Employability Skills

https://octae.ed.gov/cte/initiatives/employability-skills-framework

Why Employability Skills? Successful careers are built on solid personal and interpersonal skills. Defining, measuring, and building these skills— even naming them— can be challenging. In an effort to leverage and connect the efforts of policy makers, educators, and employers, the U.S. Department of Education compiled the Employability Skills Framework and developed related tools, media and resources.

National Evaluation of Career and Technical Education under Perkins V (NECTEP)

https://octae.ed.gov/cte/initiatives/nectep

Similar to prior versions of the Perkins Act, Perkins V calls for a national evaluation of career and technical education programs funded under the Act.  The Institute of Education Sciences' National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance is leading the current national evaluation.The national evaluation will draw on a variety of data sources and studies for its assessment of CTE. New surveys of all state directors of CTE and a nationally representative sample of district coordinators of CTE will be conducted in 2023 to collect information about Perkins implementation. Trends in CTE participation and outcomes will be obtained by analyzing other national data, including those from the National Center for Education Statistics, Perkins V performance reports, and labor

Pathways to Credentials

https://octae.ed.gov/cte/initiatives/credentials

Stackable credentials focus career and technical education programs on building the critical skills needed for students to advance in growing sectors of the economy.By awarding credit for a range of education, training, and workplace learning and skill building experiences that “stack” toward associate degrees, stackable credential programs help working students develop the skills they need to advance on the job and earn credentials that enable further study – at the same time. This accelerates credit attainment and may increase the likelihood of degree completion.

Programs of Study

https://octae.ed.gov/cte/initiatives/programs-of-study

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) represents an important opportunity to expand opportunities for every student to explore, choose, and follow career and technical education programs of study and career pathways to earn credentials of value. Under Perkins V, local education agencies and postsecondary institutions should offer more than one program of study that: A) incorporates challenging State academic standards; B) addresses both academic and technical knowledge and skills, including employability skills; C) is aligned with the needs of industries in the economy of the State, region, Tribal community, or local area; D) progresses in specificity (beginning with all aspects of an industry or career cluster and leading to more occupation

U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education Program

https://octae.ed.gov/cte/initiatives/cte-scholars

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.Visit the Department of Education’s Website for the U.S. Presidential Scholar's Program.