MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

1. MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION May 2019

2. middle school CTE? when did that happen??? Public Law Chapter 171, "An Act To Enable Earlier Introduction of Career & Technical Education in Maine Schools," was enacted in June 2017 to expand career & technical education opportunities by requiring Maine Schools to provide access to developmentally-appropriate career and technical education for middle school students (grades 6-8).

3. What is middle school CTE? Not yet determined!!! We are researching and exploring options-some considerations learned: • CTE experience not CTE promotion/recruitment. • Must be more than a one-time experience • Continuity increases participation and CTE selection. • Students need multiple exposures to experiences to enable decisions • Familiarity with school removes CTE "stigma" • Multiple avenues of access • At Middle School, CTE School & Community • Pilots must be flexible • Models can differ per CTE school • Models can differ per sending school in CTE catchment area

4. Define middle school cte • §15672. Definitions - EPS As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. {2003, c. 504, Pt. A, §6 (NEW.} 20. Middle School level. "Middle school level" means grade 6 to grade 8. {2003, c. 504, Pt. A, §6 (NEW).} • §8301-A. Definitions 3-A. Middle school level. "Middle school level" has the same meaning as in section 15672, subsection 20 {2017, c. 171, §4 (NEW).} • §15672. Definitions 1-D. Career & Technical Education Costs. "career and technical education costs" for subsidy purposes means all costs incurred by the career and technical education regions, centers or satellites in providing approved secondary school and middle school level career and technical education programs, excluding transportation, capital costs and debt service.

5. Are there rules to follow? Revision of Department of Education Rule Chapter 232, currently underway in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process, will provide a framework to develop and implement middle school career & technical education.

6. Who is the boss? CTE centers and regions will have the responsibility to oversee CTE programming and will collaborate with all schools serving students in grades 6-8 Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §15688-A, sub-§8 is enacted to read: 8. Pilot projects for middle school career & technical education exploration. Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19 and for the 2 subsequent fiscal years, the commissioner may expend and disburse funds to career & technical education centers and career and technical education regions for pilot projects for middle school level plans approved pursuant to chapter 313 to create career & technical education exploration programs for middle school level students. The commissioner, in collaboration with career and technical education directors, also may contract for services to implement pilot projects for middle school level plans. A middle school level plan must demonstrate to the commissioner a partnership between a school administrative unit and a career and technical education center or career and technical education region.

7. How will we pay for this? The MDOE and the legislature are working to provide adequate resources for this expansion. Middle schools & CTE centers/regions will be required to work together to design CTE programs for middle school students & be active partners in how these programs are structured, where they are offered & how the middle school standards will be met in the best interests of middle school students. LD1843 Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §15681-A, sub - §4-A is enacted to read: 4-A. Costs of plans for middle school career & technical education exploration programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19, and in each subsequent fiscal year, costs approved pursuant to chapter 313 attributable to establishing and operating career and technical education exploration programs for middle school students. The commissioner may establish an allocation to school administrative units for plans under this subsection. The plans must be implemented within the school administrative unit; and Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §15688-A, sub-§8 is enacted to read: 8. Pilot projects for middle school career & technical education exploration. Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19 and for the 2 subsequent fiscal years, the commissioner may expend and disburse funds to career & technical education centers and career and technical education regions for pilot projects for middle school level plans approved pursuant to chapter 313 to create career & technical education exploration programs for middle school level students. The commissioner, in collaboration with career and technical education directors, also may contract for services to implement pilot projects for middle school level plans. A middle school level plan must demonstrate to the commissioner a partnership between a school administrative unit and a career and technical education center or career and technical education region.

8. What is the purpose of the cte middle school pilot? The pilots are intended to provide CTE experiences for students at the middle school level and shall provide hands-on and interactive activities focusing on middle school level opportunities including, but not limited to, the following the required middle school CTE draft standards.

9. Standards??!! What CTE middle school standards!!?? • Career Experience- (These three standards can be taught simultaneously) • Technical skill experimentation (TSE)-students must participate in applied learning and hands-on activities that explore career related skills and interests. • Safety Awareness (SA)- students must participate in safety training that ensures objectives can be met in a safe manner. • Career Workplace Skills (CWS)-students must have exposure to common workplace interpersonal skills. (project based and soft skills) • Career Discovery- (These two standards can be taught simultaneously) • Career Research (CR)-students must explore the wide variety of career opportunities. • Career Pathways (CP)- students must understand the connection between educational programs and careers. DRAFT-DRAFT-DRAFT-DRAFT-DRAFT-DRAFT

10. Show me the money • How can we start this process? • Briggs grant • Perkins carryover grant • State funded formula pilots • What do we know? • Nationwide studies • Statewide research • Who are the eligible recipients? • CTE Centers • CTE Regions

11. The opportunity Purpose • The Maine Department of Education (Department) is seeking applications for grants to provide developmentally-appropriate Career and Technical Education (CTE) options to Maine public middle school level students (grade 6-8) as required by 2017 Public Law Chapter 171 and 2017 Public Law Chapter 446. This grant application requires collaboration between a CTE center or region and a school in their catchment area that has a middle school level, as defined by 20-A M.R.S. §15672(20). The school and the CTE center or region will develop a pilot as defined below.

12. Who and when Eligibility to Apply • Pursuant to P. L. 2017 Chapter 420, §8, the eligible applicants for this grant opportunity are Department approved CTE centers and regions as defined by Title 20 -A M.R.S Chapter 313. The grant application must include evidence of a collaborative partnership between the state approved CTE center or region and at least one school in their catchment area that has a middle school level. There may only be one grant application per CTE catchment area. CTE centers and regions may apply for these funds between May 10, 2019 and September 30, 2019.

13. Formula driven Applicants will be awarded funding based on a grant formula, which is derived from the number of middle school level students in the CTE center’s or region’s catchment area with the condition of a minimum $10,000 award. The funding must be spent in accordance with Title 20-A M.R.S. §15672, subsection 1-D, conditions of this grant, and 20-A M.R.S. Chapter 313

14. Payments and Other Provisions • The State anticipates issuing payments in accordance with one of the following: a. For a reimbursement model, the awardee shall: i. Issue an accurate and acceptable invoice to the Department with related backup to substantiate the invoice amount which is directly related to the approved activities and budget (i.e. invoice copies, payroll registers, etc.) b. For periodic advance payments, the awardee shall: i. Issue an accurate and acceptable invoice to the Department; ii. Provide accounting system encumbrance documents with invoice, if possible; and iii. Provide paid invoice copies/payroll detail once funds are expended.

15. Encumbering state funds for MS CTE grant State funds encumbrance rules differ from the federal rules.  We will encumber the funds at the state level when we approve your grant application.  The funds are supposed to be expended by June 30, 2020.  If you have a project that is going to extend beyond that deadline you can “encumber” the state funds by submitting an invoice that concurs with the approved budget  and providing accounting system encumbrance documents (memorandum of agreement with employed staff and travel providers,  pre-paid expenses, purchase orders) that reflect the approved budget.  If approved we would forward pay the invoice and you would have the cash before the end of the grant period.  You would then forward the actual expense documentation after they occurred.  You might consider keeping these funds in a reserve fund at your school to ensure availability as they will be reflected as a balance forward.  

16. Application Procedure The Department notifies the CTE Centers and Regions and their collaborating middle school partners of the formula amount they are eligible to apply for. There will be an informational webinar on May 21, 2019. An invitation will be sent to all eligible recipients. To receive funds, an eligible CTE center or region must submit an application between May 10, 2019 and September 30, 2019 with a cover letter with the school name, project name and contact information and the Grant Application

17. Grant Application requirements • Cover Page-School Name, Project Name and Contact Information • Narrative-collaboration, objectives, standards addressed, instructional time • Work Activity Table-includes goals, deliverables, dates evaluation and data • Collaboration/Partnership • Standards-Career Experience, Career Discovery • Budget-broken down by activity • Grant Agreement-signed by all partners

18. Work activity table-Collaboration/partnership

19. Work activity table- standards

20. Budget

21. Grant agreement • Assurances • Expended by June 30, 2020 • Budget adjust required before change is made to grant • Full participation • Requests for payment • Midyear report requirements • Annual report requirements • Data report requirements • Signatures • Submit by September 30,2019

22. Last thoughts First Steps • Organize Committee • Middle school Administration & Teachers • CTE School Admin., superintendents & board members • CTE Teachers, MDOE Staff • Review current delivery systems • Review draft standards • Brainstorm ideas for delivery • Design potential pilot with standard consideration

23. Last thoughts Decision Points • Who will offer the CTE experience? • Where will the experience happen? • How will the pilot be administered? • How much time will be committed to MS CTE instruction? • How will students access? • Travel • Schedule • Funding

24. Questions????? • Margaret.Harvey@ maine.gov • 207-624-6739