Career and technical education in Kelso

February was Career and Technical Education (CTE) month and I’d like to tell you a little bit about this program and how it helps our students. CTE programs are an integral part of the K-12 education system and are coordinated with other workforce development programs. These courses offer students the opportunity to develop skills through project-based hands-on learning, acquiring specific skills to pursue their career passion while building a foundation for lifelong learning inside and outside the classroom.

All CTE courses focus on industry-aligned technical skills strengthened with core academic standards. Many of these courses provide an opportunity to earn both college and high school credits. Classes offered for CTE dual credit are competency-based, reflect state- or industry-defined skill standards, and often provide opportunities to earn industryrecognized certificates or credentials. Through industry partnerships and collaboration between secondary and postsecondary educators, CTE dual credit offerings are academically rigorous, responsive to employer needs, focused on essential workplace skills, and contextualized to make the subject matter relevant.

CTE teachers are required to stay up to date on industry standards and best practices by participating in advisory committee meetings three times a year. The purpose of the CTE advisory committee is to support educators, students, and local industry partners in developing, establishing, and evaluating CTE programs to ensure students are well- prepared for the world of work.

There are currently 70 CTE courses offered by Kelso School District, seven of which are held off-campus and led by industry partners. We want to thank the 38 staff members who work closely with the local community, industry leaders, and colleges to continually stay current on course offerings.

Did You Know:

• Employability skills are integrated throughout the content of each course, and students in CTE programs apply these skills in each program.

• CTE instructional equipment, facilities, and environment must be comparable to those used in the workplace.

• CTE programs are structured so that supervision, safety, and the number of training stations determine the maximum number of students per classroom.

• Program specific advisory committees guide the relevance and continuous improvement of the program. Advisory committees must include balanced representation from

Longview Public Schools

Dan Zorn Superintendent