FTF Tuesday: Career Readiness via Adult Common Core

Did you know that’s there has been a movement in recent years to have our states create legislation to ensure Common Core via Career Tech Education?! Yes, I found the evidence on the website for “Career Tech Education Policy Watch”. (see: http://ctepolicywatch.typepad.com/ )

What you need to know:

From the 2013 document, “State Policies Impacting CTE, 2013”, the following excerpt, “2013 was a major year for career and technical education (CTE)! All but three states had legislative or regulatory action in the 2013 calendar year that impacted one or more elements of CTE. This level of engagement by state legislatures, state boards of education, governors’ offices and state agencies can be attributed to the growing awareness that CTE is key to engaging learners at all levels, closing the skills gap and bolstering America’s competitiveness advantage.”

Below is an image from the 2013 report highlighting the states’ action regarding embedding Common Core via CTE (Career Technical Education).

Why This Matters:
Many folks are under the impression, Common Core ends at 12th grade. But, I’ve repeatedly shown documents, facts, and research (as have others) that have proven post-secondary schools have been aligned ON PURPOSE with Common Core. This report details how each of the United States has greased the wheels legislatively to embed Common Core via Career Tech Ed. I urge you to look at any of my “Tech Thursday” posts to see the in-depth ties of CCSS (Common Core State Standards) to post-secondary CTE (Career Tech Education).
As an example, here’s what my state of residence (NC) had accomplished up to 2013 in Common Core post-secondary moves legislatively.
“North Carolina  took some financial burden off of students who are seeking industry certifications and credentials. Under SB402, students enrolled in public schools and in CTE courses are exempt from paying fees for one administration of an exam that leads to an industry certification or a credential. Also under this bill, schools will now receive one point per student (toward the School Achievement Score) enrolled in CTE coursework who earns a Silver, Gold or Platinum level on a national work readiness assessment, although this still needs to be reviewed by the General Assembly in collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction and is subject to change. The North Carolina State Board of Education approved a set of endorsements for their high school graduation requirements, first mandated under legislation that passed in early 2013. Specifically, students can earn the Career Endorsement, one of two College Endorsements and/or the Academic Scholars Endorsement. All four endorsements require students to complete the Future-Ready Core requirements in math (which are aligned to the Common Core State Standards) and earn at least a 2.6 GPA (which guarantees graduates’ placement into credit bearing courses at the state’s community colleges). Students earning a Career Endorsement must complete a CTE concentration, earn an industry-recognized credential and take a fourth year of math aligned to their post-high school plans. Students earning the first College Endorsement option must take a fourth year of math aligned to their post-high 12 school plans.”  You’ll need to see what your state did, ACTE-ASDCTEc_State_Policy_Review_2013

Since 2013:

Well known pro CCSS backer, Linda Darling-Hammond has authored yet another paper supporting the need for CCR (College/Career Readiness). Here’s a quote, “Education policy often operates with a false dichotomy of preparation for college or career,” said Darling-Hammond. “For students to succeed in the knowledge-based society they will enter, they need to be able to connect their learning to real world situations, use critical thinking, complex problem solving, inquiry, communication, and collaboration — the 21st century skills and dispositions that today’s employers seek. Mastery of these skills must be determined through more advanced and informative assessments.”

Also, further legislation has continued to progress the CTE in our schools, all while our heads have been turned on K-12 Common Core movement. For example, NC has stepped up its game for Workforce, CTE courses. How? Legislation that ties not only the Dept. of Public Instruction, but Dept of Labor AND Commerce Dept.!! I dare you to check your states.  See: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/cte/ and fc_10_allocation_for_cte_leadership_grants_-_career_pathways and nc cte planning

At the federal level: 

Be sure to check out who serves the United States on the federal level for CTE. You’ll need to contact not only your state leaders, but Washington, D.C. leaders as well. Why? Career Tech Ed has its own caucus!! https://www.acteonline.org/caucus/#.VL3vqkfF-hQ

That’s right.. Adult Common Core has its OWN caucus!! See the hearing they held to ‘close the skills gap’.

Closing:

I urge you to consider while not all 50 states adopted CCSS, or are trying to repeal, all the states have CTE, Workforce, Career Clusters, Career Pathways. IF you want to repeal ALL of CCSS, you must look beyond 12th grade!!