Silver Spring, MD – May 9, 2016 – Today, Advance CTE and seven national organizations released a collective vision proposing a transformation of the education system, with Career Technical Education (CTE) as an essential strategy. Putting Learner Success First: A Shared Vision for the Future of CTE is a call to action for leaders, policymakers, employers and practitioners across the nation to commit to creating a high-quality education system where all learners are prepared for a lifetime of future success in high-skill, in-demand careers.
Putting Learner Success First is the result of the Future of CTE Summit, a Fall 2015 convening hosted by partner organizations that brought together national, state and local leaders representing K-12 and postsecondary education, workforce development, business and industry, and the philanthropic community. Together, participants developed a shared understanding of the current CTE landscape, and thought boldly and strategically about how CTE can strengthen and expand its contribution to the transformation of the educational enterprise, so that all learners are successful in the future.
Drawing on the guidance and contributions from leaders at the Summit, Advance CTE, Association for Career and Technical Education, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges, National Skills Coalition and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation are now jointly releasing a vision that focuses on the learner, first and foremost. The vision offers long-term guiding principles and short-term action steps that national, state and local stakeholders need to take to support learners at all ages on their career journey. Specifically, vision’s principles include:
- All CTE programs are held to the highest standards of excellence,
- All learners are empowered to choose a meaningful education and career,
- All learning is personalized and flexible,
- All learning is facilitated by knowledgeable experts, and
- All systems work together to put learner success first.
CTE has made incredible gains since the release of Reflect, Transform & Lead, the preceding vision for CTE released six years ago. As a result, CTE is now at the forefront of the national education and workforce conversation as a proven system that arms learners with the information, skills and experiences necessary for a lifetime of career success. As CTE continues to improve and innovate, the education system as a whole will benefit from the commitment from CTE and its partners necessary to put the recommendations of Putting Learners Success First into action.
“I am so proud of the accomplishments and progress of CTE since 2010, when our members and organization last published a vision for CTE – Reflect, Transform, Lead,” said Kimberly Green, Executive Director of Advance CTE. “Putting Learner Success First challenges our community to continue on the path of fierce dedication to quality and equity, while providing the leadership necessary to reexamine, transform, grow and strengthen CTE to ensure that it prepares all students for a lifetime of success.”
“Putting Learner Success First raises the bar for Career Technical Education, and lays the path forward for the field,” said Rod Duckworth, Chancellor, Division of Career and Adult Education, Florida Department of Education and Advance CTE Board President. “I certainly intend to use this document to guide my own work, and encourage my fellow State CTE Directors and state leaders to do the same.”
Advance CTE and its partners are committed to putting this vision into action immediately. Advance CTE, with its members, will spend the first day of its annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. to discuss how to implement the guiding principles and action steps in states across the country. In the coming months, the partner organizations will release supportive documents that share how they plan to advance this vision through their own work.
Statements of Support:
“ACTE is proud to bring the critical perspective of educators, administrators, guidance and career development professionals and others in our community into this vision for CTE, which will ensure that learner success remains the top priority in our educational system. I look forward to working with Advance CTE and the full group of partners to promote these principles and help to make the vision a reality.”
– Association for Career and Technical Education Executive Director LeAnn Wilson
“Career preparation plays an important role in equipping students with the skills they need to excel in the job market. States know how vital this work is, and are pursuing bold visions to ensure more students graduate prepared for a global economy. It’s critical that states and districts work to strengthen career readiness pathways and I applaud the work that Advance CTE is doing to engage more students in career and technical training.”
— Stephen Bowen, Strategic Initiative Director, Innovation at the Council of Chief State School Officers
“Ensuring all students are prepared for both college and career is a chief goal for state policymakers. These shared CTE principles will help state boards of education move the needle on what it means to be career ready and support students accordingly.”
— NASBE Executive Director Kristen Amundson
For more information about Putting Learner Success First visit careertech.org/vision.
Contact: Katie Fitzgerald, 301-588-9630, [email protected]
About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce.
