A monthly publication providing the latest information for Alabama Educators from the Alabama State Department of Education. Alabama Education & NEWS NOTES ISSUE 44/5 FEB 2019 www.alsde.edu Let’s Rethink Career and Technical Education W hat do you think of when you hear the words career technical education (CTE)? Auto mechanic? Welder? Air-conditioner technician? Something else? Well, let’s look at what it really is and what it actually means. In today’s job market, CTE equals long-lasting skills that are in high demand in a global economy. According to the Alabama Department of Labor, the vast majority of the 28,000 job openings in our state require less than a four-year degree. These jobs can be found in practically every business sector – from healthcare and hospitality to construction, automotive, and manufacturing. Although the specific requirements for these positions can vary, they have something in common – basic CTE that can and should start at the high school level. CTE courses are found in every school system and are available to all students. Students who take CTE courses have a solid outcome post-high school. For example, 93 percent of high school CTE graduates either enroll in college, join our military, or begin a job within six months after graduation. While courses do encompass what you would traditionally think of when technical education is mentioned, CTE has advanced in scope as times have changed. Today, we also include revamped science, technology, engineering, math, law, public service, and agriculture sciences courses. Of course, the K-12 system is not isolating itself on CTE. Through the Alabama Workforce Council’s seven regions, we are working with industry and business partners to formulate the coursework that will continue to align with real-world needs. In particular, businesses are providing valuable input to rethinking pre-apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships. In both cases, students are able to work at a selected business in a capacity where they can get exposure to a potential career. The seven regions also play a huge role in exposing our career coaches, counselors, superintendents, and other education professionals to local workforce needs. Most of the regions have implemented an Educators’ Academy where school representatives learn about the careers available within their own communities. The regional directors plan tours, host seminars, and provide the educators with valuable work, wage, and other information that they in turn can take back to their respective schools to share with colleagues, students and parents. Last year, Governor Kay Ivey launched the AlabamaWorks! Success Plus Initiative, which set a statetwide attainment to ensure an additional 500,000 Alabamians will have a high-quality certificate, credential, or degree by 2025. This was determined by extensive surveys, focus groups, interviews, and other critical means. If we are to achieve – and exceed – this goal, then we must show our students, parents, and others that not everyone needs (or wants) a four-year degree. There are other options, many of which are based in CTE, that provide meaningful, long-term careers. CTE is a proven strategy that expands options for learners and allows them to make informed choices about their future. Through hands-on learning, engagement with industry experts, and rigorous career-focused coursework, CTE is learning what works for Alabama’s students and its economy. By: Tommy Glasscock, Assistant State Superintendent, Career and Technical Education/Workforce Development 93 percent of High School CTE graduates either enroll in college, join our military or begin a job within six months after graduation.
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A monthly publication providing the latest information for Alabama Educators from the Alabama State Department of Education.
AlabamaEducation &NEWS NOTES
I S S U E 4 4 / 5F E B 2 0 1 9
www.alsde.edu
Let’s Rethink Career and Technical Education
What do you think of when you hearthe words career technical
education (CTE)? Auto mechanic?Welder? Air-conditioner technician?Something else? Well, let’s look at what itreally is and what it actually means.
In today’s job market, CTE equalslong-lasting skills that are in high demand in a globaleconomy. According to the Alabama Department of Labor,the vast majority of the 28,000 job openings in our staterequire less than a four-year degree. These jobs can be foundin practically every business sector – from healthcare andhospitality to construction, automotive, and manufacturing.
Although the specific requirements for these positionscan vary, they have something in common – basic CTE thatcan and should start at the high school level. CTE courses arefound in every school system and are available to all students.
Students who take CTE courses have a solid outcomepost-high school. For example, 93 percent of high school CTEgraduates either enroll in college, join our military, or begin ajob within six months after graduation.
While courses do encompass what you wouldtraditionally think of when technical education ismentioned, CTE has advanced in scope as times havechanged. Today, we also include revamped science,technology, engineering, math, law, public service, andagriculture sciences courses.
Of course, the K-12 system is not isolating itself on CTE.Through the Alabama Workforce Council’s seven regions,we are working with industry and business partners toformulate the coursework that will continue to align withreal-world needs. In particular, businesses are providingvaluable input to rethinking pre-apprenticeships and youthapprenticeships. In both cases, students are able to work at aselected business in a capacity where they can get exposureto a potential career.
The seven regions also play a huge role in exposing ourcareer coaches, counselors, superintendents, and othereducation professionals to local workforceneeds. Most of the regions haveimplemented an Educators’ Academywhere school representatives learn aboutthe careers available within their owncommunities. The regional directors plantours, host seminars, and provide the educators with valuablework, wage, and other information that they in turn can takeback to their respective schools to share with colleagues,students and parents.
Last year, Governor Kay Ivey launched theAlabamaWorks! Success Plus Initiative, which set a statetwideattainment to ensure an additional 500,000 Alabamians willhave a high-quality certificate, credential, or degree by 2025.This was determined by extensive surveys, focus groups,interviews, and other critical means.
If we are to achieve – and exceed – this goal, then wemust show our students, parents, and others that not
everyone needs (orwants) a four-yeardegree. There are otheroptions, many of whichare based in CTE, thatprovide meaningful,long-term careers.
CTE is a provenstrategy that expandsoptions for learnersand allows them tomake informed choicesabout their future.
Through hands-on learning, engagement with industryexperts, and rigorous career-focused coursework, CTE islearning what works for Alabama’s students and its economy.
By: Tommy Glasscock, Assistant State Superintendent, Career and Technical Education/Workforce Development
93 percent of HighSchool CTE graduates
either enroll incollege, join our
military or begin a jobwithin six monthsafter graduation.
AlabamaEducation &NEWS NOTESwww.alsde.edu I S S U E 4 4 / 5
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Alabama Bicentennial Performances at the State Capitoland the Alabama State Department of Education
If you are going to be in Montgomeryon a Thursday during the month of
March, make plans now to see someawesome public school students fromacross Alabama!
Four schools will have special musicalperformances in the Gordon PersonsBuilding Rotunda (11:10 a.m.) and theState Capitol Rotunda (12:10 p.m.).
March 7J.B. Pennington High School Jazz EnsembleBlount County
March 14Park Crossing Concert Chorale Montgomery County
March 21Foley High School Chamber ChoirBaldwin County
March 28Buckhorn High School Chamber ChoirMadison County
For more information about thisawesome celebration, contact RandyFoster ([email protected]), ExecutiveDirector, Alabama Institute forEducation in the Arts or Andy Meadows([email protected]), Arts EducationSpecialist, Alabama State Departmentof Education.
The Alabama BicentennialPerformances are sponsored by theAlabama Institute for Education in theArts, the Alabama Music EducatorsAssociation and the Alabama StateDepartment of Education and are partof the Alabama Bicentennial Celebration!
Every Thursday during the month of March, enjoy a special musical performance from an Alabama Public School!
Brookwood Elementary Orff Ensemble (Tuscaloosa County) perform at theGordon Persons Building Rotunda February 14, 2019.
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The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) andthe Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) recently
announced that the opioid reversing medication Naloxonewill soon be available in Alabama public high schools and canto be administered by school officials. The medication isdesigned to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdoseand is applied through an auto-injector that is easy to use forthose who have had the appropriate training.
The ALSDE, ADPH, and the Children’s Hospital ofAlabama worked in conjunction with the Alabama Board of
Nursing and the AlabamaBoard of Pharmacy to developa training program that willallow administrators, coaches,and other non-licensedpersonnel to administer themedicine. Alabama is the first
state in America to develop a training program that allows thismedication to be given by people other than school nurses orother licensed personnel.
State Superintendent of Education, Dr. G. Eric Mackeysaid, unlicensed personnel having the ability to give thismedication to students has the potential to save lives andexpand the area of influence usually reserved to nurses andother licensed personnel.
“Our primary responsibilities are to keep our studentssafe and ensure they receive the best possible education toprepare them for life after high school. This importantdevelopment speaks to that first responsibility of studentsafety,” Mackey said. “Of course, the hope is that none of ourstudents will be in a situation where they need an injection toprevent them from a possibly fatal opioid overdose. However,we know that the opioid crisis is nothing unique to Alabama.This is an issue of national concern. It is fortunate thatAlabama has taken such a lead in keeping our students safe.”
Mrs. Jennifer Ventress, ALSDE nurse administrator, saidthe medicine itself is not new. In fact, it has beenadministered in emergency rooms across the country foryears to people who arrived unconscious. Because themedicine has no negative effect on individuals who are notusing an opioid, the use has made its way into school andother non-hospital organizations.
“The medicine is a safe drug – it doesn’t hurt you if you’renot taking anything. If you have no opioids in your system, themedicine will do nothing,” Ventress said. “But if the recipient isusing opioids it could save their life.”
Ventress said after getting the necessary permissionsthrough the Alabama Board of Nursing, ALSDE was able toattach itself to the same grant that ADPH has utilized thatallows for one to five applications of the medication per highschool. Since the funding for the drug is secure throughADPH, there is no cost to Alabama schools. Ventress saidultimately the state would like to have the medicine in middleschool grades; however, it is expensive – approximately$1,500 per dose.
“This program is focused on training principals, coaches… anyone the school deems appropriate to give this drug inthe absence of a nurse,” Ventress said. “It is in an auto-injector so you can’t go wrong with the dosage. The machineis automated and gives verbal instruction of where and whento apply the necessary dosage. Anyone who receives thismedication must go immediately to the emergency room toget a medical evaluation.”
Currently, the program is focusing on training schooladministrators and coaches more than the averageclassroom teacher. Because recipients of the medication cansometimes be aggressive once opioids leave their system, it issuggested school personnel around have the ability tophysically restrain an individual if necessary.
“This is literally life-saving medication. It should not begiven more than once and is only given to people who areunconscious,” Ventress said.
The program is available to all public high schools in thestate; however it isnot mandatory.ADPH has themedicine availableto those who seekout training. Toreceive the auto-injector, the leadnurse will berequired to submitthe LE trainingdocuments toMrs. Ventress.Once training is
complete the lead nurse will be allowed to request andreceive the medication from the ADPH office.
Information about the training is available on the ALSDEwebsite. aenn.
Alabama First in Nation to Make Life-SavingMedication Available to School Staff
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Southeast Gas CorporationGives Back to Local Alabama Schools
Southeast Gas recently announced its 2019 Give Back to Schools contribution.More than $125,000 was given to 20 public school systems in Alabama!The Give-Back-to-Schools Initiative was established by Southeast Gas and its
Board of Directors in 2010 and provides funds tolocal public schools based solely on their naturalgas usage for the previous year.
So, the more natural gas a school system uses,the more funding that system receives. SoutheastBoard Members work alongside localsuperintendents and education administrators to determine the best ways thesefunds should be allocated.
School systems assisted by the Southeast Give-Back-to-Schools Initiative thisyear are: Andalusia City Schools, Butler County Schools, Coffee County Schools,Covington County Schools, Crenshaw County Schools, Dale County Schools,Daleville City Schools, Dothan City Schools, Elba City Schools, Enterprise CitySchools, Eufaula City Schools, Henry County Schools, Houston County Schools,Lowndes County Schools, Opp City Schools, Ozark City Schools, Pike CountySchools, Pike Road City Schools, Russell County Schools, and Troy City Schools.
“In many cases, these funds remain unrestricted, allowing each school tohave maximum flexibility to use the dollars in whatever way necessary for thatspecific school system” said Southeast Gas Board Chair Jason Reeves. “This is ourtenth year to provide dollars to our local schools through the Give-Back-to-Schools Initiative and to date Southeast Gas has provided more than $1.3 millionto these public schools.”
In addition to the direct financial support provided to schools, Southeast Gasemployees volunteer significant hours of personal time each year to improvelocal school campuses through construction projects, gas appliancemaintenance, landscaping, painting, tutoring, and mentoring.
“Southeast Gas is deeply rooted in the communities it serves and believesstrongly that local schools are a critical component to community success,” saidSoutheast Gas President and CEO Greg Henderson.
In keeping with the company’s long-time commitment to community serviceand to local education, Southeast Gas also sponsors the Southeast GasCommunity Service Scholarship, a competitive scholarship program for highschool seniors attending public schools currently served by Southeast Gas.
The scholarships are $1,500 and are awarded up to 22 studentsrepresenting the 22 public high schools currently served by Southeast Gas.Applications for the scholarship are available online at the company’s website(southeastgas.com) and are due by March 15, 2019. Scholarship recipients areannounced April 12 and recognized at a luncheon hosted by Southeast Gason April 25.
Southeast Gas provides natural gas service to 35 communities throughoutSoutheast Alabama, and is owned by 14 cities - Abbeville, Andalusia, Brundidge,Dothan, Elba, Enterprise, Eufaula, Fort Deposit, Greenville, Headland, Luverne,Opp, Ozark, and Troy. aenn
2019 DECA Career DevelopmentConference
Earlier this month (February 20-21),more than 700 of our state’s best
business students travelled to Birminghamfor two great days of fun learning activities,competitive events, and leadership study atthe 2019 DECA State Career DevelopmentConference. This year’s official conferencetheme was “Ready for It!” See the officialDECA video. Alabama currently has morethan 1,900 DECA members statewide.
Students who attended this excitingconference at the Sheraton BirminghamHotel had an opportunity to participate inmore than 50 competitive events andprofessional workshops.
This year’s featured entertainer atAlabama’s 2019 DECA State CareerDevelopment Conference was award-winning musician and artist Taylor Hicks.Students also had an opportunity tonetwork with more than 60 top businessexecutives at this event,who represented varioussuccessful employmentsectors in our state.
During this year’sconference, over 30 different careers werefeatured. Students also had an opportunityto participate in workshops that focused onfinancial literacy, college preparation,developing a professional image, and theAT&T “It Can Wait” campaign to preventdistracted driving.
The national DECA organization willhold its International Career DevelopmentConference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida,April 27-30, 2019. All Alabama studentswho win state DECA competitions areeligible to compete at this internationalfour-day event.
To learn more about Alabama’sDECA organization, contact State Advisor,Rochelle Seals, at 334-694-4754, or visit thenational DECA website. aenn
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Q Resolution Honoring Esteemed Alabama State Department ofEducation Employee Professional Corey J. Martin Selected “BarbaraFannin Memorial ”Employee of the Quarter for January – March 2019
Q Resolution of Distinguished Recognition, 2019 Alabama OutstandingPractitioner of the Year, Jessica Shields, Holtville Middle School, ElmoreCounty School System (State School Board District Three)
Q Resolution of Distinguished Recognition – 2019 Alabama SchoolCounselor of the Year, Elizabeth Shaddix, West Elementary School,Cullman City School System (State School Board District Six)
Q Resolution in Recognition of Zea Remo, Clay-Chalkville High School,Jefferson County School System, 2019 Best of Show StateSuperintendent’s Visual Arts Exhibit and Bicentennial Celebration(State School Board District Seven)
Q Resolution in Recognition of the 2019 Annual State Superintendent’sVisual Arts Exhibit and Bicentennial Celebration
Q Resolution in Recognition of March 2019 as “Arts Education Month” inAlabama Schools
Q Resolution Proclaiming February 1-28, 2019, as Alabama Career andTechnical Education Month
Alabama State Board of Education
February Meeting Recap
Visit the Board Meeting flickr page for photosfrom all State Board Meetings.
After approval of the agenda and minutes from the January2019 meeting, the following new business was discussed:
The Alabama State Board of Education and the Alabama State Department of Education donot discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or age in itsprograms, activities, or employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and otherdesignated youth groups. The following person is responsible for handling inquiries regardingthe non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator, Alabama State Department of Education,P.O. Box 302101, Montgomery, AL 36130-2101, telephone (334) 694-4717.
ALSDE COMMUNICATION STAFFDirector: Dr. Michael O. Sibley Administrative Assistant: Rita SmithPublic Information Officer: Ed CrenshawVideographer: Shane GillisMarketing Specialist: Charles Creel
BOARD MEETING VIDEOSCheck out live video of every Alabama State Board of EducationMeeting and Work Session Here. Watch archived videos anytime.
ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATIONPresident – Governor Kay IveyDistrict 1 – Jackie ZeiglerDistrict 2 – Tracie WestDistrict 3 – Stephanie BellDistrict 4 – Yvette M. Richardson, Ed.D.District 5 – Ella B. BellDistrict 6 – Cynthia S. McCarty, Ph.D., Vice PresidentDistrict 7 – Jeff Newman, President Pro TemDistrict 8 – Wayne Reynolds, Ed.D.State Superintendent of Education – Eric G. Mackey, Ed.D.
