Future Ready SchoolsⓇ (FRS) believes that every child, no matter the child’s zip code or family income, can graduate from high school and deserves access to a clear pathway to postsecondary success and robust learning experiences that prepare students for an increasingly technology-driven workforce and world. Districts around the country are doing this by creating innovative career and technical education (CTE) opportunities to provide students with technical skills, academic skills, and employability skills. According to SkillUSA, CTE is important for all students “regardless of whether students are headed for college or the workforce. [T]his type of education will help them prepare for the future. In fact, college-bound students can get job experiences to help them define their career plans, identify an appropriate course of study, and help pay for tuition.” 

In this webinar, Superintendent Michael McCormick and Doug Henderson, director of STEAM and CTE, will share how Val Verde Unified School District (VVUSD) in California “provid[es] students with a comprehensive education that includes critical thinking and problem-solving skills to prepare them with technical, academic, and employability skills for success in the workplace and in postsecondary education.” VVUSD’s students choose an interest-based CTE pathway. 

Panelists will  

• provide an overview of why and how they developed the CTE program; 
• show how labor market information drives CTE pathways; 
• share the VVUSD CTE pathways; 
• discuss program successes and the importance of industry–recognized certifications; 

• share how all of the district’s CTE courses satisfy California’s A–G requirements for admission to the University of California and California State University systems;  
• discuss strategies for increasing the number of CTE teachers and the role of student choice in pathway selection; and 
• explain how the district expanded its CTE pathways across grades K–12. 

 

 

Guests

Guests

• Doug Henderson, Director of STEAM and Career and Technical Education, Val Verde Unified School District (CA) (@dhenderson_sci)
• Michael McCormick, Superintendent, Val Verde Unified School District (CA)
• Tom Murray, Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools®, Alliance for Excellent Education (@thomascmurray)

For questions about the webinar, contact Lia Dossin.