Dear CTE teachers, coordinators, and administrators,
All of us, particularly teachers, know getting off to a good start can set the tone for an entire school year. In one way, “getting off to a good start” in CTE is ensuring that each career pathway is made up of a sequence of at least two courses in that pathway and at least two of the quality elements: dual enrollment, work-based learning, an industry-recognized credential, or membership in a related career and technical student organization (CTSO).
In a deeper sense, a good way to build quality into your program is by using academic standards. When we talk about a “sequence of two courses in a pathway,” the underlying belief is that those courses are built using a set of standards that have been recognized and vetted at the state or national levels. Without standards, teachers would have to decide what is most important in a given discipline.
We are proud of the work that has been done in CTE to revise our academic standards. These standards have been revised by writing teams, made up of experts, who share their knowledge and seek out additional state and national resources to identify what is most important in the discipline. The learning priorities and progressions allow student to move from beginning to advanced levels of mastery.
No need to reinvent the wheel. Familiarize yourself with the standards in your area. Make life a little easier for yourself and build quality into your program from the start.
Have a great year ahead!