Time

8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Agenda

Agenda

Agenda

Minutes

Call to Order and Opening Remarks

Alexa Krezel welcomed committee members and guest.

Instructional Services Assistant Superintendent

• Budget
  • The budget will be presented to the school board in two weeks.
  • We need to be able to attract the best and the brightest for all our courses, and certainly CTE professionals.
  • CTE professionals are among the hardest to attract, because we don't compete well with industry. Raising teacher salaries and raising those kinds of salaries benefits the program.
• The Washington Area Boards of Education (WABE) Guide
  • Each year, the WABE group surveys its members to publish the annual WABE Guide. This guide enables local school systems to learn about each other by reporting comparable information in a standardized format. In addition, the WABE Guide is meant to be used by citizens as a source for consistent, reliable educational data.
  • Report included cost per pupil for surrounding counties.
• Strategic Plan
  • Our new plan has 5 goals that really are about what the students experience and focus on those outcomes.
  • Goal 4 surrounds equity is the is the most challenging. We have not defined how we are going to measure yet or set a target.

Selection Committee Nomination and Vote

Alexa recommended Shivani Reivedi to join CTEAC for the remaining of the 2023-24SY as a selection committee member. Committee moved forward with endorsing Shivani’s name being submitting to the School Board for final approval.

CTEAC Workstreams

This year all subcommittees’ recommendations should include language that

1. address access and equity of student populations, and/or
2. build awareness through communications; and/or
3. incorporates the role of business and industry partners in achieving success.

Subcommittee #1: Increasing Capacity and/or Learning Opportunities for Students

Subcommittee Chair: Irvin Varkonyi

Coming from our tour of Chantilly Academy, we learned that some course offerings do not have the capacity for students to participate (e.g. Automotive Programs). Some of these programs are offered in nearby non-academy-based schools. This subcommittee should focus on recommendations to the school board focused on increasing capacity and access to CTE programs outside of changes to existing Academy options.

• Data Requests
  • List of current Academy classes – Classes offered, how many classes per day, enrollment numbers, location, and how many periods of the day it is offered.
  • Capacity, weight listed, student interest.
  • What schools have the “same” Academy class just not labelled that.
  • Defining the current state – what is the capacity, how many wait listed.
  • NOVA workforce employment data – determine the types and availability of jobs coming out of the Academies.
• Rationale for Data Requests
  • Understand what schools the programs have but not labelled as an Academy. And only available to those within the school?
  • What qualifies as an Academy? This goes towards image and perception in the mind of those enrolling.
  • Academy deadline is Mid-March to determine how many enrolled and how many wait listed. Non-academy courses no system that looks at what those requests were.
  • When get data to look at it on map – need to understand the geographic overlap.
  • Define current state, identify the priorities, and then plan.
  • Supplemental is where are the job gaps – industry and trades – shortages in employment – Unions who have data – NOVA Workforce employment data.
• Limiting Factors
  • Student interest
  • Facilities
  • Instructors
  • Time of day
• Discussion Questions
  • Any differences in academy vs non academy… can we add to the standard course offerings? Or mix kids among the schools?
  • Can collab with industry and unions result in contracting out courses, space, or instruction?
  • Any community misconceptions? Does local industry know what we have and are they using the programs/students in the way intended?

Subcommittee #2: Measuring for Success

Subcommittee Chair: Leah Ross

This subcommittee will focus on recommendations to the school board for developing targets and descriptions against the identified measures in 2023-30 Strategic Plan and take a reflective look at 2021-22 recommendations to ensure alignment with direction.

• Discussion around 2 main questions for current students:
  • If you plan to take, have taken, or are currently taking a CTE course?
    • Why?
    • Did you or do you plan to receive your certification?
    • Was the course(s) of value to your desired future goals?
    • Why or why not?
    • Teacher aside, did the course meet or exceed your expectations of rigor, relevance, and course aims?
  • If you did not take a CTE course, do not plan to, or did not get into your preferred CTE course?
    • Why?
    • What barriers did you have to enrollment?
    • Transportation
    • Class did not fit into schedule
    • Advanced Diploma vs. Standard Diploma Stigma
    • Selection process (i.e.. Not space available or did not meet qualifications)
    • Other - explain
    • Discussion around surveying graduating seniors at completion of year or after graduation:
      • Did you, or do you have plans to, enter college, military, or workforce upon graduation?
      • Did your CTE course(s) relate to your desired career pathways?
      • Did the CTE course affect your next steps? How and why?

Subcommittee #3: Curriculum

Subcommittee Chair: Alexa Krezel

This subcommittee will conduct a review of current curriculum offerings to determine if the offerings are the most relevant for today’s workforce and identify opportunities for courses to be put forward as examples of courses that can meet high school graduation requirements to provide greater opportunities for ESOL and Special Education students to participate in CTE.

Resources requested included a digital version of the full catalog of CTE offerings as well as an update to the distribution of offerings across the county. Group also discussed if there were opportunities to think about the messaging around the standard diploma. Possible future scope can also include the utilization of the academic and career plan.

Closing Remarks

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

CTE Highlights

Minutes

The regular meeting of the Fairfax County School Board’s Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC) was called to order on February 8, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. by Alexa Krezel, Chair. The meeting was held in room 1002A/B of 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031. The option to attend virtually was made available via Zoom.

Call to Order and Opening Remarks

Alexa Krezel welcomed committee members and guest.

Career and Technical Education Updates

• Two new CTE members
  • Asma Hindi- Business Operations Technical Specialist
  • Craig Lewis- Program Manager for trade and Industrial Education and JROTC
• CTE Month School Board Recognition on February 22, 2024
• INSTRUCTION 2 INDUSTRY 2024
  • Hybrid career expo event for high school students to connect virtual and in person.
• Annual Performance Measures for 2022-2023
• Upcoming Student Events in March, April, and May 2024: DECA, Educators Rising State Conference, Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge, TSA Regional Conference, HOSA State Conference, FBLA State Conference, FCCLA State Conference, Skills USA State Conference and TSA State Conference.

Review endorsement of CTEMS Application

Whitney Ketchledge gave a presentation overview of CTEMS application broken out by program area.

Financial Overview:

• Perkins Budget Categories: Curriculum Development and Materials, Personnel, Equipment, Industry Credentials.
• Perkins Plan for 2024-25
• Budget Priorities: Teacher Recruitment and Retention, Academy/Specialized Program Staffing and Central Support Positions.

CTEAC Workstreams

This year all subcommittees’ recommendations should include language that

1. address access and equity of student populations, and/or
2. build awareness through communications; and/or
3. incorporates the role of business and industry partners in achieving success.

Subcommittee #1: Increasing Capacity and/or Learning Opportunities for Students

Subcommittee Chair: Irvin Varkonyi

Potential recommendations and justifications to include in report:

• Develop a cost-benefit analysis of resources needed by CTE program by their outcome (selecting the top 5 growth areas, based on Matt Bechtel’s data); look not only at Fairfax/NOVA but also nationwide.
• High level summary of workforce demand based on NOVA data.
• Start at a micro-level investigating one or a small number of programs.
• Create a partnership between NOVA and FCPS in workforce development (Vet Tech, Automotive, Cybersecurity, Culinary, Health Care).
• How to investigate and establish an easier process for gaining easier, obtainable space?
• Investigate FCPS DE opportunities offsite at the college campus (or virtually).
• A recommendation to collect the data.

Subcommittee #2: Measuring for Success

Subcommittee Chair: Leah Ross

Create a google form exit ticket for culinary students, 1-2 questions per class period over no more than 5 class periods:

• Did you enroll in this course because of desire to explore or gain knowledge and skills in culinary arts or did you take this course for another reason? Checklist of options
• Are you planning to, or are you currently, working within the hospitality and/or culinary industry? Why or why not? Yes/no with skip logic to possible reasons.
• Do you feel this course, regardless of instructor, considering only the curriculum, valuable to your desired career pathway? Why or why not? Yes/no with skip logic to possible reasons.
• Considering only the curriculum, did this course either meet or exceed your expectations for content, relevance, and course aims, even if you are not planning on pursuing a career in hospitality? Why or why not? Yes/no with skip logic to possible reasons.
• A gathering of data only for course planning and to set up measures for success related to STRATEGIC Plan #5, measures A, C, G, and H.
• Search out data on how many course requests are made for Culinary Arts 1 vs current enrollment opportunities.

Subcommittee #3: Curriculum

Subcommittee Chair: Alexa Krezel

Our workstream reviewed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Standard Diploma requirements where language calls out that “The board shall approve courses to satisfy this requirement. An approved computer science course credit earned by students may be considered a science or math course credit.”

• A laboratory science verified credit may be awarded to students who complete a career and technical education (CTE) program sequence and (i) pass two examinations or occupational competency assessments in a CTE field that confers certification or an occupational competency credential from a recognized industry, trade, or professional association; (ii) acquire two professional licenses in a CTE field from the Commonwealth of Virginia; or (iii) pass one examination or competency assessment from clause (i) and acquire one license from clause (ii). The examination or occupational competency assessment must be approved by the board as an additional test to verify student achievement.”
  • What CTE courses currently meet this requirement?
  • Legislatively would want to recommend to the board to expand this standard to other disciplines besides computer science.
• Working towards a set of recommendations that would address gaining more visibility and awareness into this standard for students and parents, especially given that many colleges universities are not aware of advanced diploma but more interested in rigor of curriculum.
• Workstream delved into state of curriculum’s ability to address emerging or hot topics and whether our certifications reflect the most in-demand skillsets for today and whether there are opportunities to review and update those.
  • High Demand Industries:
    • Which programs should we retire? Where are there gaps in course offerings and job openings? Are the courses aligned with industry needs?
    • Need:
      • Current certifications FCPS offers.
      • Current job certifications desired
      • IT field changes rapidly. Is it A+ or python? CAD Etc.
      • How is AI being incorporated into the CTE courses? How are employers using AI (more than just ChatGPT) in field?
  • General Conversation:
    • How do we share the transferable skills earned from CTE coursework?
      • Skills: teamwork, creativity, communication, job readiness, workplace readiness
      • Connect to POG
    • Course descriptions: Do they capture everything? Does it list specific credential that can be earned?

Closing Remarks

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

CTE Highlights

Minutes

The regular meeting of the Fairfax County School Board’s Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC) was called to order on March 14, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. by Alexa Krezel, Chair. The meeting was held in room 1002A/B of 8270 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031. The option to attend virtually was made available via Zoom.

Call to Order and Opening Remarks

Alexa Krezel welcomed committee members and guest.

School Board Updates

Budget Season

• Board of Supervisors is working on closing the funding gap to make our teachers get a pay raise with teacher pay and compensation. Requested funding is going towards teacher pay increase in costs on contracts, increasing costs in living, benefits, healthcare in particular, various contractual obligations and enrollment composition type such as rapid student increase, higher meeting drive that require budget number.
• In reference to CTE we are working to stipend a quarter of a million dollars for teachers and staff members that support current tech required organizations and clubs.
• Another exciting program is aviation pilot frame program that has been developed and funded, the new appointee to this program is Mike Webb, who is a pilot flight instructor with all the work done and support, we are going o make sure that we stay on the front for this program into the coming years of aviation training.

CTEAC Workstreams

This year all subcommittees’ recommendations should include language that

1. address access and equity of student populations, and/or
2. build awareness through communications; and/or
3. incorporates the role of business and industry partners in achieving success.

Subcommittee #1: Increasing Capacity and/or Learning Opportunities for Students

Subcommittee Chair: Irvin Varkonyi

This subcommittee should focus on recommendations to the school board focused on increasing capacity and access to CTE programs outside of changes to existing Academy options.

• FRAMING this is important. Background: Four Point Study to School Board (1/13/2022).
• In introduction, be specific that increasing physical capacity can be done by forming partnerships with NOVA, but in order to create a more effective partnership, we need to reduce barriers by increasing access via unused space between FCPS and NOVA such as
  • We understand constraints on public funding. Could look at private funding or grant funding. Could Marriott sponsor culinary, for example could Tesla sponsor electric vehicles?
  • requires staff support across departments: need school board to help us get procurement, HR, and transportation to get a partnership with NOVA.
  • Change 1-yr contracts to multi-year contracts so coordinating staff can have job security to work on long term goals.
  • requires transportation of students.
• Recommend that the school board do a cost-benefit procedure to better direct funding re-allocation of funding?
  • How much does it cost to run program “X” for “Y” students? Can the money be shifted to run a program that has Y+ students?
  • High level summary of workforce demand based on NOVA data because it provides context for what the students study (Matt Bechtel) there are TWO equal branches?
    • Pablo has data based on job demand from Matt Bechtel
    • What about high growth student areas? Where are the overenrolled classes?
• Can-do outreach of this via Family Engagement
• Increase partnerships with FCPS-NOVA Examples of ways that capacity can be increased.
  • Win-win: NOVA enrollments are projected to decline, we have classrooms. FCPS does not have classrooms or physical space. NOVA needs to reach out to more students (ESP from DE) and FCPS needs to get all students familiar with college environments.
    • example: Automotive at Manassas
    • example: FAB LAB at Manassas
    • example: better classroom usage
    • example: expand technical education Dual Enrollment to improve enrollment at NOVA and give students opportunities on a college campus.

Subcommittee #2: Measuring for Success

Subcommittee Chair: Leah Ross

This subcommittee will focus on recommendations to the school board for developing targets and descriptions against the identified measures in 2023-30 Strategic Plan and take a reflective look at 2021-22 recommendations to ensure alignment with direction.

• Funding for dedicated Workforce Development Coordinators for each region, connecting schools to Partnership Office, WBL specialists, and FCEDA; position would coordinate, oversee, facilitate, and TRACK all student opportunities for work-based learning, post-secondary pathway plans, an industry engagement. At present we have 2 WBL specialists at the county level, no division centralized/standardized tracking platform, and/or consistent/equitable implementation methodology. Current staffing of Collage and Career specialists at the high school levels, lack bandwidth to support post-secondary, non-college, options sufficiently. Unfunded, “work-based learning leads,” at schools are an “extra duty as assigned” and lack consistency and engagement. **** funding costs?
• Approval for funding for development, implementation of surveying stakeholders on perception of preparedness for students’ future goals and industry needs. Possibly could be added to already existing engagement surveys. Would measure baseline and trends in preparedness resulting in better directing future plans including curriculum, funding, access to opportunities.
• Permanent funding for current Work-based learning specialist positions which are currently grant-funded and line-item positions. Budgeted dedicated funding for the initiatives supported by these specialists.
• Non-specific asks for School Board:
  • School Board members commit to attending at least one CTEAC meeting next year. Engagement, rapport, and meaningful face-to-face discussions result in better understanding.
• Ask for CTEAC:
  • Students in CTE programs, differing pathways, and differing areas of the divisions,
    varied socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, attend a CTEA meeting monthly to present on their experiences, their perceptions, and their challenges/areas of opportunities.

Subcommittee #3: Course Planning and Advising

Subcommittee Chair: Alexa Krezel

This subcommittee focused on recommendations to the school board to make recommendations supporting a more nuanced approach to academic advising and to work with the legislature to examine curriculum standards to provide greater access to opportunities for our specialized populations by acknowledging math and science content within the CTE curriculum.

• The committee is working on three recommendations and the inclusion of an update on AI in FCPS curriculum. The recommendations will focus on the following:
  • Academic Advising Window messaging
  • Academic Advising Window messaging for families around pathways to start in middle school advising.
  • Exploring the legislative standards in areas such as expanding dual enrollment

Closing Remarks

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

CTE Highlights

Minutes

The regular meeting of the Fairfax County School Board’s Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC) was called to order on April 11, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. by Alexa Krezel, Chair. The meeting was held in room G 106 of 3501 Lion Run, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Call to Order and Opening Remarks

Alexa Krezel welcomed committee members and guest.

School Board Updates

2024 Annual Repot

• We are in the middle of wrapping up our Annual Report which will be presented to the School Board on May 21.
• The subcommittees will have the opportunity to review, polish, edit & update the Annual Report prior to submission.
• The subcommittees views and recommendations will be submitted to the School Board by Whitney for approval.

Elections and Appointments for next year

• CTEAC selection list of who is returning next year is updated.
• Two potential candidates for CTEAC chair/vice chair.
• For a committee succession planning it is important to have a pool of candidates so please submit your name if interested.
• The chair/vice bios will be available by next week.

Overview of Fairfax High School CTE and Fairfax Academy

• Amazing CTE classes in our base schools, whether they have an academy or not.
• There is a CTE World Language and Fine and Performing Arts in Fairfax Academy.
• Additional elective options at Fairfax High school for their students such as Auto Tech being a Fairfax High School class, not Fairfax Academy means it is only open at Fairfax High School students.
• We are looking to take advantage of local resources that are closer to schools to make all programs available to students across the board in Fairfax County Schools.
• How to distribute resources such as Auto Tech seats by providing staff, facility, and transportation to make access more equitable to students.

Tours in small groups

• Visit four classes in four groups
  • Auto Tech
  • Fashion Careers
  • Nutrition and Wellness
  • Game Design
• At Fairfax high school there are five different CTE pathways Marketing Business, STEM Engineering and Robotics, Family Consumer Science and Auto Program.
• An entrepreneurship program continuous to grow which is enrolled through NOVA, in addition to a school-based enterprise program we started last year.
• Main Market is the school-based enterprise. Last year our students branded, labeled, work to find space, kiosk in the hallways and partnering with organizations to sell their products.
• We have an amazing pathway for STEM design focusing on STEM Engineering and Robotics.
• Our community is engaged with our Auto program through our advisory council hiring our students.
• We have students designing engines for NASCAR and students working on tractor engine design and presenting their work to the panel.
• We are regrowing our child development pathway program by having two new teachers engaging in lessons building.
• Our biggest CTE Marketing programs are fashion marketing, sport marketing and social media marketing.
• Fairfax Academy is divided into fashion, career game design, television and media and we also have social media marketing for one more year.
• Arts and Languages there are three art programs music, theaters, studio, and the use of computer technology to compose through software.
• For Language pathways, students are engaged by making language come alive.
• ASL program got a grant to partner with imagination stage, so providing a theatrical component by using fun, cultural experiences where they are doing different content.
• Our dance performing concert will be held at Wolf Trap on May 11, 2024.
• Our Fashion show will be held on May 11 invites will go out soon.

Closing Remarks

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

Agenda

Agenda