State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Invites Comment on
New Career Technical Education Standards
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today invited the public to comment on the new Career Technical Education (CTE) Model Curriculum Standards.
"I want all students to have the skills they need for demanding careers or the rigors of college after graduating from high school," said Torlakson. "That's why it is so important for all Californians have input on these new standards to assure that our students have the best programs to help them succeed and prepare for the future."
A standard is defined as the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level. State law requires the development and adoption of CTE standards that incorporate the integration of career technical and academic education. The new CTE standards are written for grades seven through twelve. They specify learning goals in 59 career pathways organized around 15 industry sectors.
The new standards build on the previous CTE standards and were created with input from more than 300 people from business, industry, labor, postsecondary, and secondary education sectors, and were reviewed by others in the education community.
These draft standards are written to demand high-quality coursework for students to complete on their way to a future career and are aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The CCSS were developed through a state-led initiative, including California, to establish consistent, clear education standards for English-language arts and mathematics across the nation.
The new CTE standards will help better inform instructors as they prepare lesson plans for students who are exploring various career paths. They are also designed to better engage and prepare students to master the demands necessary to compete and excel in the technologically advanced workplace of the 21st century.
The new standards are available for review on the California Department of Education's Web page at CTE Model Curriculum Standards - Standards & Framework. People may provide written comment by completing an online form found on the same Web page, or they may comment at one of two public hearings.
- September 17, 2012, noon to 3 p.m., Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, 350 South Bixel Ave., Los Angeles.
- September 19, 2012, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., California Department of Education, 1430 N Street, Room 1101, Sacramento.
The comment period ends September 19, 2012. The new standards will be revised based on these comments, and then the final version will be submitted to the State Board of Education for approval.
For more information, please visit the CTE Model Curriculum Standards - Standards & Framework or call 916-324-5706.
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Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100