Bridging the Divide: CCSS and CTE Alignment

2. Common Core State Standards & Career and Technical Education: Bridging the Divide between College and Career Readiness The Moment is Here and the Opportunity is Clear: As states are working to align their education systems with the CCSS in support of the goal of graduating all students ready for college, careers and life, academic and CTE leaders at the state and local levels can and should maximize this opportunity to finally break down the silos between their disciplines and collectively find ways to ensure that the new standards rigorously engage all students in both academic and CTE courses. http://www.achieve.org/CCSS-CTE-BridgingtheDivide

3. Survey and General Conclusion Survey administered November 2011 • Questions addressed plans, timetables, formation of state level teams for CCSS, role of CTE in implementing CCSS. Conclusion? • A substantial gap (or divide) between the need for CTE involvement and the actual level of CTE involvement. • An implication that CCSS implementation is purely an academic initiative, despite interest from CTE leaders to be involved.

4. State Interviews • Based on survey findings, eight states selected for follow-up interviews: California, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio and Oregon. • Interviews carried our in December 2011 and January 2012. • Interviews focused on state agency activities to implement the CCSS within CTE. Did not try to assess local implementation. • Interview findings were synthesized to identify 8 strategies that were employed. • Not all states employed all the strategies. • Report draft was completed in March 2012.

5. Strategies for Bridging the Divide • Developing a Common Understanding of College and Career Readiness • Forming Cross-Disciplinary Teams for CCSS Planning and Implementation • Ramping up Communications and Information Sharing • Creating or Updating Curricular and Instructional Resources • Enhancing Literacy and Math Strategies within CTE Instruction • Fostering CTE and Academic Teacher Collaboration • Establishing Expectations for and Monitoring CCSS Integration into CTE • Involving Postsecondary CTE in CCSS Implementation

6. Setting a New Standard for CTE Kimberly Green, NASDCTEc Executive Director

7. Reflect, Transform, Lead:A New Vision for Career Technical Education • CTE is critical to ensuring that the United States leads in global competitiveness. • CTE actively partners with employers to design and provide high-quality, dynamic programs. • CTE prepares students to succeed in further education and careers. • CTE is delivered through comprehensive programs of study aligned to The National Career Clusters Framework. • CTE is a results-driven system that demonstrates a positive return on investment.

8. Why do we need to align the CCSS and CTE? • CTE is critical to ensuring that the United States leads in global competitiveness. • Demands for relevance, increased student engagement and achievement • A call for common standards • CTE actively partners with employers to design and provide high-quality, dynamic programs. • Employer involvement in setting standards • Teaching and learning should model the real world

9. Why do we need to align the CCSS and CTE? • CTE prepares students to succeed in further education and careers. • College readiness and career readiness for ALL • CTE is delivered through comprehensive programs of study aligned to The National Career Clusters Framework. • Program of study is the implementation strategy for CCSS and CTE alignment • Achieve pilot study

10. Why do we need to align the CCSS and CTE? • CTE is a results-driven system that demonstrates a positive return on investment. • Data-driven decision-making • Common data elements, measures and reporting • CTE student performance on academic measures under Perkins is very strong

11. The Common Career Technical Core Initiative • Common Career Technical Core (CCTC): • a state-led initiative to establish a shared set of high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) standards • what students should know and be able to do at the end of a program of study within a particular career field. • Forty-two states, the District of Columbia, and one territory--Palau--participated in the development and validation of the CCTC.

12. High Quality CTE Programs In order for CTE programs to prepare students to be college and career ready for the global economy, CTE programs should include: • Common Career Technical Core Standards in each of the 16 Career Cluster™ areas (CCTC) • Career Ready Practices • Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

13. Closing: CCSS and CCTC Alignment • CCSS is critical to enhancing the academic quality of CTE programs. • CTE partnering with CCSS can add relevance without losing rigor. • Leadership matters! Break down silos!

14. Career Readiness Three key components: • Academic skills • Employability skills • Technical skills

15. Career and Technical Education Today

17. Flagler Hospital Academy of Medical and Health Centers (St. Augustine, FL) • Career academy within Pedro Menendez HS • Academic-CTE integrated curriculum • 250 students • Hospital staff teach some courses • Dual enrollment options at nearby CC • Flagler hospital provides classroom space, lab facilities, internships, teacher externships, etc.

18. BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: The Ohio Perspective

19. Common Core State Standards & Career and Technical Education: Bridging the Divide between College and Career Readiness For more information, contact Kate Blosveren: kblosveren@achieve.org / 202-419-1551 www.achieve.org/CCSS-CTE-BridgingtheDivide