Connecting More Learners with High-quality CTE: Lessons from the Frontier April 26, 2018

Presenters Austin Estes, Senior Policy Associate, Advance CTE Kate Kreamer, Deputy Executive Director, Advance CTE

About Advance CTE Formerly The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) Non-profit established in 1920 to represent the state and territory heads of secondary, postsecondary and adult career technical education (CTE) across the nation Through leadership, advocacy and partnerships, support an innovative, high-quality CTE system

CTE on the Frontier Focused on rural CTE access and quality Available in the Learning that Works Resource Center: http://careertech.org/ resource-center

Education in Rural America There is a rural/ urban education gap 4/5 “low- education” counties are rural These counties are more likely to experience high poverty rates Source: USDA, Rural Education At a Glance, 2017 Edition

Challenge 1: Quality Ensuring rural CTE programs are high quality and aligned to labor market needs Source: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018028.pdf

Challenge 2: Employer Access Expanding access to the world of work despite limited employer presence in rural communities Source: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018028.pdf

Challenge 3: Program Diversity Overcoming limited resources to provide a breadth of different options in a variety of industry areas Breadth Depth

Challenge 4: Teacher Pipeline Strengthening the pipeline of qualified CTE teachers and faculty in rural areas Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/06/13/2017-12132/applications-for-new-awards-high-school-career-and-technical-education-teacher-pathway-initiative

Audience Poll Which of these challenges is the biggest priority in your school or district? Ensuring the quality of career pathways Connecting students with the world of work Expanding the diversity of programs offered Recruiting qualified teachers Any other challenges?

State Strategies Five cross-cutting strategies to expand CTE pathways in rural communities

Secure buy in and commitment To what degree is expanding access to high- quality CTE pathways a priority in your state/community? Who are your key stakeholders and champions at the state and local levels? What opportunities can be developed to gain commitment and support?

Nebraska: reVISION Started in 2013 with Perkins Reserve funds Use of LMI to drive regional planning

Use data strategically to understand access gaps and assess impact How are you using data to evaluate the reach and impact of your efforts to expand high-quality CTE? Does your teacher workforce align with your high- demand sectors and economic outlook?

Kentucky: New Teacher Institute In person and online meetings, mentor matching, field- based supports Redesign was spurred by weak CTE teacher retention data Nearly 96% retention during the first year 5-day boot camp Robust 2-year professional learning experience

Leverage regional, cross-sector partnerships What structures/ partnerships are currently in place to foster regional collaboration? To what extent do they facilitate economies of scale?

North Dakota: Dakota Nursing Program Partnership between four community colleges Local hospitals and health care providers serve as satellite campuses in rural areas Offer LPN and RN programs with licensure pass rates about state and national averages

Use technology to expand access and reach How can online or virtual learning opportunities best supplement CTE pathways? How do you evaluate the quality and impact of online or virtual opportunities?

Idaho CTE Digital Local Program of Study CTE Digital Foundational Courses In-person instruction in advanced subjects In-person capstone Developed six CTE courses and virtual PD for teachers Emphasis on quality, blending virtual and in-person learning opportunities

Invest resources to spark innovation What state and federal funding opportunities are available to improve access to and the quality of CTE pathways? Where can investments have the most bang for their buck?

South Dakota: Workforce Education Fund Seed funding to support career pathways, anchored in nine priority areas Up to $900,000 in grants approved for 2018 Funded projects: Mobile labs Curriculum redesign New dual credit programs A middle school STEM program Building community partnerships

Questions?

Discussion What’s working in your school, district or community? How are you successfully expanding access to and success in high-quality career pathways? What can be done to accelerate and expand this work? Who are your critical partners in these efforts? If you would like to ask your question over the phone, please raise your hand. Click on “Participants,” then click on the hand near the bottom of the box.

Thank You! Check out our resources at https://careertech.org/resource/cte-frontier-rural-strategy-guide Follow Advance CTE @CTEWorks