Tag: CTE

New Grant RFP for Secondary & Postsecondary

A new grant opportunity is available via the Title IIB Math & Science Partnership.  This grant is for teacher/administrator professional development only, and will focus on the interface between Math, Science, and Career and Technical Education.  Projects will prepare Alaskan teachers and building administrators to develop strategies, units, and ways of thinking that incorporate CTE principles into STEM coursework, and STEM principles into CTE classes to further Career and College Readiness.

Only eligible partnerships may apply for this grant.  An eligible partnership includes:

  • A high-needs LEA (as defined on page 4 of the RFP document; full list of qualifying LEAs in Appendix A, page 11)
  • A postsecondary institution (representative of the department of math and/or science)
  • May also include non-high-needs LEAs, postsecondary departments of education, non-profits, or businesses; however, these are not required.

Total funding for the program is $700,000 for FY17.  EED expects to make 2-3 grant awards of $200,000 to $250,000 each.  Grants are funded for one year (FY17), with the possibility of a second-year of no-cost extension should a grant have carryover funds (FY18).  Continued funding of the grant for further years may be possible pending the availability of federal funding.  Awards will be made solely on merit and the responsiveness of the proposed activities to grant objectives.

The fiscal agent for the grant shall be an LEA in the state of Alaska.  (This may be either the high-needs LEA or a non-high-needs LEA partner.)

All projects must include an evaluation and accountability system designed to measure participant knowledge and skill acquisition via standardized pre-/post-tests.

An informational webinar about the RFP will be hosted via WebEx on March 8th from 3:00-4:00 PM.

You may download a copy of the RFP at https://education.alaska.gov/forms/nclbtitletwo/05-16-032.docx

All questions can be directed to the program administrator:

Bjørn Wolter, Ph.D.
Career & Technical Education
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development
907.465.6542
bjorn.wolter@alaska.gov
Source: Alaska Department of Education & Early Development – Career & Technical Education

Alaska Governor Bill Walker Proclaims February as CTE Month

Career and Technical Education Month

WHEREAS, Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers students the opportunity to gain the academic, technical, and employability skills necessary for true career readiness; and

WHEREAS, leaders from business and industry, both in Alaskan and across the nation, report increasing challenges related to the skills gap and connecting qualified professionals with available careers in critical and growing CTE-related fields including healthcare, energy, natural resource development, and information technology; and

WHEREAS, Career and Technical Education prepares students for these and other fulfilling careers by offering integrated programs of study that link secondary and postsecondary education and lead to the attainment of industry-recognized credentials; and

WHEREAS, the Alaska Departments of Education & Early Development and Labor and Workforce Development and the University of Alaska system are jointly implementing the statewide CTE plan to ensure a comprehensive, integrated career and technical education system for Alaska; and

WHEREAS, ensuring that Alaskan employers have access to a qualified workforce is a crucial step in ensuring productivity among the business and industry communities as well as continued Alaskan economic growth and global competitiveness.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Bill Walker, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim February 2016 as:

Career and Technical Education Month

in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to become familiar with the services and benefits offered by the career and technical education programs in this community and to support and participate in these programs to enhance their individual skills and productivity.

Click here for a PDF copy of the proclamation.

Source: Alaska Governor Bill Walker

February is CTE MONTH®

CTEMonthCTE Month® is a public awareness campaign the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) holds each February to celebrate Career and Technical Education and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across the country. CTE Month 2016, with its theme of “Opportunities for Career Success”, gives you the chance to tell stories of leadership and excellence from your local CTE programs and raise awareness of the crucial role that CTE plays in readying our students for careers and our nation for economic success. Check the link below for more information on how you can get involved.

Source: CTEMONTH.ORG

New Skills For Youth: Investing $75M Today to Build Tomorrow’s Economy

Young people need pathways to high-quality training and skills to compete for jobs

We believe every young person deserves a pathway to economic success. That’s why we’re announcing a new $75 million investment to expand high-quality career-focused education programs that lead to well-paying jobs and long-term careers. Failing to prepare young people with the right skills and education for these jobs is not just a missed opportunity for them—it’s a missed opportunity for businesses to hire the talent they need to grow and compete.

With the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium we are launching a multi-million dollar competition for states to expand and improve career-focused education that prepares students for high-skill and high-wage jobs.

Learn more details on this initiative, and click here (Opens Overlay) to learn more from the Council of Chief State School Offers about what you need to do to apply.

“Economic opportunity is increasingly out of reach for millions of young people. Without the right skills or education, they find themselves stuck in low-skill, low-wage jobs or unemployed. We are in investing in high-quality career-focused education programs so that more young people have a shot at real economic opportunity.”

Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Source: New Skills For Youth: Investing $75M Today to Build Tomorrow’s Economy | JPMorgan Chase & Co.

CTE Policy Watch

With the presidential and congressional election in full swing, 2016 will be dominated by campaign politics. Despite the election-year partisanship, there are some outstanding education policy issues that may make an appearance in the year ahead.

Read the full article and the connection to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) here.

Source: CTE Policy Watch Blog – A Blog for CTE Advocates