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Section II
Improvement Components
Image
The
public, community leaders, business and industry executives, school-based
advisory groups, school boards, administrators and educators need to understand
that the viability of the local and state economy requires excellence in career
and technical education programs at all levels. This necessitates an information
effort that informs the public and improves the image of the programs. It starts
with the premise that career and technical education programs are not for
someone else – they are for you and your children. The skills obtained through
these programs are essential for employability, marketability and sustainability
on the job, in life, and at a high standard of living. Kentucky’s ability to
continue its economic development initiatives demands a skilled workforce that
is best created through career and technical education programs for youth and
adults.
The
process of improving the career and technical education image starts “at
home” – in the middle school, high school, area technology center, technical
college, community college, or university. The students, faculty and staff are
visible representatives of program success. If they do well, it is an
advertisement. If they speak well about the programs, they are advertisers. That
helps convince administrators, school boards and school-based advisory boards
the value of the programs and the need to provide continued and increased
support.
Outreach
to the community is next. Open houses and community-action projects demonstrate
the availability of the schools, the students, and the programs, and their
relevance to individual lives. Working with industry and business, schools and
educators can structure programs that are meaningful, that can result in jobs
after graduation or upon attaining a certification. The schools and colleges can
become a reliable source of new employees. Business and industry looking to
relocate or expand in the area can expect to find the skilled workforce needed
for success.
KVA
Recommends:
Career
and technical educators must get involved in the current educational trends in
the Commonwealth. They must become leaders and tell their own story. They need
to understand and become involved in CATS (Commonwealth Accountability Testing
System) Assessment, Tech Prep, High Schools That Work, Portfolio Writings,
Individual Graduation Plans, Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Restructuring, and Area Technology Centers. Important tools to use in informing
audiences of program value and need for support include statistics on job
placements and successful transitions to postsecondary education, the workforce,
or the military.
Each
local school, area technology center or technical college must identify its
image through publicity that promotes its:
-
Beliefs
and values as a first-class, caring and dynamic institution;
-
Tradition,
operations, goals and objectives that highlight achievements and elaborate
on visions;
-
Focus
on services and populations served;
-
Mission
Statement, why it is in business; and
-
Operational
guidelines or how each person or business that interacts with the
institution will be treated.
Curriculum
KVA
recognizes that career and technical education is the key to preparing the
student for a career in the modern workplace. Action must continue to bring
relevant curriculum to the classroom that imparts skills to meet defined
industry standards. National standards are available that are aligned with the
needs of industry. Because we live in a rapidly changing technological society,
the curriculum must be upgraded continually to reflect these changes.
A successful career and
technical curriculum will incorporate skills needed in the workplace as well as
at postsecondary institutions. Curriculum should include integration of
academics with the technical knowledge and skills that will be encountered in
the workplace. For students to be able to meet that need, they must be taught
how to solve problems, process information, communicate, work in teams, relate
to customers, accept responsibility, and learn independently. Other essential
ingredients include: career
education, exploring a variety of occupations, examining skills needed,
participating in work-based learning experiences, successfully articulating to a
postsecondary institution, completing a successful job search, and maintaining
their skills through lifelong learning. Another key component is the
articulation agreements that must be in place at all levels for all programs in
order to provide continuous learning from one institution to another.
High-quality
career and technical education programs based on industry-recognized standards
are needed as students are prepared for the workforce. The technical content of
all career and technical education programs should be broad based to prepare
students for multiple jobs within an occupational field. National skill
standards based on industry expertise are important to develop a viable
curriculum for current and future needs.
The curriculum needs to
provide opportunities for career and technical (vocational) student
organizations to encourage development of leadership potential, promote personal
growth, and obtain career success.
KVA
Recommends:
KVA
urges that funding be provided at a level that will allow the development of
curriculum and the implementation of programs for the new, emerging and
fast-growing occupations as identified in the Kentucky
Occupational Outlook to 2005. Nearly 50 percent of the new jobs created from
1994-2005 will be in two major occupational divisions – professional,
paraprofessional and technical; and services. To meet these new demands for
instruction and equipment, funding must be provided.
KVA
further recommends that in order to achieve a strong and viable curriculum for
students, adequate funding must be allocated to meet both the instructional as
well as the equipment needs of career and technical programs.
KVA
also urges that funding be provided to support career and technical (vocational)
student organizations as an integral component of career and technical
education.
Graduation
Requirements
Graduation
requirements are necessary to set minimum standards for successful completion of
courses of study. The resulting diploma, degree or certificate gives the student
a marketable document testifying to his or her skills and abilities. Employers
have assurance that a person with a diploma, degree or certificate can be
expected to contribute to the company’s success.
While
KVA supports the graduation requirements established by the Kentucky Board of
Education, it is concerned that increasing the entrance requirements at public
universities in areas other than the academic core curriculum automatically
reduces the number of electives a student can pursue. That forces a choice
between a career and technical education course of study or a comprehensive
diploma focusing on liberal arts studies. KVA believes the result will be
tracking, which is an unfair choice forced on a student. Continued expansion of
mandated units or credit levels for additional sets of coursework is diminishing
the opportunity for students to expand their employability and marketability
through career and technical education programs.
KVA
Recommends:
KVA
suggests that Individual Graduation Plans based on career clusters afford
students the best avenue to achieve their educational goals.
KVA
urges school-based advisory groups, boards of education and administrators to
review the current offering of career and technical education programs to
determine whether certain courses can be counted toward core-content graduation
requirements.
Articulation
Articulation
agreements must be expanded statewide in order to meet the needs of students
enrolled in career and technical education programs in high schools, area
technology centers, technical colleges, community colleges, and universities.
There must be curriculum alignments among all parties in order to avoid
duplication of curriculum. It must be identified in the agreement what each
institution is responsible for and the anticipated outcome. The goal is a
seamless transition with course sequences clearly identified so students can
advance from one level of education to the next.
The
guidance department at each educational level must play a role in developing the
articulation agreements. There must be statewide professional development for
teachers, counselors, and administrators from all school levels, as well as
state agency personnel.
These
agreements are important if Tech-Prep requirements outlined in the Carl D.
Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-332) are to be
met. As defined in the law, a Tech-Prep program must combine at least two years
of secondary and postsecondary education, strengthen the applied academic
component through the integration of academic and career and technical
instruction, provide technical preparation, build academic competence, and lead
to an associate degree or career-specific certification.
KVA
Recommends:
Articulation
agreements must be non-duplicative, in writing, include professional development
opportunities, maintain student record data, and allow credit transfer.
Recruitment/Retention
The
role of the career and technical education teacher is critical as schools focus
on meeting the initiatives of KERA (Kentucky Education Reform Act), as well as
the demands of business and industry. As the country faces challenges to our
economic and industrial dominance in the world, the career and technical
education classroom is the best place to demonstrate relevance of instruction
and to move theory to practice. The career and technical education teacher and
administrator are best prepared to bring that relevance to students.
The
training of career and technical education teachers in the Commonwealth has
changed significantly since the passage of KERA.
The articulation of secondary and post secondary education mandated by
Tech-Prep and the integration of academic and career and technical education
included in numerous reform efforts has focused the professional development of
career and technical education teachers and administrators.
State agencies and universities have provided pre-service and in-service
training for teachers and administrators that have made career and technical
education programs models of instructional practice. As emphasis increases for
interdisciplinary curriculum efforts in our schools, similar emphasis must be
central to our training of career and technical education teachers and
administrators. It must become a priority that career and technical education
teachers and administrators, those best positioned to implement educational
reform, have adequate access to the training and retraining necessary to
continue the reform.
A
shortage of career and technical education teachers has been documented
nationwide. Kentucky is competing with surrounding states as it seeks to recruit
and retain qualified career and technical education teachers. Several career and
technical education disciplines have been identified as national
teacher-shortage areas. Many states pay signing bonuses for career and technical
education teachers, and forgivable loans and scholarships are becoming
increasingly common. The competition for the limited supply of career and
technical education teachers has lead to many graduates of Kentucky’s
universities accepting employment out of state, further exacerbating the
shortage in Kentucky. State agency staff has identified an expanding number of
career and technical education programs that are currently without qualified
instructors. Additional programs have been closed or are not currently offered
because of the inability to secure qualified teachers. This shortage has led to
an increasing number of career and technical education programs staffed by
teachers with emergency, out-of-field certification.
The
academic preparation of career and technical education teachers equals or
exceeds the requirements for their counterparts who are trained solely for jobs
in a discipline, yet they are paid considerably less than their counterparts in
the private sector. Career-and-technical-education trained teachers, in addition
to their subject matter competence, have many attributes that are sought after
by business and industry. Many individuals trained as career and technical
education teachers accept positions in business and industry because of the
salary difference, contributing to the teacher shortage. Many dedicated career
and technical education teachers leave the profession after several years when
offers from business and industry far exceed their teaching salaries.
The
availability of administrators for career and technical education programs also
is reaching critical stages. As the number of existing administrators reaching
retirement age increases, and fewer teachers are seeking administrator
certification, it is apparent that the incentives also are required to recruit
and retain career and technical education administrators.
KVA
Recommends:
Adequate
access to training and retraining is necessary for career and technical
education teachers and administrators to keep abreast of change, understand
reforms and stay relevant in the classroom. If continued educational reforms are
important to the Commonwealth, professional development of educators is critical
for its success.
Certification
programs must be developed to assist teachers in completing the requirements for
career and technical education teacher certification as a temporary solution to
the problem.
Innovative
programs must be developed to recruit prospective career and technical education
teachers and administrators into the profession. Additional programs also are
required that provide financial and other incentives to recruit and retain
career and technical education teachers and administrators for Kentucky’s
schools.
It
is essential that entry-level salaries for career and technical education
teachers be increased to compete with the salaries offered by the private sector
so the very best career and technical education teachers can be recruited and
retained.
Professional
Development
Career
and technical educators are charged with preparing workers to meet the
increasing demands for business and industry. Professional development is
essential for teachers to keep up to date in their constantly changing fields.
The
Kentucky economy is expected to grow 17 percent and create 300,000 new jobs by
2005. An additional 450,000 jobs will occur as workers retire or separate from
their occupations. The changing demand of the workplace has been widely
documented in recent years. Global competition and technological advances have
led to new management strategies requiring workers with a greater diversity of
skills.
KVA
Recommends:
Adequate
funding must be earmarked for career and technical educators to obtain updated
training and skill certification. Opportunities must be provided for training
updates in content areas. Time must be allotted for career and technical
educators to attend professional-development training, to participate in
staff-exchange programs with industry, and to obtain or renew industrial-skills
certification.
Business-Industry
Partnerships
KVA
urges that more business and industry partnerships be nurtured among all
educational programs. Creation of true collaborations will ensure that the
Commonwealth’s schools are preparing students with the skills necessary to
fill employer vacancies, to support business relocation and expansion, and to
sustain or increase individual living standards.
All
jobs come either from the government (including education) or the private
sector. It is the private-sector economy that provides the vibrant growth of a
healthy economy. Reaching out to and consulting with employers can help ensure
that middle school, secondary and postsecondary programs result in students who
are well positioned to enter/reenter the workforce or pursue additional
education. Employers are the group that knows best what skills are needed for
their own success. Building an active, supportive and vocal network of employers
develops effective public awareness and outreach in this most critical area –
where the jobs are.
The
much-publicized expansion of the United Parcel Service hub happened only after
an agreement between that business and the area’s schools to increase the pool
of available, skilled workers. The Commonwealth’s economy will depend on
having an available pool of skilled workers that meets the needs of business and
industry. Career and technical education programs are the fount from which those
skills come. Studies indicate the jobs of the future will continue to become
more and more technical. If the Commonwealth’s youth and career-changing
adults are to achieve success and be able to remain in Kentucky, the state must
be prepared to provide lifelong learning opportunities to obtain high-skill,
high-wage careers.
A
relevant curriculum that emphasizes skills to meet recognized standards
developed in partnership with business and industry is a win-win situation for
Kentucky. Individuals get jobs. Employers get skilled workers. The economy
prospers. The Commonwealth benefits.
KVA
Recommends:
Career
and technical educators must work with their school-based advisory groups,
school boards, and administrators to identify and recruit key business and
industry leaders to participate in a collaborative effort to create a
skill-based, job-focused curriculum. Legislators, school-based advisory groups,
school boards, and administrators must recognize the value of this approach and
provide funding to spur partnership expansion.
Administration
Coordinated
leadership between administrators and guidance personnel is essential in
planning programs and services for career and technical education. Joint
planning between these two groups within a set time frame can aid in decisions
on class size, lab size and the size of the student body. Items to be addressed
in the planning process are: the
need for training workshops on critical administrative issues, better
utilization of funding, the effect of legislative issues, better efforts to
market schools and programs, ways to seek resources from the community,
evaluation of programs, development of a community check list, creation of
short- and long-term goals, improvement in the quality of the schools,
establishment of a communications budget, and decisions on staff training in the
school public-relations programs.
KVA
Recommends:
Effort
must be made to create a collaborative relationship among all administrative
agencies to better serve the student body, teaching and support staff, and all
other school personnel. Every aspect must address the needs of all students,
including special populations. Working relationships can be built and
coordinated through in-service programs, workshops and meetings.
Financial
Support
and
Equalization
of
Funding
Fast-paced
technological changes continuously create new and emerging occupations. That
change not only affects existing occupations, it continues to affect those just
created. It is a never-ending process. Thus the need for new programs, updated
equipment, instructional materials and opportunities for professional
development are vital, regardless of whether the program is being operated at
the middle school, high school, area technology center, technical college,
community college, or university. These changes will impact the career and
technical education of students as they transition from school to work. They
will impact adults who must retool or obtain new skills to remain competitive in
the workplace.
Inequities
in funding exist in school operating budgets, facilities, equipment and
instructional supplies. Inequities in salaries also are noted among career and
technical teachers and administrators. KVA recognizes that some inequities among
salaries may be inherent due to the level of academic attainment or years of
experience. If career and technical education programs are to meet the
challenges of economic and workforce development and continue the movement of
the Kentucky Education Reform Act, an overall commitment to providing additional
and targeting funding is essential.
KVA
Beliefs Regarding
Inequities
Budgets
must be funded that recognize the rising cost of doing business in maintaining a
professional school or institution.
Equitable
salary schedules must be developed for teachers and administrators that
recognize years of experience, educational achievement (certification/rank),
administrative responsibilities, and other special assignments, including
extended day/time and length of the school year.
Provisions
must be made to fund professional development and occasional labor (such as
substitute pay both for teachers and staff), to provide time and funding for
professional development, and to release staff to pursue professional
development.
Funding
must be provided to enable schools and institutions to deliver complete and
technologically updated curriculum, including funding for consumable and
nonconsumable instructional supplies, instructional materials, and teaching
aids.
Continuous
and equitable funding must be available to obtain state-of-the-art equipment and
to accommodate technology upgrades that support viable career and technical
education instructional programs and school operation.
Special
funding must be allotted to implement training programs for new and emerging
occupations.
Adequate
equipment maintenance funds must be provided to assure uninterrupted instruction
and school operation.
KVA
Recommends:
KVA
recommends that a study be commissioned to verify the aforementioned inequities,
identify needed changes, and provide continuous oversight of progress toward
equitable funding.
Health
Insurance
Current
health insurance is not equivalent in premium, coverage and providers compared
to those available in the private sector.
KVA
Recommends:
KVA
recommends that more carriers be made available to employees, and that the
services and coverage be equivalent to those provided by business and industry.
School-to-Careers
The
1998 General Assembly passed the School-to-Careers Act to establish a
school-to-careers system. This system serves as an umbrella to cover all
career-related programs, including Tech-Prep, High School That Work, and
School-to-Work. However, only limited funding was provided to the Kentucky
Department of Education, and only five sites were funded in 1998-99.
KVA
Recommends:
KVA
supports the School-to-Careers Advisory Committee recommendation that the
Department of Education request additional funding for the expansion of
School-to-Career implementation sites across the state.
Legislative
Issues
Federal
and state legislation gives the overall guidelines for establishing and
operating career and technical education programs. Federal and state
appropriations provide the impetus for career and technical education program
development. Without federal involvement, some states may have little focus on
career and technical education. Programs likely would be further fractured
without guiding efforts to lead cooperation, collaboration or consolidation.
KVA
believes that specific implementation decisions are best made at the local
level, with due consideration given to relevant statewide factors and goals. But
as noted above, the federal role is critical in program oversight, for
encouraging cooperation, and to spur innovation. The federal partner must
maintain its leadership role in career and technical education.
Static
funding of the past few years impacts the ability of career and technical
education at all levels to improve program performance.
KVA
Recommends:
KVA
urges Congress to adopt the recommendation of the Association for Career and
Technical Education to increase Fiscal Year 2000 funding for Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-332) programs by a
minimum of $250 million over the Fiscal Year 1999 funding level. KVA also urges
Congress to raise the Pell Grant maximum by $400 and to adequately fund career
information programs authorized by the Perkins Act.
The
106th Congress must renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Coordination and collaboration improvements between academic and career and
technical education programs can be strengthened through this legislation. From
the earliest levels, education must impart the basic fact that career success in
the future will require skills obtained only through career and technical
education coursework. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is the vehicle
Congress can use to spur increased professional development opportunities for
all teachers and administrators. The legislation also can be the avenue to
address skill standards and voluntary professional teaching standards, as well
as to set direction for development of performance measures. | 
