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Virginia C apitol C onnections, Winter 2016
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Connecting Career Preparation to the Workforce
By Brenda Long
Let’s take a look at what our Virginia
public school Career and Technical
Education (CTE) students accomplished
during the 2014-2015 school year:
• More than 586,000 students enrolled in
one or more CTE courses.
• The total number of credentials earned
by high school students increased from
103,599 to 128,850.
• For five consecutive years, 95 percent
or more CTE completers graduated high
school with a Standard or Advanced
Studies Diploma, with 49 percent receiving an Advanced Studies
Diploma.
• One year after graduation, 73 percent of CTE completers were
enrolled in postsecondary education.
• And 13 percent were employed full-time, 7 percent part-time, 3
percent were in military service, 2 percent were out of service, and 2
percent were unemployed.
These achievements occurred throughout Virginia’s 329 high
schools, 304 middle schools, 47 school division CTE centers, 23
Governor’s STEM Academies, nine Governor’s Health Sciences
Academies, 10 jointly operated regional CTE centers, along with 99
school divisions offering dual enrollment courses in CTE. The full
report is available on theVirginia Association for Career and Technical
The report also includes data that show the connection between
career preparation and the job market in Virginia. Our students are
designing their plan of study to advance their career goals through
CTE programs and other options. Check out student success stories
from across the state and additional information in the “R U Ready?”
publication, both of which can be accessed from the Virginia ACTE
website.
High-quality CTE programs prepare students for further education
by engaging them in high school, which lowers the dropout risk, and
by integrating academics with technical skills to improve student
performance and success. Through the integration of technical skills
with academic learning, along with a focus on real-world problem
solving and work-based learning, CTE takes the lead in instructional
strategies to engage students and improve their academic and technical
performances. Career and Technical Education programs require
highly specialized equipment and up-to-date manufacturing equipment
and simulators to closely mirror that which is used in business and
industry. All of this is necessary to educate a qualified workforce and
distribute funding resources among 134 school divisions.
As one reviews the
options available during a
student’shighschool career,
and in order to sustain the
rigorous and challenging
CTE programs, additional
funding becomes critical.
As outlined in the Virginia
ACTE brief, “Issues and
Solutions for Career and
Technical Education in
Virginia, 2015-2016,” CTE
has been leveled funded for
both classroom equipment
and credentialing
initiatives since 2006.
With the addition of the
23 Governor’s STEM
Academies and nine
Governor’s Health
Sciences Academies—both coordinated through Career and Technical
Education programs—since that time, the funding is shifted to local
school divisions to sustain these programs.
Many skills required in the STEM-related industry require less
than a four-year degree. These skills are often referred to as “middle
skill jobs.” However, these are “critical skill jobs,” and the foundation
for these critical skills begins in the Governor’s STEMAcademies and
the Governor’s Health Sciences Academies, as well as within rigorous
CTE programs. ANational Skills Coalition analysis shows that middle-
skill jobs (i.e., critical skill jobs) will represent nearly 50 percent of
future job openings.
There is an opportunity to not only increase CTE funding but
expand programs to continue the connection to career preparation
and the workforce during the students’ high school career, including
options for dual enrollment opportunities and earn industry credentials.
Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education (Virginia
ACTE) provides leadership in developing an educated, prepared,
adaptable, and competitive workforces. Virginia ACTE advocates for,
supports, and serves all aspects of Career and Technical Education for
the benefit of career preparation and the economy in the commonwealth
of Virginia.
Let’s provide the best options for ourVirginia students: Connecting
career preparation to the workforce through Career and Technical
Education programs.
Dr. Brenda D. Long, Executive Director, Virginia Association for
Career and Technical Education.
”
“Virginia Association
for Career and
Technical Education
(Virginia ACTE)
provides leadership in
developing an educated,
prepared, adaptable,
and competitive
workforces.
In House District 2, Republican Mark Dudenhefer won his old
House seat replacing Delegate Michael Futrell spending $451,944.51
or $77.40 per vote over Democrat Joshua King who spent $181,345.42
or $31.73 per vote.
In House District 86, spending amounted to $1,774,665.10 with
Democrat Jennifer Boysco spending $558,068.00 or $82.55 per vote
in her win against Republican Danny Vargas who spent $520,102.92
or $168.42 per vote to replace Delegate Thomas Davis Rust.
In House District 87, to succeed Delegate David Ramadan,
spending amounted to $1,082.192.50 with Democrat John Bell
spending $558,068.00 or $68.03 per vote to defeat Republican Chuong
Nguyen who spent $520,102.92 or $65.97 per vote.
In the most expensive race this year, Delegate Kathleen Murphy
spent $1,001,827.34 or $92.59 to win re-election while her Republican
opponent Craig Parisot spent $1,109,923.06 or $104.39 per vote for a
$2,111,750.30 total spent for House District 34.
In House District 93, total spending amounted to $1,452,330.00
with Democrat Delegate Monty Mason spending $739,194.45 or
$82.96 per vote to beat Republican Lara Overy who spent $713,135.55
or $96.97 per vote.
The 2016 General Assembly session will consist of no changes
in the State Senate composition in which Republicans hold a 21-19
majority while in the House of Delegates the Republicans hold a 66-
34 advantage.
Michael E. Belefski is President of CPC CORPORATION, a
Communications and Marketing Firm specializing in Performance
Management Analysis in Business, Law and Political Systems. He
can be contacted at
Crunching the Numbers from page 14
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