Key Initiative 1
Creation of a
Career Pathways /Programs of Study
An important charge to state and
local CTE programs under Perkins IV is to ensure that students completing programs
of study are prepared for both postsecondary study and high-skill, high-wage, high-demand, or emerging
occupations. The Department believes
that students need the same skills for success in either path.
Increased synergy between the
academic and technical components of CTE programs will result in an elevation
in quality and rigor. CTE programs have traditionally maintained close
connections with local employers through local advisory councils and through
other mechanisms, including linkages with regional Department of Labor offices
and with Local Workforce Investment Boards. To improve the ways in which
academic and technical skill attainment reinforce each other, the Department believes that efforts to
relate the development of CTE programs of study/career pathways to economic
development and labor market projections can be strengthened through the
creation of a state center that will direct regional collaboration by Perkins
IV eligible recipients. The development
of CTE programs of study and career pathways in emerging occupations that
require more intense preparation in mathematics and science are particularly
important in many regions of the State.
An important outcome of this
coordination would be clearer lines of communication, coordination and planning
between Career Pathways programs that receive competitive funding under Title
II of the Act and eligible secondary and postsecondary recipients that receive
formula funding under Title I of the Act. This project creates a new system of
supports for increasing the number of students who benefit from dual credit
programs leading to further study. A concurrent objective could be a focus on
underserved secondary students who might not pursue post-secondary study
without additional support.
The New
York State Education Department would provide support through State Leadership
funds under Perkins IV to the center. The center would also be expected
incorporate the changes in