A note from Charles Farr, Career Technical Education Principal

 
The Career/Technical Education Department views its programs as "bridges to the future". All High School students at CSD are required to take three years of career/technical education courses as the school believes that every student has the ability to become a contributing member of society and every student benefits from career/technical education. Serving a diverse population of students, the following challenges are the focus of our program:

-To provide students with career awareness opportunities to expand their knowledge of career opportunities and employment standards 

-To establish academic, career/technical performance standards and develop accountability systems to prepare students for employment or post-secondary education

-To procure funding for state-of-the-art technology and equipment in order to train students on equipment which meets industry standards 

-To offer a continuum of work-based learning opportunities in simulated work environments 

-To empower students to share their strengths, talents, and aspirations with the Department of Rehabilitation

In an effort to develop programs to meet industry standards, the career/technical teachers have participated in the California Department of Education's (CDE) Program Improvement Certification Project during the past several years. The goal of the project is to update career/technical programs to include statewide curriculum and industry standards and to identify quality indicators. Teachers completed a Program Self-Review Instrument to assess the status of the programs and created improvement plans to address program needs. In addition to programs being reviewed by representatives from the CDE, the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members reviewed program plans to ensure industry standards were included. Each career/technical education program and the Career Exploration Class has its own TAC which provides advice, support, and recommendations pertaining, but not limited, to the following: instructional content, proficiency standards, budget, facilities, safety standards, equipment and materials, supervised practical experience, new technology, and current industry practices. The students display their projects at the Annual Career/Technical Education Competition and the TAC members judge the projects and the written work samples. Feedback from the TAC members helps the students see the degree of quality of work expected in industry.

The CDE implemented the statewide Program of Excellence Career-Vocational Education Program of Excellence and Certification System to recognize and showcase outstanding achievement and foster educational excellence. School sites reviewed by a CDE site team which met the Quality Criteria and Quality Indicators were certified as Programs of Excellenceand their names placed on a statewide honor roll.

Eighth Grade Rotation Program:

CTE also offers an opportunity for younger students in their 8th grade year to sample each CTE program offered in high school. This is done in a 4 week rotation throughout the year. Students learn the fundamentals of each program while increasing their career awareness. During these 4 weeks, they are taught safety rules and procedures for each program. This allows them to make educated career choices for their CTE program when they enter high school. At the end of each 4 week rotation, teachers fill out a rotation report based on the students overall performance in each area.