By: Alisha

Yesterday, OVAE Deputy Assistant Secretary Glenn Cummings opened the first Webinar in a series being produced by the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium on CTE programs of study.

Cummings expressed the Administration’s support for the program of study concept and CTE in general. He said it was “not an accident” that President Obama, Vice-President Biden, and Secretary Duncan have all talked positively about CTE and included it in conversations about reforming secondary and postsecondary education. He said it was an important topic to them personally, and that the Administration feels very strongly that CTE is essential to engaging students and providing relevance and to getting students the skills they need to make the country successful. He mentioned work the Department is doing across agencies to develop programs of study in green technologies and health informatics as evidence of its commitment to the effort.

The Webinar went on to feature an overview of the key elements of rigorous programs of study from noted experts such as Corinne Alfeld from AED National Institute for Work and Learning, Steve Klein and Jim Schoelkopf from MPR Associates, and Kim Green from NASDCTEc. Future Webinars will delve more in depth into the topics raised, but once this one is archived on the NASDCTEc Web site, it would make a great intro piece to share with other teachers and administrators.