Program Standards

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Standards for a Quality Program

“Program standards” are indicators of a quality, comprehensive career and technical education program.  Each of the six CTE disciplines has developed program standards and this information has been captured in the new CTE Program Standards booklet.

Program standards are not meant to be used as a measurement tool for individual performance but rather as a self-evaluation for program growth and development.  To assist teachers to perform a self-evaluation of their program, the Program Self-Evaluation, Improvement, and Goal Setting Tool has been developed.  In this document each program standard includes “quality indicators” which further define each standard.

Evaluation of each “quality indicator” includes the selecting of one of the three ratings and providing corresponding documented institutional evidence and remarks.  The rating scale is the same scale used in PI 34; i.e., meets the standard, approaches the standard, and does not meet the standard.  Although this resource is formally called Program Self-Evaluation, Improvement, and Goal Setting Tool, the title has been shortened to “the grid.” “The grid” is to be completed by all teachers in the department rather than each teacher completing “the grid” independently.  Therefore, teachers must work collaboratively with teachers in the same discipline within the school to complete this task.

Another resource has been developed, Documented Evidence.  This tool provides illustrative examples to assist teachers in completion of documentation of evidence for “the grid.”

After completing “the grid,” teachers need to analyze and interpret findings, set priorities, implement changes, and monitor impacts that occur.  This information should lead to the development of objectives and action plans and activities resulting in program improvement.  DPI’s CTE Program Standards Workgroup is in the process of developing another resource, Three-Year Program Improvement Plan. As soon as this tool becomes available, it will be posted to this website.

An intended outcome of this self-evaluation process is the development of local program and budget priorities.  CTE departments are strongly encouraged to complete the self-evaluation in January each year. (If a school district’s budgeting process begins earlier than January, adjust the timeframe in which to complete this task to coincide with that deadline date.) By completing “the grid” and the Three-Year Program Improvement Plan, a CTE department will be able to determine program and budget priorities based on need and be able to provide this information to the Local Vocational Education Coordinator (LVEC) and/or building principal. 

• CTE Program Standards (2/05) (pdf)
• Three-Year Program Improvement Plan (2/05)
• A & NR Grid
• A & NR Documented Evidence (under development)
• BIT Grid
• BIT Documented Evidence (pdf)
• FCE Grid
• FCE Documented Evidence (pdf)
• HSOE Grid
• HSOE Documented Evidence (pdf)
• MM & EE Grid (includes Documented Evidence)
• T & EE Grid
• T & EE Documented Evidence (pdf)

For questions about this information, contact Marlene M. Klug (608) 266-3922

Last updated on 2/25/2008 1:28:36 PM