1. CTE Update: Family and Consumer Sciences
Shirley Ware
New York State Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Educators Public Relations

2. We are CTE Teachers Business & Marketing education
Family & Consumer Sciences education
Technology education
Agricultural education
Health Occupations education
Trade & Technical education
Identify self as CTE teacher who teaches…
Information on reform efforts will refer to CTE, not to specific fields
No room for competition among CTE colleagues—”All for one…”, strength in numbers, common language, collaboration…
Next Slide-but we are unique in our field

3. Family and Consumer Sciences programs offer students unique opportunities to develop human literacy skills that lead to quality of life for individuals and families.
FACS programs offer students opportunities that are not available in any other discipline. The focus of our work is on helping students become caring individuals able to reach their potentials while also helping others to reach theirs—this focus on self in relation to others is unique, important, and special.
Not to mention the actual content of FACS courses.
But, like our education colleagues in every discipline, we are facing challenging times.
Next slide-Challenges

4. Challenges Economy Education Reform Initiatives
Mandate Relief
Education Reform Initiatives
Potential Changes to the Graduation Requirements
Effectiveness of Current Model
CTE Integration
Challenging environment
3 main arenas:
Economy—mandate relief
Statute v Regulation
Current status—off mandate relief item; on reform discussion
Local decisions- choosing to be out-of-compliance
Education Reform Initiatives
Tied to race to the Top
Fast timeframes—1 yr of grant is used; only 4 yrs long
Ongoing discussions at Regents meetings-next meeting April 4,5
3.Effectiveness of Current Model
Commissioner Steiner- “Fundamental disconnect between what is outside classroom and what is inside…Classrooms are ‘bad museums’ trapping students”
Student engagement is a problem—but, best CTE programs know that learning doesn’t happen in 4-wall classroom
Can best of CTE be used a model/extended to other disciplines?
How do we keep abreast of what is happening?
Next Slide- Information

5. Information Regents Website NYSED FACS Website and Listserv
NYSED FACS Website and Listserv
NYSAFCSE Listserv
3 easy ways to stay abreast of rapid change
Regents website—we’ll take a look at this in a minute
NYSED FACS webpage –Feature box- join our listserv, send notes following each Regents meeting
NYSAFCSE listserv-members only-membership form online, info each week and each month (along with FCCLA Ultimate E-News)
NYSAFCSE works closely with me, can make suggestions that are not appropriate for me to make
Next slides-Screen shots of Regents page-mini course on Regents items

6. Regents page
Look at nav bar options
– click on meetings

7. Meeting information
Generally posted the Friday before the Regents are in

8. Where should you look?

9. Item for Discussion
So….what to do with the information?
Next Slide-advocacy

10. Association for Progressive Communications www.apc.org
Advocacy
The active support of an idea or cause expressed through strategies and methods that influence the opinions and decisions of people and organizations
Association for Progressive Communications
This will be our working definition—goes beyond public relations because the goal is to influence others to join your “cause.”
Next few slides will be a “crash course” in advocacy.

11. “STEP”s for Effective Advocacy
Strategy
Timing
Empowerment
Positioning
4 components to effective advocacy—may find different categories in different resources, but all can be boiled down to these categories or “STEP”s to effective advocacy
We’ll look at each one as a separate component, but all work together and in practice must be considered together for advocacy efforts to effect change
Next slide - strategy

12. Strategy Wide range of options from persuasion to protest
Different strategies for different moments
Selected strategy should be
Appropriate
Adequate
Effective
Efficient
Sensitive to side effects
The Action Guide for Advocacy and Citizen Participation
Advocacy efforts that are specific in purpose and precise in procedure are more likely to be influential in shaping opinion and action
Group needs to select an advocacy strategy (or strategies) based on the political, social, economic, and cultural climate. A strategy that will work in one place and time may not be effective in another. Group needs to conduct a climate evaluation before selecting a strategy.
Before implementation, selected strategy should be evaluated:
Appropriate – Will it further the group’s vision and mission? Will it make use of group's strengths? Will it fit community conditions?
Adequate- Will the strategy be sufficient to address the problem? Does the problem justify the effort and resources the chosen strategy will require?
Effective – Will the strategy achieve the objective? Will it address the problem in a reasonable timeframe?
Efficient – What are the strategy’s costs in terms of people’s time, energy, and materials in relation to the benefits?
Sensitive – How can resistance be minimized? Will current partners or supporters be compromised?
Will spend a little more time on this component- short exercise- less time on the others.

13. Timing
The effectiveness of advocacy efforts is often dependent on positioning and timing.
Decide when to promote ideas to
maximize their influence.
Will spend only a few minutes on this component.
Look for “windows of opportunity.” Some are natural, for example attending a board of education citizens budget session when potential cuts to programs will be discussed. Other are less obvious, for example elementary PTA meeting where 5th – 6th grade transition is being discussed. Do first time middle school parents know what their children are entitled to? How can that information be shared? This might be a time for FCCLA members to participate.
Next Slide - Empowerment

14. Empowerment Envision self as a protagonist and
see self as an active citizen
Strengthen voice through collaboration
Assess risks
Address resistance
“Change rarely comes from force of logical argument alone or from the presentation of irrefutable evidence in support of the changes required…Much depends on the character, approach, and credibility of those seeking change and their ability to evoke receptiveness in those they are seeking to persuade.” Advocacy Strategies and Approaches Association for Progressive Communications
Sometimes feel uncomfortable in role of advocate—do not wish to appear self-serving. So, put students first—preserving unique educational opportunity for them, effecting “tomorrow’s generation today,” etc. Protagonists are heroes.
Collaborate – With whom can we build alliances? Formal (ex. union) and informal (ex. other program areas facing same challenges)
Next slide – Positioning- tied to collaboration, risk, and resistance.

15. Positioning Similarity (goal) Attachment (benefit) Explanation
(qualities)
Integration
(uniqueness)
“We are trying to accomplish the same objective”
“We can work together to…”
“This is how to…”
“While we will be…we still will be…”
The Spill-over Effect:An Advocacy Strategy at
Tied to collaboration—find partners with whom FACS can establish reciprocity; by strengthening FACS, FACS strengthens the partner and visa versa. The idea is that by tying FACS to other important, timely, relevant school initiatives (the big picture) FACS establishes a high profile—FACS is Necessary not just Nice…Shows how FACS adds to the educational experience in other settings.
Establish collaboration 4 ways:
Similarity- listen to identify place where FACS and another program share a common goal and build on that connection
Attachment – reinforce the benefits of shared effort. Build ambassadors by reciprocating.
Explanation – stresses specific qualities that FACS will bring to the relationship and points to implementation
Integration – shows how FACS can collaborate with other programs and still maintain the unique focus on developing human literacy. Reinforce mission with each collaborative effort.

16. How will we advocate for Family and Consumer Sciences education in these challenging times?
Ideas from the crowd

17. Shirley Ware
(315)