Career

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Career Technical Education in the Capital
RegionCharting the FutureHank
StopinskiDirector of Career Technical
EducationCapital Region BOCESFall 2005
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Why are we here today?
To get YOUR input on what Career Technical
Education in the Capital Region should look
like in 2010 and beyond.
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Do we need to change at all? Or should we
merely work to perfect what we are already doing?
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We have made major improvements to our program in
recent years.
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• Todays Career Tech program
• Is more academic in nature
• Engages students in critical thinking and
  problem-solving
• Makes use of state-of-the-art technology
• Encourages students to focus on higher education
  and high-paying careers
• Is aligned with national and industry-based
  skills standards

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However, we face some challenges in continuing
as we are.
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• These challenges include
• Crowded quarters
• Never enough computers
• Instruction time lost to transportation
• Scheduling conflicts that restrict student
  choices
• Difficulty in coordinating academics with home
  schools
• Small share of total 11-12 population

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But there are bigger challenges today

• The freshman failure rate
• The high school drop-out rate
• Regents exam performance
• College completion rate

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And the biggest challenge of all
Is to provide all our students with the education
and skills that will put them at a competitive
advantage in this flat world.
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Meeting these challenges requires

• Increasing the rigor and relevance of all high
  school programs yours and ours.
• Getting students to pay serious attention to
  math, science and technology.
• Helping them acquire the soft skills of the
  21st Century.
• Engaging all of todays young people to become
  lifelong learners.

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The best contribution we can make is to
Create a high quality program of applied,
integrated learning here in the Capital Region
And make it available to many more students,
either directly or indirectly.
But we have to be open to change!
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So whats new in Career Technical Education
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Higher standards at Ulster BOCES

• Infused academics
• Tough grading homework policies
• Data-driven decision-making
• Rising enrollment, improving test scores

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A complete transformation at Polytech High

• Four-year, full-time technical high school that
  ranks near the top in Delaware
• Broken into small learning communities
• Fully integrated academics
• High-level hands-on projects

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Cutting edge ideas at River Valley

• Two courses offered via the Internet
• Four career academies located in component
  schools
• Close partnerships with industries and
  colleges are changing the perception of
  vocational education

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Better career planning at Huron Valley

• Career awareness starts in K-5
• Middle school students explore career pathways
  and develop goals
• All eighth graders create an Educational
  Development Plan that is updated every year,
  9-12
• Parents play a key role

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What lies in our future? What makes the best
sense for the students of the Capital Region?
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Imagine this The Capital Region Career Tech
program of 2010 and beyond
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What are the next steps?

• Oct.-Nov. 2005 Presentations
• Dec. 2005 Survey
• Jan. 2006 Final report
• Feb-Aug. 2006 Strategic planning
• 2006-07 Support building
• Fall 2010 Implementation

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Produced in cooperation with the Capital Region
BOCES Communications Service, Judith Cox
Monique Jacobs, 10/05
Thank you in advance for your time and your
ideas!