Effective Strategies to Align Learner Levels: Minnesota Local Consortia NASDCTEc, March 30,2010 JoAnn Simser, State Director for Career & Technical Education Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Daniel Smith, Center for Postsecondary Success Minnesota Department of Education

What prepared us? 10% Perkins reserved for collaboration Strong tech prep consortia –Articulation agreements –HS-college relationships College-University system –Articulation agreements –MN Transfer Curriculum State approval CTE programs: MDE and MnSCU PSEO, AP, CLEP, PK-18 Hearings on State Plan

Perkins IV Legislation: Distribution of Funds for Secondary and Post Secondary Education Programs Consortium requirements.—Funds to Consortium.— Funds allocated to a consortium formed to meet requirements of this section shall be used only for purposes and programs that are mutually beneficial to all members of the consortium and shall be used only for programs authorized under this title. Such funds may not be reallocated to individual members of the consortium for purposes or programs benefitting only one member of the consortium. Sec 131(f)(2) and 132(a)(3)(B)

MN State CTE Plan Goals Programs of Study 2.Partnerships e.g. Sec, PS, Workforce Centers, business/industry, ABE,CBO 3.Special Populations 4.Continuum of Services 5.Local Consortia Approved by US DOE in State Plan

How did we do it? Self formed consortia –Each consortium must have at least one eligible school district and at least one eligible postsecondary institution (technical or community college) –No district nor any college may belong to more than one consortium –State approved ConsolidatedTech Prep into Perkins FY08 Recommended 20% of consortia funds be dedicated to formation of local consortia FY08

Perkins funds are distributed through a system of 26 Perkins consortia Allocations made by formula (secondary and post-secondary) with 10% reserved to address geography and participation Local consortium plan for funds to be used to benefit all members Account for expenditures sec/post sec

It has changed the way we do things: Local Collaboration, partnerships Sec-post sec transitions Meeting regional needs Effective use of more limited human, facility and fiscal resources Dual credit, articulation agreements Sec-Post Sec Advisory Committees Professional development State Prof. Dev.-coordinators, fiscal, accountability Local performance target negotiations Local monitoring MDE/MnSCU staff meetings Communications-Counselors, Presidents/Supt., CAO’s, Etc. Legislature, DEED, ABE Grant s DOL, ARRA, DOC Leadership-Advisory committees

Approach to assessing CTE- Academic /General Education, Technical and Workplace skills Programs of Study –Developed Local Consortium –State Approved/Criteria –State model Technical Skill Assessment –Core competencies sec/post sec teachers/faculty –Validated by industry –State recommended assessments –5 pilots FY10; 6-10 more FY11 Impact on CTE:

Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Fresh- man Sopho- more Prepara- tory Courses Upper level high school courses College Course- work What is the value added and how is it recog- nized? Program of Study CHASMOFHIGHSCHOOLCHASMOFHIGHSCHOOL TOCOLLEGETRANSITIONTOCOLLEGETRANSITION Technical Skill Assessment

Secondary CTE Program Postsecondary CTE Program Program of Study Broad-based Approved at the District level Narrow occupational focus Approved for the college Approved at the consortium level – migrating to approval at the state level Technical skill assessment for the purpose of accountability Guidance function Work readiness component Articulation agreements

Programs of Study

Bring everyone on board-vision, leadership, education Programs of Study-state model career pathway; adult/lifelong transitions; state recommendations for TSA all pathways CTE at the table: Race to the Top, CCSSE, legislature, DEED, Workforce Centers, ABE, federal grants More online and blended CTE opportunities Seamless student transitions-articulation/transcripted credits, Credit for Prior Learning, concurrent enrollment, middle colleges MN CTE Future:

Resources: MN Career and Technical Education –Career fields, clusters, pathways wheel –Perkins consortia map –Background Report MN Technical Skill Assessment Project –Career Pathway Core Competencies –Technical Skill Assessment Matrix Transfer, MN Transfer Curriculum

Contact information: JoAnn Simser Dan Smith