Agriculture and Natural Resources Education

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Agriculture and Natural Resources Education

• FY 06 Carl Perkins Workshop
• January 2005
• Dean P. Gagnon
• Consultant

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Model Academic Standards in Agriculture and
Natural Resources Education

• Global Agriculture
• Technology/Information
• Leadership
• Agriscience/Production
• Ecology/Environment
• Business Management/Marketing

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Program Standards for a Quality Program

• Quality Educators
• 1. Qualified instructors should be employed with
  a minimum of 40 working days on an extended
  contract
• ? 2. The instructor is actively involved in the
  professional agricultural teacher associations
  and utilizes an improvement plan to demonstrate
  continual professional development.

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• Program Planning
• ? 3. Agriculture and natural resources education
  programs have a vision and mission statement that
  is in alignment with the school districts
  mission and vision.
• ? 4. The curriculum is in alignment with the
  Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for
  Agricultural Education and incorporate the
  Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for
  Mathematics, Science, English Language Arts, and
  Social Studies while promoting educational
  equity.
• ? 5. Comprehensive programming includes three
  components classroom education, supervised
  agricultural experience, and FFA.
• ? 6. Programs are served by an advisory
  committee.
• ? 7. An agriculture and natural resources
  education exploratory program is offered at the
  middle school level with exploratory experiences
  offered PK-6.

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• Curriculum, Instruction, Student Assessment
• 8. The agriculture and natural resources
  education program applies the academic standards
  to support student academic achievement and
  career development.
• 9. FFA is an integral part of the agriculture
  education program therefore, all programs shall
  have an FFA Chapter.
• 10. The agriculture and natural resources
  education program includes experiential learning
  with all students having a supervised
  agricultural experience program with options for
  certified work-based learning programs.
• 11. The instructional program is articulated with
  technical colleges, and four-year university
  programs.
• ? 12. Career guidance and counseling are offered
  as a part of the curriculum emphasizing
  educational options.

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• Curriculum, Instruction, Student Assessment
  (continued)
• 13. The curriculum is based on current
  occupational trends, industry standards and
  researched based educational practices.
• 14. Learning experiences are structured for
  active, performance-based learning to address
  individual differences in learning needs and
  talents of students.
• ? 15. Standards-related classroom assessments
  are integrated with curriculum and instruction to
  promote meaningful learning and student
  accountability.

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• Program Evaluation
• 16 Graduate follow-up studies and other forms of
  program assessment that measure the program
  against current standards are conducted on a
  continual basis and recommendations are used for
  continual improvement.
• ? 17. Educational equity is a basic program
  component. Student enrollment is representative
  of the schools population.
• Quality Schools
• 18. Educators are involved collectively in
  activities that enhance the school environment
  and student achievement.
• ? 19. Educators are proactively working with
  district and school leadership to advance career
  and technical education..

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• Parent and Community Involvement
• ? 20. Continual marketing of the educational and
  economic benefits of the program are shared with
  parents, students, administration, guidance
  personnel, faculty and prospective employers.
• ? 21. Collaborative relationships and
  partnerships are established to maximize student
  achievement and career development.
• 22. An active FFA Alumni chapter supports the
  local program.
• Resources
• ? 23. The facilities, equipment, technology and
  operating budget support the vision and mission
  of the agriculture and natural resources
  education program.
• 24. Community leaders, resources, facilities, and
  industries are identified and utilized to enhance
  the quality of the instructional program.
• Legal Requirements
• ? 25. Program operation is in compliance with all
  state and federal laws and regulations.

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10 Grant Priorities

• Wisconsin Employability Skills Certificate
  Program supported by existing Supervised
  Agriculture Experience Programs (SAEs)
• Highest Priority Programs
• Three consortium projects of 10 school districts
  focusing on entrepreneurship and economic
  development in the area of food science and
  careers in the dairy industry, food processing,
  and value added products for purposes of economic
  development. The certificated program most
  likely to fit would be Employability Skills.
• This priority supports the Governors Growing
  Wisconsins Agriculture Initiative.

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10 Grant Priorities (continued)

• Certified Skills Co-op
• AgribusinessPlant Science
• AgribusinessAnimal Science
• Youth Apprenticeship
• Production Agriculture
• Biotechnology

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Quality Indicators for Agriculture and Natural
Resources

• Not completed but will be forthcoming. Will have
  similar indicators as other CTE program areas in
  order to standardize and facilitate the work of
  school districts.

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Aligning Local Curriculum to the Ag Ed Academic
Standards

• Ag Ed Curriculum Mapping 8th grade
• http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/doc/agsta
  ndardsmap8.doc
• Ag Ed Curriculum Mapping 12th grade
• http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/doc/agsta
  ndardsmap12.doc

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Additional Resources

• Pictorial Examples of Facilities
• http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/agfacilit
  ies.html
• Advisory Committee
• http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/ppt/agcom
  madvis.ppt
• Extended Contracts
• http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/ppt/agexc
  ontract.ppt

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Agriculture and Natural Resource Educations
Response to Governors Suggested Increase of
Science Requirements

• August 2004 Secretary of Agricultures
  Statewide Panel to review agriculture education
  and its impact in the state recommended
• Recommendation 2
• K-12 agriculture teachers should have
  certification in additional areas such as science
  or technology education.

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Contact Information

• Dean P. Gagnon, MSE Agriculture and Natural
  Resources Consultant State FFA Advisor/Executive
  Secretary Department of Public Instruction P.O.
  Box 7841 Madison, WI  53707-7841 608-267-9255
  608-267-9275 (fax) dean.gagnon_at_dpi.state.wi.us
  http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/let/agindex.
  html