Career-connected learning is an educational strategy that combines high-quality academic instruction, skill-based learning, and real-world experiences to prepare students with the knowledge and skills that they need to pursue their career goals. Career-connected learning is especially important for an often-overlooked group of students including…

The research being conducted results from the teacher shortage in the Appoquinimink School District, across the State of Delaware and across the United States. There is an alarming teacher shortage in the United States causing a crisis in many states and local school districts. Low enrollment in postsecondary teacher preparation programs, and even…

Given that work-based learning (WBL) can -- and should be -- a key driver of student career readiness in these efforts, it is essential that all states have a robust work-based learning continuum of experiences and exposure that spans K-16. WBL is an essential element of career and technical education (CTE), and ExcelinEd's CTE Playbook series…

Business and industry leaders have an essential role to play in the design and delivery of high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. They bring unique perspectives on the foundational competencies and qualifications for entry-level work in their respective industries and can provide input into the design of programs of study,…

We know the importance of learning experiences that happen beyond the confines of a traditional classroom. But how might federal policy support such experiences to prepare young people for life after high school? That's where work-based learning comes in -- a strategy designed to help students connect what they learn in the classroom with what is…

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) and work-based learning opportunities can support students along a pathway to credential attainment, employment and upward economic mobility through intentional skill development and experiential learning. CTE concentration in high school can increase graduation rates while helping students build…

This report from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research Network Lead team provides final results from an evaluability assessment of CTE programs that feasibly could be evaluated using a rigorous experimental design. Evaluability assessments (also called feasibility studies) are used in education and other fields, such as international…

States face transformational disruptions in education and work that have further widened skill and equity gaps. Area technical centers (ATCs) are under-utilized public educational institutions that are powerful tools in expanding equitable pathways for learners to gain postsecondary credentials that lead to meaningful careers while helping states…

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs represent an effective way to provide young adults with an educational experience that prepares them for both college and career success. But not all CTE programs provide accessible pathways to a bounty of educational options without dead ends. To address the false dichotomy--college…

A governor's State of the State address is an opportunity to outline policy priorities, highlight past accomplishments and reflect on the condition of the state and country. In 2018, 17 governors are serving their last year in office, having reached the end of their term or deciding not to seek re-election. Many of them used their State of the…

New Castle County Vocational Technical School District (NCCVT) is a vocational school district in Delaware consisting of four high schools. NCCVT's vision "is to deliver world-class Career and Technical programs combined with rigorous academic curricula to equip students with the 21st century skills that will best serve the State of Delaware…

This document briefly presents the rationale and a description of a K-12 model program designed to demonstrate the practical applications of career education in the State of Delaware. An outline of project activities at all grade levels, the Kent County Vocational-Technical Center programs, and district-wide activities are included. Major…

Development of community college services looked like an impossibility in rural southern Delaware--but there's a real program going now. (Editor)

A TWOFOLD PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO PREPARE VOCATIONAL TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE AS INSTRUCTORS IN A PREVOCATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM FOR RURAL UNDERACHIEVING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. INITIALLY, A DEMONSTRATION CLASS OF 20 UNDERACHIEVERS SERVED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL UNIT FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND TESTING OF PREVOCATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL CORE…

Tech prep is a program of at least 2 years of structured high school training that leads to a postsecondary degree or certificate. Tech prep programs contain a rigorous common core of mathematics, science, communications, and technology at the secondary level that are geared specifically to a technical career path. Based on the Delaware…