George Aszklar | WA State CTE Director's Message

Happy New Year! Hope your winter break was relaxing and rejuvenating.

The New Year promises to be a year of challenges and promises!  As you are well aware, the legislature convened last Monday with the hope of finishing this year’s 60-day session by finding a solution to the state’s education funding problem. Whether this is achieved remains to be seen.

But, I am optimistic for issues/concerns critical to Career and Technical Education. CTE is well represented in Superintendent Dorn’s 2016 Legislative & Supplemental Budget request. Among Superintendent Dorn’s Top 5 include CTE and Skill Center Funding (MSOC), CTSOs Funding, and Expanding CTE and STEM opportunities. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) opportunities give students a chance to apply their classroom learning to daily life and engage students who learn better in a hands-on environment. OSPI has partnered with Microsoft IT Academy, Boeing, and other companies to help make that happen.

Statewide Course Equivalencies

OSPI in accordance with the legislation passed in the 2014 session which amended RCW 28A.230.097, and RCW 28A.700.080, RCW 28A.230.010, developed statewide course equivalencies in Mathematics and Science for 21 CTE courses. The courses were approved for Statewide Equivalency Credit by the State Board of Education in May, 2015. The equivalencies can be found at: http://www.k12.wa.us/CareerTechEd/Clusters/CourseEquivalencies/CTEStatewideCourseEquivalencies.pdf

CTE is currently working on additional new equivalencies and plans to have them completed and submitted to the State Board of Education in May of 2016 for final approval.

Acceptance of Course Equivalencies:  RCW 28A.230.010

Course content requirements—Access to career and technical course equivalencies—Duties of school district boards of directors—Waivers.

(1) School district boards of directors shall identify and offer courses with content that meet or exceed: (a) The basic education skills identified in RCW 28A.150.210; (b) the graduation requirements under RCW 28A.230.090; (c) the courses required to meet the minimum college entrance requirements under RCW 28A.230.130; and (d) the course options for career development under RCW 28A.230.130. Such courses may be applied or theoretical, academic, or vocational.

(2) School district boards of directors must provide high school students with the opportunity to access at least one career and technical education course that is considered equivalent to a mathematics course or at least one career and technical education course that is considered equivalent to a science course as determined by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education in RCW 28A.700.070. Students may access such courses at high schools, interdistrict cooperatives, skill centers or branch or satellite skill centers, or through online learning or applicable Running Start vocational courses.

(3) School district boards of directors of school districts with fewer than two thousand students may apply to the State Board of Education for a waiver from the provisions of subsection (2) of this section.

Perkins

Just a quick update on All Things Perkins.

The Program Supervisors have completed their initial reviews and we are well into the final approval process. Please respond to their request for additional information and/or corrections in a timely manner so that we may approve your Perkins Allocation. The following resource can help you complete the Perkins iGrant Form package and it is located on the OSPI website, on the CTE webpage, under What's New, entitled Helpful Hints for Completing the Perkins 5-Year Application Plan.

Non-Traditional Grant (461) has been received. There were 27 applicants and we are currently in the process of reviewing them. We will have the final awardees identified and awarded by the end of the month.

Also, the Final Cut Off date for Perkins Applications will be February 29, 2016. No applications will be accepted after the above date. This will allow us to begin the process of finalizing everything and began the reporting process.

Please feel free to contact me at 360-725-6243 or email me at george.aszklar@k12.wa.us.

Thank you!

Perkins Funds for Private School Students and Personnel

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 provides participation of private school personnel in professional development opportunities.

See chart for details.

Scholarship Opportunities

The following two organizations have scholarship opportunities for students. The deadlines are in February.

Scholarships range from $2,500 on up. Please encourage your students to apply.

• College Success Foundation Scholarships
• Washington State Opportunity Scholarship

First Robotics Competition

The First Robotics Competition (FRC) kickoff was held on January 10, 2016 and hosted by Auburn High School. There were over 900 students from around the state who attended the incredible event.

This year’s game is called FIRST Stronghold.

In just six weeks, teams will build, program and test robots with the guidance of adult Mentors.

Dubbed a varsity Sport for the Mind™, FIRST Robotics Competition combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. It’s the only school sport where all members may turn pro if they choose. Teams of 10 or more high school students (ages 14-18/grades 9-12) are challenged to build and program a robot to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors, raise funds, design a team “brand,” and hone teamwork skills. It’s as close to real-world business and engineering as a student can get.

Teams compete with their robots as family and friends cheer from the stands at over 120 multi-day events worldwide – all leading up to the 2016 FIRST Championship at the Edward Jones Dome, April 27-30 in St. Louis.

All events are free and open to the public, so rally your kingdom!

Please keep this worthwhile event in mind for students.

Governor Inslee Declares December 3, 2015 Family & Consumer Sciences Day

On December 3, 2015, WAFCS members and families across the state celebrated the second annual Family & Consumer Sciences Day—the national celebration that educates families about the importance of preparing healthy meals and “dining in” together.

Check out the Toledo School District event that had FCCLA students and their families, Superintendent Rust, Principal Huffman, Mayor Pratt and Mayor Elect Dobash participate.