September 5, 2003

Career and Technical Education Programs

CTE Centralization or CTE Equity at Each School Site

Secondary Programming Focus Group Recommendation:   provide a comprehensive career and technical education program at each of the high schools (courses that do not have enough enrollment to field a class on a consistent basis could be housed in conjunction with Lord Fairfax Community College )

School Board Question: What are the instructional implications of establishing a centralized Career and Technical Education (CTE) program/facility as a long-term goal?

ADVANTAGES OF A FULL CENTRALIZED CTE PROGRAM

1. Will be financially advantageous – one comprehensive program vs. two to three comprehensive programs; frees funding for other instructional programs;
2. Will allow funding for additional state-of-the art technologies to support the program;
3. Frees up space in current high school facilities.

DISADVANTAGES

1. Will reduce CTE curriculum access to students who cannot/will not go to the separate facility;
2. Will reduce instructional time for traveling students -- as much as 75 hours or the equivalent of 10 days (180 days X 25 min.);
3. Will reduce access to core elective curriculum for traveling CTE students;
4. May create a two-track student population.