THE NEW CAREER TECH ED
Using Career Clusters/Pathways to
help ALL students achieve success
Essential Questions
Why are we getting involved in
using career clusters, career
pathways, and programs of
study to increase rigor and
relevance, and how to we do it?
Vocational Education vs.
Career and Technical Education
Vocational Education
“Then”
Career and Technical
Education
“Now”
For Some”Students
For All Students
For a Few Jobs
For All Careers
6 to 7 “Program Areas”
16 Clusters – 81 Pathways
In Lieu of Academics
Aligns and Supports
Academics
High School Focused
High School and College
Partnerships
The Problems
• Engagement – attending school and
completing (graduating) high school
• Achievement – academic (and
technical) course taking; grades, test
scores
• Transition – to postsecondary
education without the need for
remediation; and to the workplace
Why do they leave?
Source: The silent epidemic: Perspectives of
high school dropouts – Civic Enterprises, 2006
Transition through high school
and to college
68
100
Start
9th
Grade
40
31% Leave
with 0
Credits
27
18
Source: Education Weekly March 2005
Transition
• 84% of high school students anticipate earning a
college degree.
• Students who anticipate a degree are unlikely to
prepare for a career following high school.
• More than 50% of students who begin college do
not earn a degree.
• For students with the lowest high school
performance, 86% do not earn a degree.
Rosenbaum, J. E. (2002). Beyond Empty Promises: Policies To
Improve Transitions into College and Jobs. U.S.; Illinois: 42.
When graduates get there . . .
Source: NCES (2003), Remedial Education at
Degree Granting PS Institutions in fall 2000
Percent of students who
take remedial courses
• 63% at two-year institutions
• 40% at four-year institutions
The Bridge Project
Stanford University
Seeking Solutions for
Student Success
Career Clusters
“An organizing tool defining CTE
using 16 broad clusters of
occupations and 81 pathways with
validated standards that ensure
opportunities for all students
regardless of their career goals and
interests.“
Career Pathway
“A career pathway is a coherent,
articulated sequence of rigorous academic
and career related courses, commencing
in ninth grade and leading to an associate
degree, and/or an industry-recognized
certificate or licensure, and/or a
baccalaureate and beyond.”
Perkins –
“Programs of Study”
“State approved programs, which may be
adopted by local education agencies and
postsecondary institutions to be offered
as an option to students when planning
for and completing future coursework, for
career and technical content areas.”
Perkins –
“Programs of Study”
1. Incorporate secondary education and
postsecondary education elements;
Perkins –
“Programs of Study”
2. Include coherent and rigorous content
aligned with challenging academic
standards and relevant career and
technical content in a coordinated, nonduplicative progression of courses that
align secondary education with
postsecondary education to adequately
prepare students to succeed in
postsecondary education;
Perkins –
“Programs of Study”
3. May include the opportunity for
secondary education students to
participate in dual or concurrent
enrollment programs or other ways to
acquire postsecondary education
credits; and
Perkins –
“Programs of Study”
4. Lead to an industry-recognized
credential or certificate at the
postsecondary level, or an associate or
baccalaureate degree.
16 Career Clusters
What are the Programs of Study?
• A sequenced listing of courses, both
academic and CTE/degree major, that
connects student’s high school and
postsecondary educational
experiences
www.careerclusters.org
College and Career Transitions
Initiative (CCTI)
Cooperative Agreement
between
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
and
The League for Innovation
in the Community College Consortium
Purpose of CCTI
CCTI will contribute to strengthening
the role of community and technical
colleges in • Easing student transitions between
secondary and postsecondary education
as well as transitions to employment, and
• Improving academic performance at both
the secondary and postsecondary levels.
CCTI Outcomes
1. Decrease remediation at the
postsecondary level.
2. Increase enrollment and persistence in
postsecondary education.
3. Increase academic and skill
achievement at both the secondary
and postsecondary levels.
CCTI Outcomes
4. Increase attainment of postsecondary
degrees, certificates, or other
recognized credentials.
5. Increase successful entry into
employment or further education.
CCTI Site Partnerships
• Education & Training
 Anne Arundel Community College (MD)
 Lorain County Community College (OH)
 Maricopa Community Colleges (AZ)
• Health Science
 Ivy Tech Community College (IN)
 Miami Dade College (FL)
 Northern Virginia Community College (VA)
• Information Technology
 Central Piedmont Community College (NC)
 Corning Community College (NY)
 Southwestern Oregon Community College (OR)
CCTI Site Partnerships
• Law, Public Safety and Security
 Fox Valley Technical College (WI)
 Prince George’s Community College (MD)
 San Diego Community College District (CA)
• Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics
 Lehigh Carbon Community College (PA)
 Sinclair Community College (OH)
 St. Louis Community College (MO)
CCTI Website
www.league.org/ccti
Toolkit
• Career Pathways
• Implementation
Strategies
• Lessons Learned
• Improvement Plan
• Case Studies
CCTI Career Pathways Template
Rigorous Academics
CTE for all
Dual Enrollment
Early Assessment in H.S.
Example:
Anne Arundel Career Pathway
COLLEGE:
HIGH SCHOOL(S):
Anne Arundel Community College
Annapolis, Arundel, Chesapeake, Glen Burnie,
Meade, North Co., Northeast, Old Mill, Severna Pk
CLUSTER:
PATHWAY:
PROGRAM:
Education and Training
Teaching/Training
Academy of Teaching Professions
SECONDARY
RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES
STUDIES
OTHER ELECTIVE COURSES
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES
ENGLISH
MATH
SCIENCE
9
English 9 (1)
Algebra I or
Geometry (1)
Biology (1)
US Government
(1)
Health (.5)
Physical
Education (.5)
Keyboarding (.5)
Intro to
Computers (.5)
10
English 10 (1)
Geometry or
Algebra II (1)
Chemistry or Earth,
Space Science (1)
AP European
History or World
Civ. (1)
Foreign Language
(1)
Child
Development I
(1)
Bus. Pres (.5),
Parenting (.5)
Intro to Teaching
Prof. I (.5)
11
AP English
Language or
English 11 (1)
Algebra II or PreCalculus (1)
AP Sci. elective,
Physics or Chem.
or Physical Sci. (1)
AP US History or
US History (1)
Foreign Language
(1)
Child
Development II
(1)
SAT Prep (.5),
Psychology (.5)
Intro to Teaching
Prof. II (.5)
12
AP English
Literature or English
12 (1)
AP Calculus, PreCalculus or Math
elective (1)
AP Science or
other science
elective, (1)
AP Psychology
(1)
Prof. Career
Internship (.5-1)
Found. of Ed.(3)
[Concurrent]
Content area
courses if
Secondary Ed.
Content area
courses if
Secondary Ed.
Accuplacer administered second sumester, 10th grade to assess college readiness and address areas of weakness
Administer college placement exams (reading, math and writing) and other assessments to determine academic readiness and career skill preparedness; provide
academic/career advising and additional preparation
POSTSECONDARY
ADULT LEARNER ENTRY POINTS
REQUIRED COURSES
SOCIAL
GRADE
Year 1
1st
Semester
Composition and
Intro to Lit. I (3)
Fundamental
Concepts of Math I
(4)
Fund. of Bio. or
Envir. Sci. (4) 
Intro to
Psychology (3) 
Foundations of
Education (3)
Year 1
2nd
Semester
Composition and
Intro to Lit. II (3) 
Fundamental
Concepts of Math Il
(4)
General Physical
Science (4)
World
Geography (3)
Growth and
Development (3)
Year 2
1st
Semester
Fund. of Oral
Comm. (3)
Fundamental
Concepts of Math
Ill (4)
The Solar System
(4) 
Passage of Praxis exam required for AAT
Year 2
2nd
Semester
Educational
Psychology (3) 
Foundations of
American
Reading & Lang.
History 1 or 2 (3) 
Arts (3)
Introduction to
Special
Education (3)
Personal &
Community
Health (3)
American
Government (3)
Introduction to
Fine Arts (3)
Required Courses
Recommended Elective Courses
Career and Technical Education Courses
Funded by the U. S. Department of Education
(V051B020001)
Credit-Based Transition Programs (e.g. Dual/Concurrent Enrollment, Articulated Courses, 2+2+2
(=High School to Com. College) (=Com. College to 4-Yr Institution) (=Opportunity to test out)
Mandatory Assessments, Advising, and Additional Preparation
 To complete the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT), a student must submit passing Praxis scores, and earn a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and a C or better in all coursework.
 Upon successful completion of an AAT and acceptance into any Maryland public or private education program, a seamless transfer without loss of credit is guaranteed.
Example:
Maricopa Career Pathway
Sample Template:
National
CCTI …
Is It Working?
The Numbers …
CCTI Participation
2003
2006
Students
0
18,152
CCTI Exemplar Colleges
15
15
High Schools
0
65
Corporate Partners
0
47
CCTI Network Colleges
0
155
OUTCOME #1:
Decrease Remediation Rates
Math
Reading & English
National
Average
68%
64.5%
CCTI
27%
24%
OUTCOME #2:
Increase Enrollment/Persistence
Entrance to
postsecondary
education rate
Persistence
National
Average
14%
CCTI
54%
71%
29%
What We Have Learned
• Community Colleges can lead this work.
• Partners are anxious to work together.
• Communication is key:
– Generally among education sectors and business
– Between faculty of high school and college
• Postsecondary remediation can be reduced.
• Enrollment persistence can be increased.
• Transformation needs to take place in the
context of a P-20 or lifetime framework.
The Most Important Aspects of
Plans/Programs of Study
• Cluster Foundation Knowledge
and Skills
• Career Pathway Knowledge and
Skills
POS Checklist
 Are both academic and degree major
courses included?
 Are both secondary and postsecondary
courses included?
 Does coursework reflect the K & S?
 Do courses represent a sequence of
instruction that leads to a degree,
certificate or credential?
POS Checklist (continued)
 Do courses represent a coherent and
rigorous program of studies?
 Have courses been cross-referenced
against state and national standards?
 Does completion of the high school
courses ensure success at the
postsecondary level?
 Does the high school plan reflect
opportunities for postsecondary
enrollment?
Implementation of the pathways
provides:
• Consistency for better data (results) and
shared opportunities for development
• Articulation within and between states
• Employer and postsecondary validated
standards
• Opportunities for “all” students
• A “place” for all career goals and interests
Critical Components for
Cluster/Pathway Implementation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Administrative Support
Shared Planning
Career Development
Professional Development
Standards-Based Curriculum
Parent and Community Support
Education Partnerships
B&I Partnerships
Critical Components for
Cluster/Pathway Implementation
•
•
•
•
•
Multi-Measure Assessment
Inter-Disciplinary Teams
Flexible Schedules
Integrated Curriculum
Creative & Innovative Teaching
Strategies
• Workplace Learning
• Student Centered Learning
Cluster/Pathway Approach to
Addressing Educational Redesign
• Strategy to organize instruction and student
experiences around career themes (Focus on
an industry cluster of related occupations)
• Incorporates existing school reform
strategies (career academies, career
pathways, small learning communities, Tech
Prep)
• Connects to business and higher education
Laurance J. Warford
CCTI Project Director
warford@league.org
www.league.org/ccti