News

Report on the State Board of Education Meeting - 2007

The State Board of Education held its regular meeting on September 19 and 20. There were no action items specifically related to career and technical education on the agenda.

Several items of interest were on the agenda. The Board announced it has received a application for a new community college, Tuscarora Valley Community College. The sponsors are: Mifflin County; Juniata County; Mifflin County SD; Juniata SD; and Juniata Valley School District. This is the first proposal the Board has received for a new community college since 1991. The Board will begin the review process for the application as it is detailed in School Code.

Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak sought the Boards consultation on a application from Harrisburg Area Community College to establish a branch campus in York County. The authority to approve the branch campus rests with the Secretary and he indicated that after a comprehensive review by PDE staff, he does intend to approve the branch campus.

This meeting was the last meeting for two long-serving Board Members, Edith Isacke, who has served for sixteen years and James Fogarty, who has served for six years. Edie, the former Director of Greater Altoona CTC, is a PACTA life member and was chair of the Board's Vocational Education Committee. Jim, the former Executive Director of Schuylkill I.U., was a former member of PACTA and was chair of the Boards Chapter 49 Committee. Both are supporters of career and technical education and outstanding Board members. Their presence on the Board will be missed.

Dr. Lee Burket, Director of the Bureau of Career and Technical Education, presented the report below to the State Board of Education.

Report of the State Director of Career and Technical Education


5 Year Perkins IV State Plan

Bureau staff have been coordinating the 5 year Perkins IV State Plan. Perkins IV was reauthorized July 2006. The purpose of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) is to develop more fully the academic and career and technical skills of secondary education students and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs. Due to the reauthorization, it is necessary to develop and prepare a state plan that outlines how the Department will address each of the requirements. In order to ensure the plan is practical, Bureau staff have coordinated a planning committee. The committee has statewide representation and is comprised of representatives who have a vested interest in career and technical education. Representatives include business/industry, school districts and career and technical centers, higher education and postsecondary, associations, and Pennsylvania Departments of Labor and Industry and Education. The committee has been meeting monthly beginning in July and will continue to meet through November. Public hearings will be scheduled for the month of December. The final state plan will be submitted to the State Board for Vocational Education in January for their review. The final state plan will be submitted in March for review and approval. The state plan is due to the United States Department of Education in April.

Industry Certifications and End of Program Assessment

An ad-hoc committee has been established to address Industry Certification and testing requirements of Perkins IV. There are new requirements associated with Perkins IV and will require the identification or development of technical assessments for the secondary and postsecondary entities utilizing Perkins IV allocations. For example, Perkins IV requires a movement from reporting grade point average as an indicator for the postsecondary students and reporting on postsecondary students technical competence as measured by a technical assessment. The initial meeting was held September 19, 2007 at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, the statewide committee will also provide advice on issues surrounding the current industry certifications and end-of-program assessments. One issue that will be discussed is the alignment of the current end-of-program assessments to the standards that are identified during the development of the programs of study.

Job Ready PA

With a total of $3,903,000 available for the equipment and curriculum grants; 54 equipment grant proposals were submitted by 43 schools totaling $2,155,013 and 46 curriculum grant proposals were submitted by 35 schools totaling $1,248,290.

Forty-eight equipment grants will be awarded to 38 schools with an average amount of $41,093.00 per grant. Schools applying for equipment grants were required to address three objectives:

  1. Enhance and update specific career and technical education programs linked to one of Pennsylvania's targeted industry clusters
  2. Improve career and technical education student's occupational skills required to perform successfully in high wage, high skill positions
  3. Develop partnerships and linkages with business, industry, labor, and community groups through the application of advanced technology

The schools are:

  • Beaver County AVTS
  • Berks Career and Technical Center
  • Bethlehem AVTS
  • Bucks County Technical High School
  • Carbon Career and Technical Institute
  • Career Institute of Technology
  • Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County
  • Central PA Institute of Science and Technology
  • Central Westmoreland CTC
  • Columbia-Montour AVTS
  • Crawford County AVTS
  • Cumberland-Perry AVTS
  • Dauphin County AVTS
  • Delaware County AVTS
  • Eastern Westmoreland CTC
  • Erie County Technical School
  • Forbes Road CTC
  • Franklin County CTC
  • Greater Altoona CTC
  • Greater Johnstown AVTS
  • Indiana County Technology Center
  • Jefferson County-DuBois AVTS
  • Jersey Shore Area SD
  • Lancaster County CTC
  • Lawrence County CTC
  • Lehigh Career and Technical Inst.
  • Lycoming CTC
  • Lenape AVTS
  • Milton Area SD
  • Monroe Career and Technical Inst.
  • North Montco CTC
  • Northern Tier Career Center
  • Reading-Muhlenberg AVTS
  • Schuylkill Technology Centers
  • State College Area SD
  • Upper Bucks County AVTS
  • Western Area CTC (Washington Co)
  • York County School of Technology

Thirteen schools will be awarded curriculum grants with an average amount of $50,000.00 per grant. Applicants were required to address at least one item of the following reform strategies: a) implement a college preparatory academic core, b) redesign school district policies and systems to strengthen academic infrastructure and increase student achievement, c) design and implement data informed student advisory services, and d) provide multiple pathways to prepare students for postsecondary success. The thirteen schools are:

  • Berks Career and Technical Center
  • Columbia-Montour AVTS
  • Cumberland-Perry AVTS
  • Erie County Technical School
  • Fayette County AVTS
  • Lancaster County CTC
  • Lehigh Career and Technical Institute
  • Lycoming CTC
  • Monroe CTI
  • Northern Tier CC
  • Reading-Muhlenberg AVTS
  • Schuylkill Technical Centers
  • Somerset County Technical Center

With a total of $150,000 available for child care curriculum grants, 18 schools submitted proposals totaling $270,000. Prospective applicants were required to address objective 1 and any or all of the following:

  1. Develop challenging standards-based curriculum
  2. Improve the learning environment
  3. Improve student advisory services
  4. Improve the transition to postsecondary services

The eight schools receiving child care curriculum grants, at $15,000 each, are:

  • Central PA Institute of Science and Technology
  • Corry Area SD
  • Cumberland-Perry AVTS
  • Lancaster County CTC
  • Lancaster SD
  • Lehigh Career and Technical Institute
  • State College SD
  • Western Area CTC of Washington County

With a total of $150,000 available to 12 comprehensive career and technical centers to utilize evidenced based secondary school reform strategies. Comprehensive CTCs provide both career and technical education courses and academic courses. Two CTCs submitted proposals totaling $40,000. The two schools receiving the grants, at $15,000 each, are:

  • Bucks County Technical High School
  • North Montco Technical Career Center
Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Accreditation

The Institutional Accreditation Advisory Group (IAAG) met on August 20, 2007 and received training on the policies and procedures regarding the adult program accreditation process. Revisions to the policy manual were reviewed, discussed and approved. Specific policy changes include clarification of the appeals and complaint process. The annual report was revised to include information such as student enrollment data, breakdown of revenues and expenses, any significant changes in programs, quality assurance, costs per student per program, and total revenue generated through Title IV funds which is important to accessing Title IV funds. A revision was also made to the approved program process. The approval process now includes additional data elements that will allow staff to determine if the program is operating and is providing quality education.

Technical assistance was provided to Steel CTC, August 14, Mon Valley CTC, August 15th, and Huntingdon CTC, August 24th. Visits in September include Indiana CTC, September 7 and Clearfield CTC, September 20th. Technical assistance includes reviewing the self-study, explaining the process and the items that need to be in place prior to an accreditation visit occurring.

The Department Website now has a dedicated page to accreditation. The site includes a list of schools that have received accreditation status, guidelines, application and annual operational report form. Additional items that will be added to the site include self-study, program approval form, accreditation handbook and instructions on adding a new program.

The State Board for Vocational Education is the recognized authority. A petition that addresses six issues has been prepared and submitted to the State Board for Vocational Education for review and approval. If the State Board approves the petition, Bureau staff will submit to USDE for submission to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). The NACIQI will review the petition and determine if there were further issues that the Bureau would need to address. The six issues that are addressed in this petition are:

  1. Documentation for disseminating and informing the public of new or revised regulations or standards
  2. Provides persons opportunity to comment on standards or regulations prior to their adoption
  3. Regularly reviews standards, policies and procedures in order to evaluate the process
  4. Annually makes public the policies for approval, reports of operations, and list of institutions which have been accredited
  5. Requires approved schools to report on changes to determine compliance
  6. Confers regularly with other accrediting agencies regarding their methods and techniques of accreditation
Pennsylvania Programs of Study

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 requires each state to develop and implement career and technical programs of study. Each local recipient receiving Perkins funds under the Act will be required to offer the relevant courses of at least one Program of Study (POS).

Programs of Study are similar to and build on positive initiatives such as Tech Prep, career pathways, career academies and career clusters, already underway in career and technical education in Pennsylvania.

Sixteen Pennsylvania Tech Prep Regional Consortia will each facilitate the development and implementation of two statewide POS during the 2007-2008 funding year. Bureau staff has identified 32 programs based on classification of instructional program coding and relationship to high priority occupations as identified by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The consortia will follow the Program of Study template that was developed by a statewide committee. The outline and related template for submission (under development) will ensure consistency in the programs of study developed by each consortium.

Each POS will establish a committee which will include statewide representation from technical associations, higher education and postsecondary, school districts, career and technical centers, secondary guidance counselors, postsecondary admissions officers, instructors and administrators from secondary and postsecondary education along with business and industry representatives and other interested parties. Bureau program content specialists will assist. It is anticipated that the sixteen POS will be completed by May 2008. The steps taken include developing a list of secondary units with competency statements and related Pennsylvania academic standards and developing the postsecondary components.

A videoconference was held on August 16, 2007 to outline the POS requirements as outlined in Perkins IV. The POS Committee members presented background and overview, an example of a POS, the statewide plan of work of POS development, and the plan for POS data collection and technical assistance.

Additional training will be provided statewide to assist secondary and postsecondary institutions to gain information on the POS concept and to discuss implementation in 2008-2009.

Career Counseling Resources and Professional Development for Local Education Agencies

In support of the new Academic Standards For Career Education and Work, the Bureau of Career and Technical Education, is sponsoring the following opportunities and resources:

  1. Development of a new website for all schools known as the PA Career Zone
  2. Regional training sessions for counselors and teachers of the College and Career Counseling (CCC) grant recipients on the use of the electronic portfolio, from the Bridges Transition Company

The portfolio is for use with students in grades 8-12.

The Pa Career Zone is a free website for students, teachers, adults and represents a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Labor and Industry. It offers direct on-line access and in-depth research information to some 800 careers and jobs in Pennsylvania. The web site will be updated annually with the latest labor market information for Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry will provide the updates.. The website will provide detailed information on job descriptions, estimated wages, and job outlook. Users can search and explore careers by interests, by career clusters or by wages and educational level.

The new Career Education and Work Standards require that every student throughout the Commonwealth in grades 8-12, begin and maintain education plans and career portfolios. The Bridges Transition Company offers one of the best 'one of a kind' electronic portfolios which many College and Career Counseling recipients have purchased. In assisting the College and Career Counseling Grant recipients to understand and implement electronic portfolios, the Bureau is planning to conduct regional training sessions at different IU locations. The portfolio process will assist students in the following ways:

  1. A tool to promote informed career decision making
  2. A personalized, sequential career planning journal
  3. Assist student to focus on their future by setting goals and accomplishing these goals
  4. Assist students to focus on self-knowledge, life roles, educational development, career exploration and decision making.

As part of this process, the electronic portfolios are so designed to allow students to explore and select postsecondary institutions that are align with their chosen career path. Students and their parents are also able to explore possible sources of funding for postsecondary education.

Career and Technical Education-Recruiting Plan

In an effort to attract more students to attend career and technical education, the Bureau is developing a state-wide recruiting plan for implementation in local career and technical centers (CTC). The resources include (a) a counselor toolkit and (b) counselor training materials. The major object is to target the CTCs and sending school counselors and parents in advertising the benefits and value of CTC education in attracting more students to consider this option for secondary education. The plan would assist CTCs and sending schools to present the same message in designing the best career path for each student. It is hoped that the plan and resources will prompt students and parents to think about career options. The plan and the counselor toolkit will include guidance on engaging partners in industry, the community and related fields.