1. PRESENTED BY: DAWN PITRE FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES TEACHER NOVEMBER 30, 2011

2.  State Approved Skills Certificates (SASC) are intended to provide students who are not pursing a high school diploma with career specific employability skills.

3.  The LDE Connections Process Handbook recommends students with low TABE scores (less than 7 on Reading) pursue State Approved Skills Certificates.

4.  Student enrollment in State Approved Skills Certificates programs is based on committee recommendation. Committee members include:  Counselor  Administrator  CTE Teacher  Parent or Guardian  SPED teacher, if applicable  Former mentor, Connections lead teacher, or JAG specialist if applicable  Student demographics (age, credits, etc) as well as assessments (LEAP, TABE, WorkKeys) are used as part of the committee review.

5.  The 26 SASC currently offered equip students with the skills necessary to gain employment in entry level positions in different career clusters.  The SASCs are based on coursework and competencies for CTE Industry Based Certifications (IBCs).

6.  Administrators, CTE teachers and counselors work with local businesses, civic organizations and other community organizations to promote SASC and encourage opportunities for students to complete work-based learning clock hours on-site in actual work-place settings.

7.  Students complete 90 clock hours of approved work- based learning (WBL).  CTE teachers work with student to determine setting for WBL (on site, off site or simulated in the classroom).  Skills competencies are assessed by CTE teacher in conjunction with supervisor of WBL activities, if off- site.  Students have to meet state requirements for percentages of skills competencies mastered.

8.  SASC competencies are taught by instructors with IBCs during the regular CTE courses.  CTE students working towards an IBC as well as SASC students participate in the same classes.  Students may earn Carnegie credits for courses if successfully completing all requirements of the teacher and seat time. It is not required that credit be awarded for the course for successful completion of the SASC.

9.  Students are enrolled into Career and Technical Education courses corresponding with the State Approved Skills Certificate Course Codes.  Number of hours/blocks per day are determined by committee recommendations.

10.  A student who gets a SASC does count as a drop out; however, skills certificates do gain points towards the graduation index. (60 points per student)