Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Wisconsin’s vision for career and technical education (CTE) is simple: develop and implement high-quality career pathways through an equity “lens” to ensure all students have access to CTE programs while in K-12. This vision comes through loudly and clearly in the Wisconsin Perkins State Plan. The plan aligns with national efforts to prioritize career development, strengthen career pathways programs, scale up work-based learning, and create more equitable programs and policies (Education Commission of the States, May 2018). We are committed to expanding career pathways throughout the state now more than ever, and it is imperative that CTE leadership work collaboratively with stakeholders.
Here’s how we’ll go about this expansion. At the core of our work is Wisconsin’s commitment to academic and career planning. Career pathways emerge from intentional career development efforts that promote high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand careers and honor all routes to postsecondary success. In addition to CTE courses, industry-recognized credentials, work-based learning, dual enrollment opportunities, and career and technical student organization activities are also essential components of a career pathway that will lead students to success.
However, it’s a big lift for a school district to create a robust and high-quality career pathway program. That is why Wisconsin has developed regional career pathways (RCP) so that individual school districts can plug into a collaborative group that includes K-12 education, higher education, employers, and workforce and economic development partners. These partners have already done the work of identifying jobs, postsecondary programs, dual enrollment opportunities, and industry-recognized credentials related to many of our state’s high-skill, in-demand career pathways. You can become a part of your Regional Career Pathway Collaborative by contacting the RCP coordinator in your region.
Here’s why it matters. Skilled talent is one of the most critical factors contributing to the success of Wisconsin's driver industries and the economy overall, and talent development begins in grade school. Starting in 2006, K-12 career pathways were mainly the responsibility of career and technical education (CTE) to meet the requirements for federal Perkins funding. These pathways emerged in the form of programs of study (POS), a sequence of courses with offerings of work-based learning and articulation to postsecondary programming. Most were submitted as compliance documents and not used with students.
Today, with Perkins V legislation alongside the statewide expansion of the regional career pathways (RCP) model, we can more clearly recognize the importance of leveraging the capacity of a regional collaborative group on behalf of individual schools, employers, and colleges in industries showing high demand and growth at all training and skill levels.
Here’s what we need from you. One of the substantial changes in the Perkins V legislation is the implementation of a comprehensive local needs assessment (CLNA) that serves as a vehicle for data analysis. The outcome of this analysis provides a way to review the career pathways and pinpoint where gaps exist in areas of student performance, equity and access, teacher recruitment and retention, and the career pathways overall. The process enables school districts to see the relationship between curriculum standards and labor market information, work-based learning opportunities for students, and dual enrollment coursework. Ultimately, information revealed by the CLNA and participation in the regional career pathway collaborative group will form the foundation for building more effective CTE programs from year to year.
Closing. The CTE leadership already in place statewide is making this work happen. We need your continued laser focus on the connection among academic and career planning, Perkins V, and career pathways.
And we want to say thank you for your unwavering support of CTE teachers and programs throughout this year. From the onset of the pandemic, CTE has continued to be a beacon of hope for many students as they find their way on a path toward college, career, and community readiness. Your tireless leadership has not gone unnoticed. Your innovation and ability to pivot at a moment’s notice is humbling. You are amazing at what you do and we are grateful for you.
Take time for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation as this calendar year comes to a close. Stay safe and healthy, and happy holidays.
—Submitted by Sharon Wendt, Director, and Sara Baird, Assistant Director, Career and Technical Education Team, Department of Public Instruction