The State of Career Pathways in Minnesota Programs of Study Technical Skill Attainment Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Minnesota Department of Education

Two important changes in the Perkins Act of 2006: A requirement for the establishment of Programs of Study A new approach to assessing CTE skills Academic skills Technical skills Workplace skills

The expectation under Perkins IV. . . To develop an assessment system that will provide teachers, faculty, administrators and policymakers with accurate and useful information about student technical skill achievement.

The Act requires states to use assessments that are valid and reliable and aligned to industry-recognized standards where available and appropriate. Validity generally refers to the degree to which a test or other measuring device is truly measuring what it intends to measure. Reliability refers to the consistency of results for a test or measuring device.

Alignment to industry-recognized standards by using examinations tied to industry or trade certifications, but may also be addressed through alignment with state or national industry or trade standards (such as those of the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards & Training).

Minnesota identified five Programs of Study to use in a pilot technical assessment phase for implementation in the 2010-2011 school year: Accounting Law Enforcement Services Network Systems Plant Systems (Agriculture) Therapeutic Services (Health) 6

Core skills were identified. In these five areas, Core skills were identified. An assessment blueprint was prepared. An inventory of potential technical skill assessments was assembled. 7

In addition—in these five areas, Business & industry reps validated the work. Teacher and faculty recommended a list for state-approved technical skill assessments that were valid and reliable. 8

Animal Systems (Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources) For this 2010-2011 school year, Minnesota has identified 7 Programs of Study plus Foundation Knowledge & Skills to continue the technical assessment initiative: Animal Systems (Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources) Diagnostic Services (Health Sciences) Early Childhood Development & Services (Human Services) & Teaching/Training (Education & Training) Foundation Knowledge & Skills (Center of Wheel) 9

Marketing Management, Merchandising, & Professional Sales (Marketing) Engineering & Technology (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Facility & Mobile Equipment Maintenance (Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics) Marketing Management, Merchandising, & Professional Sales (Marketing) Visual Arts/ Printing Technology (Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, & Communications) 10

This fall, Minnesota CTE teachers & faculty in all 7 identified Career Pathways & Foundation Knowledge & Skills have been invited to complete an online survey on pathway core competencies. Teachers & faculty have met or will meet to begin to identify core competencies and recommend technical skill assessments. 11

For the purposes of Perkins accountability. . .beginning this 2010-2011 school year 12

Minnesota will report technical skill attainment for Perkins accountability in the 5 pilot POS. . . In the numerator the count of CTE concentrators who passed one of the appropriate assessments In the denominator the count of CTE concentrators who took one of the appropriate assessments in 5 pilot programs of study. This reporting will occur separately at the secondary and postsecondary levels.

There is much work to be done! As assessments are selected for additional programs of study, those assessments will be included in accountability reporting beginning with each effective year. This same process will continue for all 79 pathways until all pathway core competencies & assessments are identified by FY2013. There is much work to be done!

Resources: www.cte.mnscu.edu Career fields, clusters, pathways wheel MN Technical Skill Assessment Position Statements Career Pathway Core Competencies State-Approved Technical Skill Assessments