How can schools make career technical education accessible for students once again?
How should the state ensure that there are adequate facilities to house such programs?
How should California find the necessary teachers to cover career tech classes?
These were just some of the issues discussed at the CTA-sponsored Vocational and Technical Education Summits held Nov. 27 and Feb. 27 in Ontario. The events were attended by many stakeholders sharing a common interest in improving career technical education in California public schools, including educators, administrators, trade and industry representatives, business leaders and legislative advocates. Representing teachers were CTA President Barbara E. Kerr, CTA Vice President David A. Sanchez, CTA Executive Director Carolyn Doggett, CTA Board members Dan Vaughn, Mikki Cichocki, Dayton Crummey and Mike Green, and a contingent of members.
“The summit was a wonderful start to looking into the issue and getting everyone together,” says Mike Patterson, an automotive teacher who serves as vice president of the South Tahoe Educators Association. “I’m really encouraged by the support and interest shown by CTA. The CTA Board of Directors truly understands the importance of vocational education and is very much involved in trying to do the right thing for our students.”
Participants attending the first meeting held roundtable discussions facilitated by CTA staff to analyze the current state of career technical education and suggest options for future improvement and funding. Concerns included:
- How to fit career tech into a curriculum that’s narrowing due to No Child Left Behind, A-G requirements and a focus on college prep to the exclusion of all else.
- Adequate funding, resources and facilities.
- The misperception that career tech is not for successful students.
- How to overcome the teacher shortage.
- Raising awareness among school administrators, counselors and parents.
- The need for collaboration between career tech teachers and those who teach core subjects.
“Career technical education programs are needed for students who are not college bound,” says Vaughn. “But No Child Left Behind has forced schools to focus their attention only on testing and academics.”
“We talked a lot about how college prep should also be career prep,” says Cichocki. “The whole point is for our students to have careers and to be functioning members of society.”
“The CTA summits were an immense success, due in large part to the participation of so many stakeholders,” says Crummey. “And everybody has expressed a commitment to keeping this group together. If there’s one thing we agreed on, it’s that we all want to continue to communicate.”
At the second meeting, they strategized ways to obtain funding, resources and facilities for CTE programs in the next state budget.
Some participants also attended the Governor’s Summit on Career Technical Education in March, where they reviewed existing programs, developed an outline of needs, looked at curriculum and examined the credentialing process.
A white paper CTA prepared for the governor’s summit offers the following recommendations:
- All public school students should have access to career technical education programs, including proper counseling and guidance services.
- Preparation should be initiated in the elementary grades by infusing career awareness across the curriculum. Career exploration and training opportunities must be offered and expanded as students move through middle and secondary grade levels.
- The pool of available teachers must be increased, particularly those coming from industry who have recent experience and the ability to provide instruction in the latest technical programs. The state needs to create new, intense and rapid alternative certification programs to help them translate existing skills into classroom skills. Experienced teachers should be made available as mentors.
“The scope of CTE programs must include a systematic sequence of learning experiences which provide individuals with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to attain entry-level employment, occupational advancement, upgrading or career change,” reads the white paper. “A meaningful education program must include both academic and CTE programs that complement and strengthen each other.”
