Career and Technical Education
Career and Technical Education Program
USD 232 coordinates our rigorous Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program through policies and procedures set by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). We apply for KSDE CTE program approval, annually, with a focus on local pathway goal-setting and progress monitoring.
For several decades, CTE has been evolving. No longer offering only traditional vocational education, CTE now offers a diverse range of subjects and career fields, including a number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. In addition, the distinction between CTE and academic programs is slowly disintegrating as integrating academic content into CTE has become a national education priority. CTE has become an indispensable lever for improving students’ college and career readiness. CTE plays a powerful role in preventing students from dropping out and provides a variety of opportunities for postsecondary success and employment, including pathways to a bachelor’s degree. CTE also can help all students achieve the objectives of the Kansas College and Career Ready Standards (KCCRS) through authentic, applied learning experiences. In short, CTE is a crucial change agent for the success of improving outcomes for all students.
Kansas utilizes the National Career Clusters® Framework. Technological advances and global competition have transformed the nature of work. Tomorrows jobs will require additional knowledge, improved skills and highly flexible workers who continually update their knowledge and skills. Career Clusters link what students learn in school to the knowledge and skills they need for success in post-secondary education and careers. In Kansas secondary schools, 36 Career Pathways are offered, spanning across all 16 Career Clusters. A Career Cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries based on commonalities. The 16 Career Clusters organize academic and occupational knowledge and skills into a coherent course sequence and identify pathways from secondary schools to two- and four-year colleges, graduate schools, and the workplace. Students learn in school about what they can do in the future. This connection to future goals motivates students to work harder and enroll in more rigorous courses.
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 was designed to improve and expand services for students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs. Courses in these programs are intended to prepare students for further education and careers in current or emerging employment sectors of high-skill, high-wage or high-demand occupations. The courses include competency-based applied learning that contributes to academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills of students.
USD 232 applies for the annual Perkins grant, which provides supplemental funding for technical equipment that focuses on improving, expanding, or enhancing our pathways. Our CTE Advisory Committee meets bi-annually to vote on funding allocations, pathway goals, and equipment recommendations.
Questions? Contact Dr. Cindy Swartz cswartz@usd232.org