Founded in 1926, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers.
To provide leadership in developing an educated, prepared, adaptable and competitive workforce.
The strength of ACTE is reflected in its diverse membership composed of more than 28,000 career and technical educators, administrators, researchers, guidance counselors and others involved in planning and conducting career and technical education programs at the secondary, post-secondary and adult levels.
ACTE is committed to enhancing the job performance and satisfaction of its members; to increasing public awareness and appreciation for career and technical programs; and to assuring growth in local, state and federal funding for these programs by communicating and working with legislators and government leaders.
ACTE History
ACTE began in 1926 when a Coca-Cola cost a nickel, Calvin Coolidge was president, and 10 years after the federal government had began funding "vocational education" through the Smith-Hughes Act. We've come a long way!
Here's a snapshot of our history through the years from the 75th Anniversary issue of Techniques magazine, published in February 2002.
1. A New Association is Born
2. Answering the Call to Duty
3. The Times They Are A-Changing
4. A New Age of Technology
5. An Association is Reborn
The ACTE Code of Ethics
The Career and technical educator believes in the worth and dignity of each individual and in the value of career and technical education in enhancing individual development. Consequently, career and technical educators strive for the highest ethical standards to merit the respect and confidence of students, colleagues and the community. They use their skills and knowledge to develop each of their students or colleagues to maximize human potential. This statement provides a framework by which to guide career and technical educators and the institutions through which they work in attaining the highest degree of professionalism.
With respect to self, the career and technical educator:
- Represents personal and professional qualifications in a true and accurate manner.
- Maintains confidentiality of students and colleagues except where disclosure is compelled by law or to serve a compelling professional need.
- Bases professional action and decisions upon sound, objective rationale without influence of favors, gifts, or personal or political advantage.
- Recognizes and accepts responsibility for individual actions, judgments and decisions.
- Strives throughout one's career to master, maintain and improve professional competence through study, work, travel and exploration.
- Contributes to the growing body of specialized knowledge, concepts and skills that characterize career and technical education.
- Strives for the advancement of career and technical education, upholds its honor and dignity, and works to strengthen it in the community, state and nation.
- Participates actively in the work of professional organizations to define and improve standards of career and technical education preparation and service.
- Establishes and maintains conditions of employment conducive to providing high-quality career and technical education.
- Prepares carefully as a teacher so instruction is accurate, current, objective and scholarly, and designed to enhance the students’ individual capabilities.
- Exercises professional judgment in presenting, interpreting and critiquing ideas, including controversial issues.
- Joins with other professionals whose mission is to improve the delivery of career and technical education to the nation's citizens.
With respect to others, the career and technical educator:
- Uses individual competence as a principal criterion in accepting delegated responsibilities and assigning duties to others.
- Provides statements about a colleague or student in a fair, objective manner without embarrassment or ridicule.
- Provides educational and/or career options to all students or colleagues.
- Evaluates students and colleagues without regard to race, color, creed, sex, status or any other factor unrelated to the need for career and technical education,
a. allows any student or colleague to participate in the program who can benefit from the program.
b. provides the same benefits or advantages to all students or colleagues in the program.
- Respects the rights and reputations of the students and colleagues with whom one works, and the institution with which one is affiliated.
- Acts to safeguard the health and safety of students and colleagues against incompetent, unethical or illegal behavior of any person, whether student or colleague.
- Promotes admission to the profession of persons who are fully qualified because of character, education and experience, according to legally established criteria and standards.
- Promotes improvement of laws and regulations affecting career and technical education.
- Exercises professional judgment in the choice of teaching methods and materials appropriate to the needs and interests of each student.
- Influences effectively the formation of policies and procedures that affect one's professional work.
ACTE Member Service Standards
You will always be treated with courtesy and can expect the following standards of member service when interacting with ACTE staff. We welcome your comments on the quality of the service we provide, and on our performance as compared to these standards.
All members contacting ACTE will be met with an informed and courteous staff and can expect response to their requests as follows: information readily available will be provided immediately; if the information is not available, the member will be apprised of the status of their request and when to expect the information.
General inquiries should be referred to ACTE Headquarters. The telephone number is: 800-826-9972. ACTE will respond to such inquiries during regular business hours of 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (EST). If staff is unable to fully respond to an inquiry, an estimate of time based on the complexity of the inquiry will be established.
The ACTE Web site will have a clear and consistent user interface that provides straightforward, timely access to ACTE information.
General e-mail should be sent to: acte@acteonline.org. ACTE staff will respond in a timely manner.
If, for any reason, you do not receive a timely response to your inquiry, please feel free to contact ACTE Senior Director Peter Magnuson with as much detail as possible.
