Program Components

NYC Public Schools (NYCPS) seeks to ensure that all CTE programs meet key program quality indicators outlined through the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) CTE program approval process. Students in CTE programs have opportunities to participate in industry-specific courses, earn industry-recognized certifications, and access work-based learning experiences. CTE graduates also benefit from the added advantage of articulation agreements with postsecondary institutions that provide advanced placement, college credit, tuition waivers, and various job placement opportunities.

All CTE programs incorporate the following key components:

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Work-Based Learning
• Industry and Postsecondary Partnerships
• Assessment and Accountability

Curriculum and Instruction

All CTE programs strive to offer quality technical and academic curriculum, including integrated English language arts, mathematics, science, economics, and government and technical instruction. The CTE program approval process is designed to support schools in aligning their programs to standards and supporting them in continuous program improvements. A curriculum crosswalk is a benchmark tool used by schools to align the learning outcomes of courses in a CTE program course sequence. Within the crosswalk, each school will indicate a variety of standards unique to their program, some of which may be borrowed from the below sets of broadly recognized CTE standards:
 

• New York State learning standards CDOS Career Development Occupational Standards (CDOS)
• Academic Standards
• Career Cluster Framework such as Common Career Technical Standards (CCTC)
• Industry Standards such as NCCER for construction pathways

Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning (WBL) allows students to build a bridge from adolescent roles in the classroom to adult roles in professional settings. WBL activities include exposure to a range of occupations and career options, and classroom or community activities that incorporate employers as speakers, advisors, instructors or career mentors. Students learn by observing and/or actually doing real work. Learning in the workplace or from industry professionals supports academic learning and promotes the development of broad transferable skills.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?
Contact: Sonya Hooks, Senior Director, Work-Based Learning, shooks@schools.nyc.gov

Work-Based Learning Toolkit website

CTE Industry Scholars Program (CTE ISP)

CTE ISP is the cornerstone internship program for Career and Technical Education students. Students spend six weeks participating in summer and school year internships with additional training and upskilling opportunities. Internship sites are aligned with students’ CTE concentration areas and are aimed at helping CTE students apply their skills in authentic industry settings while gaining real-world work experience.

CTE Industry Scholars Program (CTE ISP) website

Partnerships: Industry and Postsecondary

CTE programs rely on industry professionals and businesses as well as postsecondary partners, to ensure they are aligning to college pathways as well as meeting labor market needs and workforce demands. Schools may develop their own advisory boards of industry and postsecondary partners and they can connect with partners through industry-specific commissions led by the DOE’s CTE Industry Engagement team. CTE programs applying for NY State Education Department approval must meet specific requirements outlined at the CTE Program Approval Process Guide site for garnering industry and postsecondary supports.

CTE Program Approval Process Guide website

Assessment and Accountability

Technical assessments for CTE programs of study are used as summative assessments to ensure students can demonstrate skill and knowledge. The New York State Education Department has established criteria for technical assessments. Technical assessments must be:
 

• Nationally recognized
• Based on industry standards
• Psychometrically validated and secure
• Composed of three parts—the written, student demonstration, and student project (locally developed project/portfolio)
• Should not be proctored or scored by the CTE teacher of the program, with the exception of those practical assessments where state policies are in place such as in health careers programs.