2024-2025 DCTE Operational Guide

Arkansas Department of Education Division of Career and Technical Education

2024-2025 CTE Operational Guide

Table of Contents Welcome

DCTE Staff Directory

Section 1: Success Ready Guide Section 2: Standards Section 3: Early Career Experiences Section 4: Perkins and Accountability Section 5: Career Coach Program Section 6: Jobs for Arkansas Graduates (JAG) Section 7: Work-Based Learning Section 8: Industry Recognized Credentials (IRC) Section 9: Student Leadership Center Section 10: Technical Permits & Licensure

Section 11: CTE Policy & Procedures Appendix

July 1, 2024

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Director’s Welcome

July 1, 2024

Arkansas CTE Educators, Counselors, & Administrators: Welcome to another exciting year of fostering career readiness and technical education in our schools! As we embark on this journey together, I am thrilled to share our enthusiasm and commitment to preparing our students for successful futures.

At the heart of our mission is establishing a robust career readiness culture. To support this, we have developed a series of comprehensive resources tailored to help you implement and enhance career readiness programs in your districts. These resources include: Career Readiness Guidebook A tool to help you evaluate and enhance your current career readiness culture by promoting early career experiences, aligning student success plans with career-ready pathways, and building pathways to a diploma.

Early Career Experiences Guide This guide provides examples and outlines the required career exploration activities for students in grades 68 and connects these experiences to activities in high school.

Success Ready Pathway Guide This document outlines success-ready pathways for high school students, explaining how they can earn merit and distinction, along with the necessary course sequences. This resource is a great companion with the ADE Course Catalog.

Each resource is designed to connect student success plans with their post-graduation goals, starting well before high school. By utilizing these tools, we can ensure that all Arkansas graduates are prepared for success.

The Division of Career and Technical Education (DCTE) is here for you and your students. Our goal is to be a service and resource for career and technical educators across the state of Arkansas. Please feel free, at any time, to reach out to our office, or me, with questions, concerns, or ideas. Our number one goal at DCTE is to ensure a culture of career readiness for students in the state of Arkansas!

Let's make this year a remarkable one for career and technical education in Arkansas!

Sincerely,

Ross White, Ed. S. Division of Career and Technical Education Director

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DCTE Staff Directory Leadership

Ross White Director

Dr. Sonja Wright-McMurray Assistant Director: Operations

Tim Johnston Assistant Director: Pathways

Adam Musto Computer Science Director

Sunni Teale Operations Manager

Perkins & Accountability

VACANT Perkins Coordinator

Yolanda Anzora Perkins Advisor

Leah Elmore Perkins Advisor

Mike Bell MOA Coordinator

Pathway Coordinators

Mary Beck

Bart Draper

Career Ready Pathways Coordinator

Student Leadership Center Coordinator

Gordon Eichelberger Pathways Coordinator

Danny Muilenburg

Patrick Sawatsky

Post Secondary & State Institutions Coordinator

Business and Industry Coordinator

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Becky McCormick Pathways Coordinator

Jessica Thomas JAG Coordinator

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DCTE Staff Directory Pathway Advisors

Jason Binz

Kaylon Brown

AFNR

Career Coach

Samantha McCullah AFNR

Allison Carter Architecture, Information Tech, STEM

Keith McKnight

Cathy Gunter Health Sciences & Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

Jeff Parks

Manufacturing, Transportation, Arts, A/V, Comm., & Tech., Distribution & Logistics Construction, Government & Public Admin

Mary Beth Ivie Education & Training, Hospitality & Tourism, & Human Services

Janice Robinson JAG

Missy Martin Career Coach

Morgan Ruff Business Management & Administration, Finance, & Marketing

Computer Science Specialists

Tammy Glass ASU Three Rivers

John Hart Northwest ESC

Alex Moeller Wilbur D. Mills ESC

Shared Services

Tina LaFountaine Procurement

Elaine Powell Accountant

Brian Lawhon Arch Ford ESC

Ashley Kincannon NPCC

Joshua Rodgers Arkansas River ESC

Zack Spink Northeast ESC

Stacy Reynolds Southeast ESC

Administrative Assistants

Ebony Everett Career Pathways

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Renee Sheppard Operations

Cheryl Powell Perkins/Accountability

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Section 1

The success-ready pathways in this document are encouraged to be used to guide the purposeful selection of courses toward a student’s postsecondary aspirations and career goals - as part of their career focused electives and student success planning.

Completion of a success-ready pathway leads to eligibility to earn State Distinction, by demonstrating readiness at the culmination of that pathway. Schools will have an opportunity to earn points in accountability for students graduating with distinction.

For more information, please contact: Ross White, DCTE Director Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682- 4801 Email: ross.white@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 2

Career and Technical Education Pathways include a full program of study, work-based learning, credentialing, and alignment with post-secondary training. Click the image to see all standards for each pathway.

For more information, please contact: Tim Johnston, DCTE Assistant Director of Pathways Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-683-1705 Email: tim.johnston@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 3

As students progress towards high school graduation, it is crucial to offer opportunities for career-connected learning that are tailored to student interests and involve hands-on experiences. This approach can give students a valuable head start in planning their academic and career paths. This progression for early career experiences is designed to guide districts and schools in facilitating age-appropriate activities that enable students to explore a wide range of career choices that resonate with student interests.

For more information, please contact: Tim Johnston, DCTE Assistant Director of Pathways Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-683-1705 Email: tim.johnston@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 4

The Perkins & Accountability Office oversees all Perkins guidance from the United State Department of Education. The office approves all Perkins Expenses, CLNA Applications, and Methods of Administration monitoring. This office also oversees the accountability of CTE programs from Perkins Performance reports to financial monitoring. All grants awarded by DCTE originate in this office. Click the image above to see the Perkins and Accountability Manual.

For more information, please contact: Tim Johnston, DCTE Assistant Director of Pathways Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-683-1705 Email: tim.johnston@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 5

The Arkansas Career Coach program is designed to motivate and support Arkansas students achieve their goals as it relates to college and career planning through intensive hands-on programs and services. College and Career Coaches work with students in the 5th12th grade. Click the image to visit the Career Coach Manual.

For more information, please contact: Mary Beck, DCTE Career Ready Pathways Coordinator Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682-4834 Email: mary.beck@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 6

Jobs for Arkansas Graduates (JAG) provides support to at-risk youth to encourage them to achieve high school graduation. Along with academic support, JAG also provides work-based learning experiences that lead students to further education and training. Arkansas's JAG program is the state affiliate of the national organization Jobs for America's Graduates.

For more information, please contact: Jessica Thomas JAG Coordinator Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682-1143 Email: jessica.thomas@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 7

Work-based learning (WBL) are activities that collaboratively engage employers and schools in providing structured learning experiences for students. WBL has two options: 1) Non-Credit: courses are embedded with activities. 2) Credit: courses provide students with structured work-based learning experiences for course credit.

Click the image to download the manual and learn more about each program.

For more information, please contact: Mary Beck, DCTE Career Ready Pathways Coordinator Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682-4834 Email: mary.beck@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 8

Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRC) are available to students through their CTE Pathways. These credentials are vetted certifications identifying student skills and readiness for work upon completing the Pathway. Click the image to learn more about IRC.

For more information, please contact: Tim Johnston, DCTE Assistant Director of Pathways Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-683-1705 Email: tim.johnston@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 9

State Advisor: Becky McCormick

24-25 CTSO Planner

State Adviser: Morgan Ruff 24-25 CTSO Planner

State Adviser: Mary Beth Ivie

State Advisor: Vacant

24-25 CTSO Planner

State Advisor: Gordon Eichelberger

State Advisor: Cathy Gunter

State Advisor: Keith McKnight

24-25 CTSO Planner

24-25 CTSO Planner

24-25 CTSO Planner

State Advisor: Allison Carter

24-25 CTSO Planner

The Student Leadership Center serves the eight Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs).

For more information, please contact: Bart Draper, DCTE Student Leadership Center Coordinator Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682-1705 Email: bart.draper@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 10

Professionals looking to enter the teaching profession in their trade field may be eligible for a technical permit. Click the image above to review the guidelines and content areas available for a technical permit.

For more information, please contact: Ebony Everett Analyst Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682-1271 Email: ebony.everett@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 11

The Policies and Procedures serve as the rules for the Division of Career and Technical Education and CTE programs. Click the image above to access CTE Policies and Procedures.

For more information, please contact: Ross White, DCTE Director Three Capitol Mall Little Rock, AR 72201 Phone: 501-682- 4801 Email: ross.white@ade.arkansas.gov

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Section 1

Section 2

Success-Ready Pathways

CTE Career Pathway Charts Promotional Career Cards Pathway Check Sheets ALL Minimum Equipment List ALL Safety Checklists

Section 3

Early Career Expereinces

Section 5

Section 4

Career Coach Manual

Perkins Manual Grant Timelines

Section 7

Work-Based Learning Manual

JAG Manual

Section 8

Section 9

Industry-Recognized Credentials

CTSO Event Calendars SOLA

Section 11

Section 6

Section 10

CTE Policies and Procedures

Technical Permits Information

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