1. Introduction to CTE Dawn B. Mastroianni Senior Consultant
Middle-level CTE Regulation and Curricular Guidance Project
Thank You!
Intro Self
This presentation is about Opportunity– we are in a position that our CTE field has not enjoyed since the 1980’s. This is an opportunity for all of us to work together to strengthen the middle-level band of our CTE continuum. Let’s maximize this opportunity by working in concert as CTE colleagues.
Next slide-Presentation Topics
Dawn B. Mastroianni
Senior Consultant

2. Topics for Today Commissioner's Regulation 100.4 Current Regulation
Teacher Certification
Introduction to CTE Curricular Guidance
Project Goals
Framework Design
This slide deck is divided into two sections:
Section 1 Commissioner’s Regulation as it pertains to CTE
Section 2 Introduction to CTE overview
So let’s start with a look at regulation language
Next Slide – Basics

3. Basics Definition: CR 100.1 (l)
“Career and technical education is a kindergarten through adult area of study that includes rigorous academic content closely aligned with career and technical subjects …The CDOS Learning Standards serve as the framework for CTE”
Career and Technical Subjects
Agricultural Education
Business and Marketing Education
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Health Sciences Education
Technology Education
Trade and Technical Education
Let’s review two basics:
The definition of CTE, which is found in CR 100.1
Notice the definition includes the idea that CTE instruction is meant to be a continuum, beginning in elementary school and continuing through to post-secondary education. The regulation change we will study today is a step toward strengthening the middle-level piece of the CTE continuum
Notice the definition refers to the career and technical subjects. In NYS, CTE is officially organized around 6 CTE content or subject areas
The CTE content areas are: agricultural education, business and marketing education, family and consumer sciences education, health sciences education, technology education, and trade and technical education (l) lists the content areas for the commencement level: “In grades nine through twelve, career and technical education includes the specific disciplines of agriculture education, business and marketing education, family and consumer science education, health occupations education, technical education, technology education and trade/industrial education.” Beginning in middle school, teachers must hold certification in one of the CTE content areas in order to provide instruction in these areas.
The purpose of this project is to strengthen the Middle-level span of the CTE continuum by creating curricular guidance that introduces students to all CTE content areas.
Next Slide – Current Regulation
We will strengthen the Middle-level span of the CTE continuum by creating curricular guidance that introduces students to all CTE content areas.

4. Current Regulation CR 100.4 (c)
1 ¾ unit “Career and Technical Education”
Instruction can begin as early as grade 5
Teachers certified in any CTE content area
Transition Year
Limited Implementation
Curricular Guidance Development
In the prior regulation, CTE was represented in CR through 1 unit of technology education and ¾ unit of Home and Career Skills (intermediate Family and Consumer Sciences [FACS]). Under the new language, CR represents CTE in the middle level through “1 ¾ unit career and technical education.”
This instruction is for all students. Language allowing middle-level instruction to begin as early as grade 5 was extended to include this change. Instruction in grades 5 and 6 must follow the time and certification requirements
Only schools with openings for middle-level Tech or FACS for can use the flexibility allowed in this item to hire from the broad CTE pool
There were not enough Tech and FACS teachers to staff the current openings. Districts (as we know) are out of compliance. This gives districts a chance to hire another CTE colleague to fill a position that will never see a Tech or FACS applicant.
We have anecdotal evidence that this option has been used in a few schools. Most are learning about the reg change and waiting for this project before making any decisions
When the senior leadership at NYSED proposed this regulation change to the Board of Regents, they promised that the field would have new curricular guidance materials to use in the implementation of the regulation. The development of this guidance is being accomplished through a partnership – NYSED will endorse and post; CTE TAC will coordinate the writing project; professional organizations will provide the expertise and ultimately the PD for the project.
So, let’s take a quick look at the certification requirement for this instruction
Next Slide – Teacher Certification
Background for regulation change (just in case info—back pocket)
At the end of March, a statewide telephone conference with representatives of the superintendents and middle-level principals was held. Initially, school leaders wanted to eliminate the middle level mandate.
Many were struggling with three major challenges: the FACS and Technology teacher shortage; scheduling the discrete 1 ¾ units; and seeing the relevance of coursework that exposed students to only 2 of the 6 CTE content areas.
They proposed an elementary model whereby individual schools would determine how to include CTE instruction for their middle-level students. There would be no formal time or teacher requirements.
A CTE leaders group presented the NYSAFCSE draft framework of the “Introduction to CTE” model. School leaders on the conference call could “see” the potential of this model to address their challenges. The call to eliminate the mandate for middle-level CTE was quieted and the 1 ¾ unit was preserved.
The item, “Unit of Study Requirements for Career and Technical Education in Grades 7 and 8” was presented to the Board of Regents in May. It is available in the archived section of the Regents webpage.
This Regents item was originally scheduled for July (retreat item) or for September.
This item was moved to the May Regents meeting in response to widespread advocacy by school superintendents. They were asking for a regulation change for the school year.
It became an “emergency action item.” What does it mean when the Board considers an item for emergency action?
Responding to a timeframe - There wasn’t enough calendar time between the May Regents meeting and the start of the school year to follow normal protocol and have the regulation change for as promised.
Emergency actions generally allow only limited implementation
The Board is required to revisit an emergency action; an affirmative vote continues the regulation change and generally allows for implementation by all. Contractual issues govern staffing in individual districts.
The Board of Regents revisited this action at their September meeting and adopted the regulation change. It became a permanent rule on September 27, 2017.

5. Teacher Certification
Who qualifies as a CTE teacher?
Any teacher certified in the six CTE areas:
Technology Education
PK-12 Classroom titles
Agriculture, Business Education, FACS
PK-12 Classroom Titles and CTE titles
Trade/Technical, Health Sciences
CTE titles
Which certification titles qualify for instruction of Introduction to CTE?
Any teacher certified in any of the CTE content areas is included under the broad CTE umbrella.
In the NYSED certification system, CTE titles are found under 2 different categories: Classroom Teacher, and CTE Teacher (unfortunately named!)
Go to Search Certification Requirements using link in slide show
You will find that:
Technology Education
K-12 Classroom titles
Agriculture, Business, FACS
K-12 Classroom Titles and CTE titles
Trade/Technical, Health Sciences
CTE titles
CTE category titles are qualified for grades 7-12 only, so not able to provide grade 5 or 6 instruction
So it is up to the individual school/district to decide which teacher best meets the needs of the school/district
Next Slide: Section Divider- Introduction to CTE Curricular Guidance

6. Introduction to CTE Curricular Guidance
Section 2 – Introduction to CTE Curricular Guidance
Next Slide – Introduction to CTE Project Goals
Introduction to CTE Curricular Guidance

7. Introduction to CTE Project Goals
To produce a new curricular framework that will:
Bridge middle level CTE to high school CTE
Expose students to all CTE content areas
Allow districts flexibility in delivery
Foster acceleration into graduation pathways in CTE, CDOS, and STEM
So what are the basic tenants for the development of this curricular guidance document?
We will work as work as a cohesive CTE team to develop the state curricular guidance that will:
Bridge middle level CTE to high school CTE
Expose students to all CTE content areas
Allow districts flexibility in delivery
Foster acceleration into graduation pathways in CTE, CDOS, and STEM
The design for this curricular guidance has been approved by the senior management at NYSED. That approval is important because it is the promise from our leaders that this guidance will be posted as an NYSED document meant to steer decisions made by local districts about their middle-level CTE instruction. The work we do must conform to the SED expectations. Professional organizations can go beyond this guidance when providing pd for their teachers.
So, what is the design for this new curricular guidance?
Next Slide – Draft Model : Themes

8. Draft Framework Model: Themes
Proposed Introduction to CTE Themes
Career and Community
Opportunities
Financial and Consumer Literacy
Health,
Safety, and Wellness
Communication
Sustainability
Research, Design, and Innovation
Characteristics of Theme Modules
Foundational
Cross-content
Standards-based
Module Format
Supported by Content Modules
The curricular guidance design has been approved by the senior management at NYSED. That approval is important because it is the promise from our leaders that this guidance will be posted as an NYSED document meant to steer decisions made by local districts about their middle-level CTE instruction. The work we do must conform to the SED expectations. Professional organizations can go beyond this guidance when providing pd for their teachers.
This slide shows the Introduction to CTE Themes: Career and Community Opportunities; Financial and Consumer Literacy; Health, Safety, and Wellness; Communication; Sustainability; and Research, Design, and Innovation
The characteristics of theme models are:
Each theme will be foundational and standards-based
Meaningful instruction provided by teachers certified in any CTE content area
A cross-content Theme Team met on October 11, 2017 at the CTE TAC in Rexford. They are drafting the theme modules building on the FACS drafts and following the CFM format.
They are creating foundational CTE standards-based curricular framework for middle-level that has CTE themes as the base. It will be developed in a flexible modular format that will allow schools to customize the delivery to meet their school goals and the needs of their students and their communities.
Next Slide- Content Modules

9. Draft Framework Model: Content
Introduction to CTE Content
Agriculture
Business
FACS
Health Sciences
Technology
Trade and Technical
Global Food Access and Security
Interior Design
Human Development
Characteristics of Content Modules
Standards-based
Specific to each CTE content area
Developed by teachers representing each content area
Supply context for instruction in the themes
Connect middle-level to high school
Instruction by teachers certified for that content
Content modules will be designed to address the themes, using state and national standards as the base
Content modules are specific to each CTE subject area
Example- FACS has 3 main learning strands (Foods and Nutrition, Textiles and Design, and Human Services and Family Studies), so 2 content modules models were developed for each strand; 6 in all (3 examples included on this slide). All 6 draft models are in the dropbox.
Content module instruction requires a teacher certified for that content
So how will themes and content work together?
Next Slide- Theme and Content Matrix (also hard copy example in a different form in their web resources)

10. Theme and Content Matrix
CTE Content
Proposed CTE Theme Modules
Content Modules
Representing Each
CTE Content Area
Career…
Financial…
Health…
Communication
Sustain-
ability
Research…
Agriculture
Business
Family and Consumer Sciences
Health Sciences
Technology Education
Trade and Technical
Meaningful Middle-level CTE Learning Experiences
So…. This project will create the framework for the Theme Modules and the Content Modules. This is the “what and the why” of Introduction to CTE. Local districts will determine the “how”. This is the difference between curricular guidance and actual curriculum. In NYS, curriculum is the right and responsibility of each of the 700 school districts. Strong curricular guidance is the state’s way of steering the curriculum decisions made by those 700 districts.
Next Slide – Curriculum Decisions

11. Curriculum Decisions How can I design
project-based learning experiences
that will help my middle-school students gain foundational CTE knowledge and skills
through the lens of my CTE content area?
Career and Community Opportunities
Financial and Consumer Literacy
Health, Safety, and Wellness
Sustainability
Development of curriculum is a school-by-school right/responsibility
How can I design project-based learning experiences that will help my middle-school students gain foundational CTE knowledge and skills through the lens of my CTE content area?
Resources:
Exemplars included in each theme and content module
Professional Organizations Best/model practices
Professional development meetings
School conference days
What will these modules look like?
Next 3 slides – Module template
Research, Design, and Innovation
Communication

12. Theme Module Template
The next three slides will show the format for our theme modules (screenshots of module template being used by writers). The format follows the work done by the group who just completed the draft of the Careers and Financial Management (CFM) guidance. The goal is seamless transition between levels– many of our CTE colleagues, especially in LEAs teach both middle-level and high school.
Each theme module will have a:
Title (use the ones we just agreed on)
Essential Question- What are the main concepts students should understand as a result of instruction in this module?
Module Content – What are the topics and subtopics for this module?
Next Slide - Standards

13. Theme Module Template Each Module will be standards-based.
All will be aligned with the intermediate NYS Learning Standards for CDOS 1, 2, and 3a and with the national Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) Career Ready Practices.
There are 12 Career Ready Practices. Alignment to those that make sense for the topic is the goal. Not all topics will align with all 12.
There may also be applicable CCTC Cluster Standards. I would expect these to apply more to the content modules, but where they do apply they should be included.
Next Slide – National Standards in the CTE content areas

14. Theme Module Template
We should also look for connections with the national learning standards in our specific CTE content areas. Since these modules are planned for use by teachers from all CTE content areas, we will include applicable standards from each content area. This will help teachers plan their instruction in the theme from the lens of their expertise.
In all cases, the goal is to include the strongest standards connections – avoid shoehorning.
We will also list additional resources. These need to be academically or industry based and available to all. Vendor products should be avoided. NYSED cannot post curricular guidance that lists vendor products because it gives the appearance of endorsement. Examples could be agencies, such as the National Institute of Health… other examples of resources can be seen in the FACS model modules.
The final section is activities – interconnectedness of the CTE areas. This section is another place where an example from each content area would be very helpful for teachers. A brief description of what a learning experience for this module might look like from each CTE content area will help teachers and school leaders see the possibilities for instruction.
Next Slide – Next Steps/How can you help?

15. How can you help? Next Steps Complete Drafts of Theme Modules
Develop Content Modules for all CTE content areas
Plan for Professional Development
Joint CTE Conference – June 2018, 2017
Syracuse , NY
Outreach to the broad educational community
Ways to Participate
Volunteer as a content editor for theme and content module drafts
Prepare learning experience models showing how themes “come to life” through your content
Participate in the Joint CTE conference
Share information with your school leaders
We are facing an aggressive timeline, and we can do this! On the left side of the slide is a list of the “Next Steps” for this project. On the right side, some suggestions about how you can help in the development of Introduction to CTE
Timeline:
Fall – a writing teams representing all CTE content areas will work to create the draft theme modules; separate teams from each content area will work on content modules
Winter – editing and revising
Spring – outreach and release of materials
Summer – professional development
Sharing via professional organization meetings
ACTEA Board – October 19
NYS Middle Level Association – Oct 20
Technology Association – Oct 26
FACS Association - Oct 27
Middle-level Liaisons- Dec 7
Joint CTE Conf – June 2018
Content Module Team is next big part of this project
Next slide –Your Questions

16. Your Questions
Questions?
Next Slide – Thank You!

17. Thank YOU!
Contact Information: Dawn B. Mastroianni c/o CTE TAC 1585 Route 146 Rexford, NY
Thanks!
This is an opportunity for all of us to work together to strengthen the middle-level band of our CTE continuum. Let’s maximize this opportunity by working in concert with our CTE colleagues.