APG Users Guide
The CTE Administrative Planning Guide is designed to assist school counselors, teachers, and administrators who schedule student enrollment in CTE courses. This guide presents course descriptions, course sequences, applicable certifications/licenses, and career pathways organized by career clusters.
When using this guide, it is helpful to be familiar with the following terms and key concepts:
Two Sequential Electives
For information about sequential electives, see Chapter 13.2: Standards of Quality, Standard 4, Student Achievement and Graduation Requirements, in the Code of Virginia ( § 22.1-253.13:4.D.2).
Concentration
A concentration is a coherent sequence of state-approved courses as identified in the course listings within this document (Administrative Planning Guide).
Program Completer
A career and technical education program completer is a student who has met the requirements for a career and technical education concentration (sequence) and all requirements for high school graduation, or an approved alternative education program. Students may take additional career and technical education courses that will enhance their career pathway goals.
Specialization
A specialization is a student choice to take additional courses beyond a minimum program completer course sequence in a specific career area related to his/her career pathway.
Certifications/Licenses
Completion of certain skill sets and coursework enable students to participate in state Board of Education approved assessments for industry certifications, a state license, or occupational competency assessments. Students who earn these credentials are eligible to earn verified credits toward graduation requirements.
Combining 18-Week Courses
All Board of Education approved credentials correlated to career and technical education 36-week courses may qualify for the student-selected verified credit option as identified in the Administrative Planning Guide.
With prior approval from the appropriate Virginia Department of Education CTE cluster specialist, when two or more semester courses are taken in sequence and/or when certain credential-related skill sets are integrated into certain 18-week courses without changing the state-approved course framework, students may acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to take the credentialing test.
Recommended Courses for High School Credit in Middle School
School divisions may offer high school courses at the middle school level. For more information, see "Section 50: Requirement for Graduation" in the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia chapter of the Virginia Administrative code (8 VAC 20-131-50).:
Middle school courses are courses that contain introductory or exploratory competencies and may have different durations (e.g., six weeks, nine weeks, 12 weeks).
Types of Credit
For information about the types of credit that may be awarded, see "Section 110: Standard and Verified Units of Credit" in the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia chapter of the Virginia Administrative Code of the Virginia Administratie Code (8 VAC 20-131-110).
Diploma Seals
For information about diploma seals, including the Board of Education's Career and Technical Education seal and the Seal of Advanced Mathematics and Technology, see "Section 50:Requirements for Graduation, H.1-7," in the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia chapter of the Virginia Administrative Code. (8 VAC 20-131.H.1-7)
Career Clusters and Career Pathways
Virginia’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education has adopted the nationally recognized structure of 16 career clusters and their accompanying 79 career pathways and sample career specialties or occupations to help students investigate careers and design their courses of study to advance their career goals.
The Career and Technical Education Reporting System (CTERS) User’s Manual provides guidance for state and federal reporting. One or more career clusters and pathways are assigned to each course. When students are enrolled in courses in multiple career clusters, select the most appropriate cluster based on the student’s career cluster plan of study.
Detailed information about Career Clusters in Virginia is available at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/career_clusters/index.shtml, including applications that may be used locally.
Model templates in each of the 16 clusters are available to assist local school divisions in developing career pathways. Each school division is being asked to develop sample plans of study, based on the courses offered within their schools, the employment needs of the area, and the post-high school educational opportunities needed for these careers. Once these sample plans are developed, they can be customized to the needs of individual students so that all students have the opportunity to have an individualized plan of study. Additionally, the National Directors of Career and Technical Education association has developed an informative Web site on Career Clusters and Plans of Study (www.careerclusters.org).
CTE Career Cluster Codes
The following codes are to be used for Cluster reporting purposes.
| CTE Career Cluster Codes | Cluster | VDOE Contact |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources |
LaVetta Nutter laveta.nutter@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2045 |
| 2 | Architecture and Construction |
J. Anthony Williams anthony.williams@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2828 |
| 3 | Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications |
Sharon Acuff sharon.acuff@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2846 |
| 4 | Business Management and Administration |
Judith Sams judith.sams@doe.virginia.gov 804-371-0196 |
| 5 | Education and Training |
Helen Fuqua helen.fuqua@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2826 |
| 6 | Finance |
Judith Sams judith.sams@doe.virginia.gov 804-371-0196 |
| 7 | Government and Public Administration |
Judith Sams judith.sams@doe.virginia.gov 804-371-0196 |
| 8 | Health Science |
Michele Green-Wright michele.green-wright@doe.virginia.gov 804-371-2121 |
| 9 | Hospitality and Tourism |
Sharon Acuff sharon.acuff@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2846 |
| 10 | Human Services |
Helen Fuqua helen.fuqua@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2826 |
| 11 | Information Technology |
Judith Sams judith.sams@doe.virginia.gov 804-371-0196 |
| 12 | Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security |
Helen Fuqua helen.fuqua@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2826 |
| 13 | Manufacturing |
J. Anthony Williams anthony.williams@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2828 |
| 14 | Marketing |
Sharon Acuff sharon.acuff@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2846 |
| 15 | Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics |
Dr. Lynn Basham lynn.basham@doe.virginia.gov 804-786-4210 |
| 16 | Transportation, Distribution and Logistics |
J. Anthony Williams anthony.williams@doe.virginia.gov 804-225-2828 |
Note: The Across the Board and Career Connections courses are supervised by Sharon Acuff, sharon.acuff@doe.virginia.gov, 804-225-3370.
Work-Based Learning
Work-based learning is comprised of school-coordinated workplace experiences that are related to students’ career goals and/or interests, are integrated with instruction, and are performed in partnership with local businesses and organizations. WBL experiences enable students to apply classroom instruction in a real-world business or service-oriented work environment. The eleven WBL experiences currently practiced in Virginia are listed and defined below.
- Job shadowing places students in workplaces to interact with and observe one or more employees. Based on a student’s interest in a specific career and/or organization, a job shadowing experience can help the student learn more about the nature of the job and the work environment as well as the education and training required to succeed.
Job shadowing experiences are sometimes the first opportunities for students to observe the workplace and to have one-on-one interactions with employees for more in-depth exposure to both careers and workplaces. Students may participate in several job shadowing opportunities, enabling them to compare careers and workplaces of interest - Service learning goes beyond students participating in community service. Service learning experiences enable students to learn and apply academic, social, and personal skills to improve the community, continue individual growth, and develop a lifelong ethic of service.
During a service learning experience, students identify an interest and a community need, and then develop and complete a project. Students complete structured activities before, during, and after the experience to reflect and self-assess. Service learning requires students to use the Five C’s (collaboration, communication, citizenship, creativity, critical thinking) established in the Profile of a Virginia Graduate.
- Mentorship is a WBL experience that consists of a long-term relationship focused on supporting the growth and development of students as they learn about a particular industry and workplace. The student is paired with a community professional who has a recognized record of achievement and first-hand experience in the occupational field or career cluster of the student's choice. The mentor becomes a source of guidance, motivation, wisdom, teaching, role modeling, and support. The knowledge, advice, and resources shared depend on the format and goals of the mentoring relationship. Mentor support can provide a wide range of personal and professional benefits, which ultimately lead to improved performance in the workplace.
Mentors are encouraged to provide the student with as much hands-on experience a possible and to provide a broad view of the business/industry as well as routine tasks and challenging opportunities. A mentorship may be completed on a one-on-one, small group, or virtual basis.
- An Externship is a short WBL experience, of a minimum duration of 40 hours, where the student is paired with a working professional to observe and get a preview of the day-to-day activities needed for a career. Based on students’ interests in specific careers and/or organizations, externship experiences can help students learn more about the nature of various jobs and work environments as well as education and training required to succeed. Think of an externship as an extended job shadowing experience, designed so students may ask questions, observe, and get a feel for a workplace. While the work accomplished in the context of an externship will be important, there is not work delegated and projects assigned such as those found in a longer-term form of WBL, such as an internship.
- A School-Based Enterprise is an ongoing, student-managed, entrepreneurial operation within the school setting. It provides goods or services that meet the needs of the school’s target markets (i.e., students, teachers, administrators, parents/guardians, community members, community organizations/businesses). School-based enterprises replicate the workplace to provide career insights and relevant experiences for the student. School-based enterprises are cooperative, with management decisions made by students. The WBL coordinator’s role involves the integration of technical content and skills.
- Internship is a WBL experience that places the student in a real workplace environment to develop and practice career-related knowledge and skills for a specific career field related to the student’s career interests, abilities, and goals. Internships may be paid or unpaid. It is connected to classroom learning and accompanied by structured reflection activities. Students participating in internships are guided by a formal, written training plan that defines specific academic and workplace skills to be mastered.
- During an Entrepreneurship WBL experience, the student plans, implements, operates, and assumes financial risks in a business that produces goods or delivers services. The entrepreneurship student owns the business assets and keeps financial records to determine return on investments. An entrepreneurship experience provides students the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to become established in their own business or to gain employment.
- Clinical experiences allow health and medical science students to integrate knowledge acquired in the classroom with clinical practice. Students are placed in a variety of healthcare settings and observe patients at different stages of medical practice so students may better understand the scope of the healthcare profession.
- Cooperative education is a WBL experience that connects CTE classroom instruction with paid workplace experience directly related to the student’s interests, abilities, and goals. Cooperative education combines a rigorous and relevant curriculum with an occupational specialty. Students participating in cooperative education are guided by a formal, written training plan that defines specific academic and workplace skills to be mastered.
- Youth Registered Apprenticeship (YRA) is a career preparation WBL method that integrates CTE curriculum and On-the-Job Training (OJT) to help students gain employability and occupational skills. CTE programs provide Related Technical Instruction (RTI) based on the Virginia Department of Education’s statewide curriculum framework guidelines, endorsed by business and industry. Licensed and endorsed CTE teachers and journeyworker experts instruct youth apprentices.
Apprentices are simultaneously enrolled in CTE classes to meet high school graduation requirements and receive occupation specific RTI. Additionally, the participating sponsor/employer provides supervision as a skilled mentor. Upon completion of a high school diploma, apprentices may continue in the occupation as adult apprentices at the discretion of the employer/sponsor and will be subject to all standard OJT and RTI requirements.
- Registered Apprenticeship (RA) is industry-driven. Employers can develop high quality career pathways to prepare their future workforces. Individuals can obtain paid work experience, occupation specific instruction, mentorship and a portable, nationally-recognized credential.
RA programs combine On-the-Job Training (OJT) with Related Technical Training (RT) which provides occupation specific knowledge correlating to the profession. RA training is based on national industry standards and can be customized to the needs of the employer. Apprentices are paid employees of a company and receive pay increases as they meet benchmarks for skill attainment. Apprentices must be paid at least the federal hourly wage.
Upon completion of a RA program, the apprentice receives a nationally recognized credential which consists of a completion certificated and journeyworker card. The credential signifies to employers that journeywork(s) are fully qualitied in that occupation.
For more information, please refer to the Career and Technical Education Work-Based Learning Guide and the Virginia Department of Education Work-Based Learning web page.