Message from the Director of Career & Technical Education:  Joyce M. Hunter

Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes offer students an opportunity to develop skills that will lead to employment upon graduation, or provide a foundation that will assist them in pursuing a post secondary education after graduating from high school.   Listed below are several things that support our CTE students, teachers, and programs: 

CTE Advisory Committees:  All Career and Technical Education Programs have advisory boards that are chaired by a person from that business or industry.  The advisory boards meet throughout the year with the teachers and administrators to provide support and guidance for the CTE Programs.

EARN COLLEGE CREDIT:  The articulation agreement with Washtenaw Community College allows high school students to take college-approved curriculum at their own high schools which translate into early college credits, and helps to prepare students for a technological and competitive job market.

High School students that are enrolled in state-approved Career and Technical Education Programs can get a jump-start on their college education for free.  Much like dual enrollment, it means earning credits towards a high school diploma and a college degree at the same time.

STANDARDS/ASSESSMENTS:

All state-approved CTE programs have statewide standards (segments ). There are twelve segments for each program and they are the same for all programs throughout the state.  These standards are reported on as part of the yearly reports that must be completed each school year.

Under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act the State is now required to report on student attainment of career and technical skill proficiencies, including student achievement on technical assessments that are aligned with industry recognized standards.    In order to phase in this requirement (2007-2013), Michigan will implement statewide skill assessments for a few programs each year starting in the school year (2008-09).

All ASPECTS OF INDUSTRY: CTE programs must deliver instruction that provide CTE students with strong experience in and understanding of all aspects of an industry this may include:

• Technical and occupation-specific skills
• Principles of technology
• Labor and community issues
• Health and safety issues
• Environmental issues
• Opportunities for advanced education/training

These activities may include work-based or worksite learning experiences.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS:  Students technical skills as well as their academic skills are strengthen by participating in the CTE student organizations.   Students participate at the district, state, and national levels; and they have been successful at all three levels.

For additional information about our CTE course offerings, please review the CTE brochure (360kb PDF) and the CTE Video Clip: broadband (2mb) | dialup (880kb) Requires Quicktime

"All students can learn but not necessarily on the same day or in the same way."

 

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