National Press Release

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As states increase the number of academic credits required for high school graduation, they are developing new ways of integrating academic content with content from CTE courses to help students meet these requirements. One trend that is emerging is the state and local support for the recognition of academic credit for career and technical education (CTE) courses. A new paper released by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) entitled, "Joining Forces for Student Success: The Emergence of State and Local Policies to Support the Recognition of Academic Credit for CTE Coursework," highlights findings from a state survey, describes innovative ways states and localities are employing this strategy, and offers recommendations on how to effectively implement and systemize course development.

In 2008, ACTE and Meeder Consulting Group, LLC worked together in assembling information on each state's CTE system through a series of state profiles, and they discovered a variety of innovation in CTE systems around the country. Along with the state profiles, Meeder Consulting Group developed and distributed a survey to the state leaders responsible for CTE and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. The survey asked how states were helping, supporting and guiding the recognition of CTE classes for academic coursework. Of the 44 states (including the District of Columbia) that responded to the survey, 36 of the states indicated they allowed for the awarding of credit at either the state or local level.

The paper outlines how states are awarding academic credit for CTE courses through a state-driven approach, locally driven approach, or a blend of the two, and it provides insight into how they implemented their policies. The paper has examples of states' and localities' efforts, including:

    --  Warren Tech High School, located in Jefferson County School District in
        Colorado, created hybrid academic/CTE courses for joint credit with
        various stakeholders engaged and ensured the academic rigor of classes.
    --  Washington State has a law requiring high schools or local school
        districts to develop procedures to approve CTE courses for whole or
        partial academic credit. A CTE advisory committee was established to
        provide assistance to local school districts and created an online
        toolkit as an implementation guide for the districts.
    --  New York State allows local school districts the flexibility to develop
        CTE courses that are counted toward academics and students can earn up
        to four integrated credits.
    --  Kentucky has developed 11 interdisciplinary CTE courses, which students
        can be awarded academic credit. Based on self reporting, Kentucky has an
        estimated 82 high schools that currently offer at least one of these
        courses.

"As schools face pressure to increase academic achievement, it is important for states and local school districts to understand the value of CTE courses in providing an engaging, rigorous, and relevant education that provides students with the skills and knowledge that business and industry are looking for," said ACTE Executive Director Jan Bray. "This paper presents examples for policymakers of ways to recognize CTE classes for academic credit and how to implement successful policies at both the state and local level."

For more information or to obtain a copy of the issue brief, please visit www.acteonline.org/uploadedFiles/Publications_and_Online_Media/files/academic_integration_paper_WEB.pdf.

About ACTE

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation's largest not-for-profit education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. It provides advocacy, public awareness and access to information, professional development and tools that enable members to be successful and effective leaders. Founded in 1926, ACTE has more than 29,000 members including teachers, counselors and administrators at the middle school, high school and postsecondary levels.

SOURCE Association for Career and Technical Education