4137), on a 380-49 vote. Later that same day, the Senate voted to approve it 83-8. The final bill is now on the President’s desk and is expected to be signed into law later this week.

The new Higher Education Opportunity Act addresses a broad range of issues, largely focusing on financial aid for postsecondary students and teacher education. It has gotten mixed reviews from many within the higher education community, but there is a general feeling of relief that work is finally complete. ACTE will be analyzing the over 1,100 pages of legislation in the coming weeks and providing you with detailed information on how the changes affect CTE programs, but here are a few highlights of the bill, both positive and negative:

The bill raises the ceiling on the maximum Pell Grant to $8,000, subject to Congressional appropriations, and allows for students to receive Pell Grant funds year round, instead of just during the traditional academic year. Allowing students to receive Pell Grants year round should be particularly beneficial for the average CTE student, who may need to take courses throughout the year.

*The bill makes changes to Academic Competitiveness Grants, including making them available to part-time students and those seeking certificates. It also leaves the decision about which high school programs qualify up to state officials, instead of the U.S. Secretary of Education.

* The bill creates a total of over 60 new programs, including four that ACTE had advocated for: Student Success Grants, Business-Workforce Partnership Grants, College Partnership Grants and Bridges from Jobs to Careers Grants.

* The bill makes numerous changes to simplify the federal student aid process, including making it easier for students to get aid information, and shortening the free application for federal student aid from seven pages to two.

* The bill creates many new federal reporting and regulatory requirements dealing with textbooks, tuition and fees, cost of attendance, alumni activities, foreign gift reporting, fire safety, graduation rates, drug violations, vaccines and peer-to-peer file sharing. According to the American Council on Education, “Complying with these requirements will be time-consuming and inevitably will increase administrative and personnel costs on campuses.”

* The bill consolidates three teacher education programs into one single program for training and professional development and raises standards for teacher education programs.

* The bill makes further changes to federal student loan programs, aiming to crack down on conflicts of interest and tighten regulation of private loans.

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Special Explanation Codes for Career and Technical Education

1.15 Special Explanation Codes
This list of codes is authorized by the TEA. The use of the “A” code for courses included in an articulated agreement is required. The use of the “D” code for dual credit courses is required. The use of all other codes is optional. Districts may use additional codes locally. Insert the applicable code(s) in the appropriate field. (Please note: the capacity of TREx to accept locally-developed codes is currently limited. For more information, please visit http://www.tea.state.tx.us/trex/.)

Code	Special Explanation
A	A high school course for which college credit maybe awarded by a college under the conditions of a local articulation agreement or the statewide Advanced Technical Credit Program agreement (Colleges agreeing to award credit under the conditions of a local agreement must be named elsewhere on the AAR or in an attachment.)(Please note: the capacity of TREx to include notes and *attachments is currently limited. For more information, please visit http://www.tea.state.tx.us/trex/.)
D	A college course for which the student earns dual credit (19 TAC §74.25)
1	A course for which a PE equivalency credit or PE waiver is awarded through a substitution allowed by 19 TAC §74
2	A course that is part of a coherent sequence of Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses, the completion of which sequence satisfies the Technology Applications graduation requirement (19 TAC §74)
3	A course for which credit is awarded based on the district’s evaluation of the student’s records from any school that operates outside of the Texas public or charter school system (i.e. home school, private school, out-of-state school, etc.) (TAC §74.26(A)(2))
4	A CTE course that satisfies a specific graduation requirement as allowed by 19 TAC §74

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CTE Month Video PSA Contest

Posted August 18, 2008

ACTE is searching for future filmmakers to create a 29-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) to promote CTE Month during February 2009.

Who can participate? Secondary and postsecondary students in CTE-related film, video and production classes.

What is the objective? To promote career and technical education by creating a video public service announcement based on the 2009 CTE Month theme, “CTE: Building Blocks for a Successful Career."

What is the deadline? Participants will have until October 31, 2008 to upload their video to SchoolTube and mail in a broadcast-quality copy.

What are the contest requirements?: You must incorporate ACTE’s logo (download at the PSA Contest Web page) and Web address (www.acteonline.org) into PSAs. PSAs must be 29 seconds in length. PSAs must be uploaded to SchoolTube between October 1 and October 31, 2008, and one broadcast-quality copy on Beta SP, Beta, MiniDV, DVD or MiniDVD must arrive at ACTE by October 31, 2008. You must include all required forms (for forms and other contest requirements, see the PSA Contest Web page).

What are the prizes? The winning student(s) will receive $750 and the school will receive one complimentary copy of Apple's Final Cut Studio 2. Second-place student(s) will receive $250 and the school will receive one copy of Final Cut Studio 2. After October 31, a panel of marketing and media professionals will judge the entries. ACTE will announce the winners during its Annual Convention, December 4-6 in Charlotte, North Carolina. First-and second-place videos will be publicized on the Internet and may air on television.

The complete rules and copies of copyright assignment and release forms are available on the PSA Contest Web page. For more information or questions about submissions, please contact onlinemedia@acteonline.org.

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Developing a More Skilled Workforce in Texas

Posted June 4, 2008

AUSTIN – A Message from Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Tom Pauken:
The world is not the same as it was in the 1950s when 60 percent of jobs could be filled with unskilled workers. Today, 80 percent of high-growth, high-demand jobs require some education beyond high school.

Research has shown students are not preparing for skills needed in today’s workplace.
Texas has been very successful in job creation and attracting companies to our state in recent years. One area where we need to show more progress, however, is in aligning career and technology education with what is needed in the workforce. Without more skilled workers, we will be unable to maintain the rate of job growth we have seen over the past several years in Texas. An important requirement of employers seeking to relocate or expand their businesses is the availability of a skilled workforce. We must be able to supply workers on the employers’ timelines in order to remain competitive in attracting jobs to our state.

Unfortunately, the Texas Workforce Commission continues to hear from employers that students are not learning the skills necessary for a modern economy. These employers are not alone in their opinions. According to a survey conducted by Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies, college instructors report that 42 percent of entering freshmen are unprepared for college work, and employers estimate that 45 percent of recent high school graduates lack necessary skills. These perspectives are shared by the high school graduates
themselves: 35 percent of college students say that they graduated from high school with large gaps in basic academic skills, and 39 percent of high school graduates entering the workforce report such gaps.

There is an objective basis for these concerns. A study of Texas high school graduates taking the ACT in 2004 found only 18 percent had the foundational skills for college and work. In addition to learning the basics, students must also develop good analytical skills. Employers report that such applied skills as critical thinking, teamwork, and effective communication are essential to the preparation for today’s workplace. For some occupations, these applied skills are even more important than basic or specific technical skills that can be gained on the job. Therefore, it is critical that our young people know how to learn on their own and how to analyze issues, identify solutions and develop recommendations for solving problems.

Employers are especially concerned about the broken link between educational institutions at all levels and the businesses that employ their graduates. While one can make the argument that Texas is doing a reasonably good job of producing the quantity of four-year degrees, there is a huge mismatch between the areas of study and the jobs being created. As Tom Luce of the U.S. Department of Education pointed out in a recent column in the Austin American-Statesman, “America now graduates more sports exercise majors than electrical
engineers,” adding that “there were twice as many physics graduates in 1956 as in 2004.”
But our real deficit is in the number of two-year technical degrees Texas produces.

Employers tell us that their greatest needs can be met through quality high school education followed by associate degrees or advanced certification programs. Right now, the message parents are hearing is that their children have to get at least a bachelor’s degree in order to obtain well-paying jobs. We have to work with parents and guidance counselors to educate them about the jobs being created and all of the potential career pathways, including good options requiring fewer than four years of college.

A case in point is one of Gov. Rick Perry’s major economic development initiatives — the Texas Energy Cluster. This Texas Industry Cluster Initiative encourages skills training for good-paying jobs in the following areas: oil and gas exploration and production, power generation, mining, power transmission, and renewable energy sources, such as wind, bio-fuel, solar and geothermal energy. This cluster added 85,465 jobs from 2004 to 2007, but many of the technical professionals in the cluster are approaching retirement. The energy industry, as well as other high-skill, high-wage industries, will lose as many as half of its professional talent over the next five to 10 years as baby boomers retire.

Unless we can align career and technology education with what is needed in the workforce, we will simply not be able to realize the vast potential of the Texas Energy Cluster or other high-growth sectors. In order to make the best use of our state resources, I believe that our education system should make a shift to one that is market-driven and takes into account the skills needed by employers.

Tom Pauken is Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission

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House Bill 3485 Implementation - CTE Review and Rewrite

Posted April 14, 2008

In an effort to prepare Texas students for educational success and a dynamic Texas job market, the 80th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 3485. The purpose of the legislation is to update career and technical education (CTE) programs with current industry skill standards, infuse academics relevant to career fields, identify CTE courses to satisfy fourth year math or science requirements and increase the number of high school students earning college credit while in high school.

This week, CTE Writing Teams will convene in Austin to begin reviewing and updating CTE TEKS and organize them into coherent sequences that:

Support challenging academic and technical standards
Reinforce national cluster knowledge and skills
Align to postsecondary programs
Lead to technical skill attainment and an industry-recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level or an associate or baccalaureate degree

The teams will identify, develop and recommend advanced CTE courses to satisfy fourth year math and/or science graduation credit requirements, ensuring courses contain substantially rigorous academic content relevant to career fields.

The fast-paced 10 month review and rewrite process will allow for review and input by academic curriculum experts, postsecondary faculty and industry partners. CTE updated TEKS and recommendations for courses to satisfy fourth year math and science requirements will be presented to the State Board of Education for approval and adoption no later than September 1, 2009.

Additionally, the Writing Teams will recommend quality innovative courses to be offered statewide and identify courses and TEKS appropriate for an accelerated review cycle based on current and emerging industries experiencing dynamic changes in skill requirements.

The Writing Teams consist of secondary and postsecondary CTE faculty including teachers, administrators, counselors and employers. Teams are divided into six panels, each responsible for TEKS revisions in multiple clusters. The work of the CTE Writing Teams will be posted for public comment on the TEA website once complete.

The 10-member CTE Review Panel will continue to meet over the next year to review the articulation process between high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions and recommend ways to simplify the process and increase statewide articulation. The Review Panel will also draft policy recommendations to positively impact statewide career and technical education, student opportunities and workforce development.

CTE Review Panel and Writing Team Members - Roster

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House and Senate Approve FY2009 Budget Resolution

Posted March 18, 2008

Late last week the House of Representatives and the Senate passed their respective versions of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 budget resolution. The budget resolution sets funding caps for broad funding areas and sets the stage for appropriations work later in the year. Both the House and Senate budget resolutions increase the overall funding cap for education and training programs. ACTE is encouraging Congress to approve a budget resolution level that will provide adequate resources to restore Perkins and workforce program cuts from last year’s final allocations.
The House budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 312) passed on a 212-207 party line vote. It provides $7.1 billion above the President’s request for education and training programs. The Senate version of the budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 70) provides $8.8 billion above the President’s request for education and training programs. The Senate budget resolution passed 51-44 on a party line vote.

Although the budget resolution will only provide the spending caps that the appropriations committees will use to fund individual programs, the budget committee can recommend allocations for specific programs. Therefore, earlier in the budget process, Senator Collins (ME) initiated a letter with ACTE’s feedback requesting that the Senate Budget Committee include a restoration of funds for the Perkins program when reviewing their budget assumptions for FY 2009.

ACTE is working with other education organizations to advocate for the Senate’s higher number for the final reconciled budget resolution. If Congress decides to table all appropriations work until a new Administration is in the White House, than this budget resolution could serve as a guide for the new President.

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CTE Weighted Funding Pilot Program for Eighth Grade

Posted March 3, 2008

SUBJECT: Request of Statement of Interest (RFSOI) for Participation in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Weighted Funding Pilot Program

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is requesting a statement of interest from public school districts and charter schools to participate in the CTE Weighted Funding Pilot Program. House Bill (HB) 3485, 80th Texas Legislature, 2007, added Texas Education Code (TEC) §42.154 (a-1), providing for the establishment of a pilot program under which a participating school district is entitled to additional funding for each student receiving CTE instruction in grade eight. The program goal in accordance with HB 3485 is to develop and implement a statewide pilot to determine the effectiveness of extending the CTE funding weight to grade eight.

PILOT DESCRIPTION: TEA will conduct a four-year CTE Weighted Funding Pilot Program under which up to five school districts are entitled to additional funding for each student receiving CTE instruction in grade eight. Eligible participants of this RFSOI are public school districts and charter schools. The evaluation tool for the pilot will be developed by each participating district in collaboration with TEA. Each school year of the program, the district will receive additional weighted CTE funds for students participating in CTE courses in grade eight. The pilot program will begin with the 2008-09 school year and continue through the 2011-2012 school year. Data collection for the pilot programs may continue through October, 2012.

PROJECT FUNDING: CTE state weighted funds of 1.35 for students participating in CTE in grade eight are available to participating districts through this RFSOI process. Districts should already have the infrastructure needed to offer CTE courses in grade eight.

SELECTION CRITERIA: The commissioner shall select not more than five school districts for participation in the pilot program, considering districts that provide services under this program at the least cost. Districts selected to participate in the pilot will be determined by: the goals of the pilot program as determined by the district; representation from large urban, medium-sized, and small, rural districts across the state; and the funding amount for the program.

VIEWING AND DOWNLOADING THE RFSOI: A complete copy of the RFSOI #701-210-08-051 is posted on the TEA Curriculum Website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/cte/ctepilotprogram for viewing and downloading.

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF STATEMENT OF INTEREST:
The deadline for receipt of Statement of Interest for the TEA CTE Pilot Project is no later than 5:00 P.M. on March 28, 2008. If you are interested in participating in the CTE weighted funding pilot program, please complete and return the Statement of Interest as explained in the RFSOI. Please submit any specific questions about this RFSOI to career@tea.state.txs.us.

Career and Technical Education Staff, Division of Curriculum, 512-463-9581
Karen Batchelor – Karen.Batchelor@tea.state.tx.us

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CTAT Announces 2008 PSA Competition Winners

Click here to view winning PSA videos

Posted February 8, 2008

The Career and Technology Association of Texas hosted its third annual Texas Public Service Announcement (PSA) Challenge. Over 21 entries from student teams across Texas were judged in the competition.

Teams were challenged with producing high quality PSAs that would positively impact enrollment in CTE programs, highlight innovation in education and increase awareness about career and technical programs in their districts.

The Winners Are:

PSA for Parents/Community in English
1st Place: Hurst-Euless Bedford ISD
2nd Place: Mansfield ISD

PSA for Parents/Community in Spanish
1st Place: Edinburg ISD
2nd Place: Hurst-Euless Bedford ISD

PSA for Students in English
1st Place: Birdville ISD
2nd Place: Hurst-Euless Bedford
Honorable Mention: Denton ISD

PSA for Students in Spanish
1st Place: Hurst-Euless Bedford
2nd Place: Mansfield ISD

CTAT extends sincere appreciation to all teams submitting entries. Congratulations to these students for creating powerful tools to promote career and technical education on a state and local level.

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Department of Education Leads Feasibility Study of National CTE Test Item Bank

Posted December 21, 2007

Under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, states are required to report on students’ attainment of challenging technical skill proficiencies that are aligned with industry-recognized standards where available and appropriate, and that are measured in a valid and reliable way. Although a handful of States have established statewide exams or contracted for third-party assessments, a majority lack standardized testing systems and the resources to create such systems.

To assist states in collecting and reporting this information, ACTE is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc), and other technical education stakeholders to explore the feasibility of establishing a Web-based, nationally-validated test item bank.

Working group members are currently focusing on clarifying the purpose of such an item bank and surveying states as to their needs and interest in participating. A Design and Feasibility RePORT 70,112,127,207,130,125 ess such issues as item bank organization and housing, strategies for soliciting and validating test items, assessment development and reporting features, and system design and maintenance costs.

The goal is to have a draft of this document completed by March 2008, and a final version printed in April 2008. If conditions warrant, the group will then move forward to secure funding commitments and develop a bidding process, with initial work on the item bank to begin in the fall of 2008.

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SBOE Changes Split for Perkins Funds to 70/30 - Will change remain in effect?

Posted December 14, 2007

In a meeting held Nov. 14 – 16, the State Board of Education reviewed and approved the State Plan for Career and Technical Education 2008-2013 after changing the Perkins IV funding split to reflect a 70% secondary, 30% postsecondary division. The current split of 60% secondary, 40% postsecondary was the language included in the original draft as prepared by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

The unexpected change would take effect for the 2008-2009 funding cycle for the Perkins IV Basic Grant and reduce the amount of funds for postsecondary education by $2.8 million statewide, having a negative impact on postsecondary career and technology programs and

ent and articulation programs established with secondary partners.

At this time, it is unclear if this new split will remain in the State Plan draft. Data used to determine the split is now being reviewed for accuracy by the TEA and The Higher Education Coordinating Board. A recommendation is expected soon.

If the split remains 70/30, additional funds for secondary education may be available for distribution among districts, regional service centers or other state programs and initiatives funded by Perkins. Tech Prep funds would not be effected.

The Basic Grant Texas receives for secondary education is distributed at 85% formula funding for districts, 10% for state leadership and 5% for administrative costs.

The deadline for Texas to submit the State Plan to OVAE is April 1, 2008.