The Teacher Preparation Academy is one of many career and technical education opportunities in which an increasing number of students across California are taking part. TPA students complete an Introduction to Psychology elective class, a Careers in Teaching class and participate in a variety of community service events. The majority of the 150 students who are enrolled in the program come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and many go on to become first-generation college students. The program is a transformative experience. From guidance with the college application process to paid internships and scholarships made available through a partnership with the nonprofit Think Together, the CTE program has become a lifeline for students. TPA students graduate prepared for college and continue on to a variety of service-oriented careers.

“Our students are interested in any kind of service-oriented career, like nursing, social work, psychology, child development, police or fire,” said TPA Co-Directors Amy Minick, an MVHS English teacher, and Mary Boutte, the CTE department head. “These students come from a lower socio-economic background and the poorest part of the city, but they are the sweetest, nicest kids. It’s amazing how many of them say they want to come back and give back to their community [after graduation]. It’s a tight family feeling.”

While the accomplishments of TPA graduates are impressive, the co-directors estimate that only 10–20 percent of these students actually become teachers. Minick and Boutte explained that some of their students are not seeing the types of CTE opportunities they would like but they still want to be a part of something that will help them get a head start on their careers. Student and parent interest in CTE is alive and well in El Monte, Calif., and in many other parts of the state. So, is the supply meeting the demand? That isn’t a simple question with an easy answer, but if public perception is any indicator, now is a great time to be a CTE student.

California’s CTE Opportunities

“High-paying trade jobs sit empty, while high school grads line up for university.”

“With our shortage of skilled workers, career and technical education is ready to be taken seriously.”

These are just a couple of the national headlines about CTE published in the last few months. Career and technical education has increasingly become a part of public education discussions in the past decade. In fact, according to a Brookings Institution report released last year, the mention of the term “career and technical education” in the media quadrupled from 2014 to 2017.

CTE is more than just a buzzword. With 772,350 high school students enrolled in CTE in California, career and technical education opportunities are an important part of many students’ school days. And these students do not fit the outdated stereotypes surrounding CTE.

“The biggest misconception about career and technical education is that it is just for students who are not academically prepared or for students who are not college-bound,” said Kate Kreamer, deputy executive director of Advance CTE, a national advocacy group comprising state CTE directors and leaders. “CTE is about preparing students for high-skill, high-wage jobs.”

One recent study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Education Finance and Policy, found that students enrolled in CTE courses in Massachusetts were more engaged than their peers and were 21 percent more likely to graduate high school. The same researcher also found that CTE students from low-income families earn slightly higher scores on standardized tests. Compared to California’s class of 2016 high school graduation rate of 83 percent, 92 percent of California’s CTE high school students graduated. Ninety-three percent of California CTE high school graduates enroll in college, enter the military or are working within six months of graduation.

Having access to CTE coursework is an important part of many motivated, career-driven students’ time in California’s public schools. It is more than just a training ground for traditional blue-collar jobs. “As the world of work continues to evolve, CTE really has evolved along with that,” explained Kreamer.

California currently has CTE standards and a framework for grades 7–12 that focus on 58 career pathways within 15 industry sectors: Agriculture and Natural Resources; Arts, Media and Entertainment; Building and Construction Trades; Business and Finance; Education, Child Development and Family Services; Energy, Environment and Utilities; Engineering and Architecture; Fashion and Interior Design; Health Science and Medical Technology; Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation; Information and Communication Technologies; Manufacturing and Product Development; Marketing Sales and Service; Public Services; and Transportation. Students can take advantage of CTE opportunities within comprehensive high schools, partnership academies, magnet programs and schools, and Regional Occupational Centers and Programs. Charter schools, adult schools and community colleges also offer CTE coursework.

As more middle and high school students look to CTE as an integral part of their education, school board members must look at how to best fund and house these opportunities.

CTE Funding & Facilities

CTE programs and specialized CTE facilities at the secondary level are made possible through Local Control Funding Formula funds and other local, state and federal funds. Mountain View High School’s Teacher Preparation Academy is funded through a renewable California Partnership Academy grant from the state and transportation costs are covered by the feeder districts where their students travel to tutor younger children.

In southern Los Angeles County, Paramount Unified School District plans to open Odyssey STEM Academy, a public, non-charter high school, this fall. “We have made the commitment to prioritize and support our CTE program through our district’s LCAP plan as well as other state and federal funds and grants,” said Paramount USD Board President Vivian Hansen. “In the case of Odyssey STEM Academy, we have repurposed a former elementary school for the campus using a combination of bond funds to renovate and funds previously set aside for the academic program there.”

School districts looking to update or build new CTE facilities at their high schools have funding options they can turn to. In addition to traditional facilities funding options such as bonds, grants are available through Proposition 51’s CTE Facilities Program. CTEFP provides funding to school districts and joint powers authorities through a competitive application process. School districts identify their needs through collaboration between district staff and the industry for which they are offering CTE opportunities. Projects may be as minor as upgrading electrical power so that a CTE facility can run a higher load or as large-scale as the construction of brand new classrooms.

“The CTEFP is an opportunity for school districts to truly elevate their CTE programs by modernizing their facilities or building new classrooms in order to meet industry standards and address students’ needs,” said John Gordon, a field representative for the California Department of Education. “Accessing funding for this program does not require eligibility based on the age of the building or number of unhoused pupils. Rather, funds are awarded based on the strength of your CTE program as districts articulate how their program is demand-driven, how there are strong, sustainable partnerships with industries and how their students are directly entering the workforce or higher education.”

The dollar-for-dollar matching grants offered through the CTEFP range from up to $3 million for a new construction project, and up to $1.5 million for a modernization project. Gordon shared an example of a district building a new theater with a price tag of more than $6 million. The CTE Facilities grant is capped at $3 million and the school district would be responsible for the remaining costs, which typically come from local bond funds. Schools have also met the match requirement through industry donations and developer fees, or they can apply for a loan from the state.

The last funding cycle was competitive, with 181 applications vying for $125 million. Applications not selected to receive funding can reapply though it is strongly encouraged that districts look at ways to strengthen their application. While each application is restricted to one of the 15 industry sectors, school districts may submit as many applications as they like provided the project is located on a comprehensive high school.

Gordon encouraged board members to have their districts apply and noted they have a role to play in this process. “The development of these applications requires the work of many,” he said. “Districts looking to submit their application for the next funding cycle should be working on them now. The school board is required to approve the application before the district can submit. Make sure it’s on your calendar!”

The next funding cycle, for which applications are due Oct. 19, 2018, is expected to be met with a large demand. More information including the CTEFP application, a webinar and FAQs are available on the CDE website at www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/sf/careertech.asp.

Best Practices

With so many CTE options available to students across the state, it is difficult to succinctly discuss what makes a program great. Advance CTE’s Kreamer boiled it down to seven points. School board members should ensure their CTE programs include the following: (1) strong standards; (2) an intentional sequence of standards and a link between secondary and postsecondary programs; (3) employers who are involved at every step of the way; (4) labor market demand for the career skills being taught; (5) high-quality instructors; (6) opportunities for experiential learning; and (7) the possibility to earn a credential that has value in the labor market.

“The biggest misconception about career and technical education is that it is just for students who are not academically prepared or for students who are not college-bound. CTE is about preparing students for high-skill, high-wage jobs.”

—Kate Kreamer, deputy executive director, Advance CTE

In the case of Paramount USD’s new Odyssey STEM Academy, Hansen had this advice to share: “There are many aspects that deserve careful consideration — including research and buy-in from all of the stakeholders. The particulars of opening a new school take planning of course, but the most important is the staffing and training of the personnel. One key piece of advice that I have for my colleagues on other boards of education is to follow the process closely from the beginning, get involved early, visit other schools that are working well and attend CSBA workshops.”

Whether building a CTE program from scratch or strengthening existing opportunities, school board members should also ensure equity is at the forefront of the conversation. According to the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, a little more than 50 percent of secondary CTE students in California are economically disadvantaged. Recent numbers from the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection show deep opportunity gaps for students of color who want access to advanced STEM courses. The federal Perkins Collaborative Resource Network is currently developing an Advancing Equity in CTE toolkit which was slated for release late last year but has yet to be published online. The toolkit, which will discuss CTE equity barriers and best practices, will be released at cte.ed.gov/.

“Career and technical education is growing in popularity as more students and parents realize the enrichment that CTE can bring to a student’s school experience,” said Manuel Buenrostro, an education policy analyst at CSBA. “An effective CTE program is rigorous, relevant and realizes the full potential of the students it serves.”

Corrie Jacobs is a former staff writer for California Schools.

Resources

Advance CTE https://www.careertech.org/

Association for Career & Technical Education https://www.acteonline.org/

California Dept. of Education — Career Technical Education https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/

CTE Facilities Program https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/sf/careertech.asp

National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity www.napequity.org