High-quality CTE: Career and Technical Student Organizations
Click the + sign next to each category below to explore resources that align with the CTSO element of the ACTE Quality CTE Program of Study FrameworkTM.
Research and Reports
- Challenges to Maintaining Student Engagement and Student Organizations Activities Faced by Advisors in the Uncertain Environment of COVID-19 – Baillieul & Crowder, Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, October 2021
Examining interview responses from CTSO advisors, this report assesses the COVID-19 pandemic’s short-term impact on CTSOs, including student engagement, advisor professional development, administrative support and student access to technology.
- Exploring Participation in SkillsUSA Among Postsecondary Students ($) – Maldonado & Jaeger, Career and Technical Education Research, December 2020
This research study examines how participation in SkillsUSA can impact community college students’ career choices, confidence and feelings of belongingness on campus.
- Perceptions of Learning Outcomes of Students who Participated in the Spanish FFA Creed Speaking Event ($) – Arroyo & Estepp, Career and Technical Education Research, May 2020
This research analyzes the student learning outcomes from the Texas FFA Spanish Creed speaking event to highlight benefits of culturally responsive teaching in CTSO activities.
- Attracting the Next Generation of Students: The Role of Career and Technical Education – The Manufacturing Institute & SkillsUSA, March 2020
Informed by student survey responses, this report outlines how CTE programs impact high school students’ career choices and finds that students who participate in CTSOs, especially SkillsUSA, are more likely to pursue careers in their CTE field of study than non-CTSO participants.
- Perceptions of FCCLA as Reported by Advising and Non-Advising Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers – Alexander, Davis & Pierce, Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences Education, 2015
This journal article describes barriers family and consumer sciences teachers in Texas high schools face in becoming FCCLA advisers and affiliating chapters of FCCLA in schools.
- Secondary Agricultural Education Program and Human Influences on Career Decision Self-Efficacy – Marx, Simonsen & Kitchel, Journal of Agricultural Education, 2014
This study investigated the impact of FFA membership and participation in FFA competitions on the career decision self-efficacy of high school juniors and seniors in Missouri.
- Overcoming Barriers: Supporting Nontraditional, Underserved and Special Populations – Minnesota Foundation for Student Organizations, 2014
This publication describes a competitive grant process to address discrepancies in access to and participation in career and technical student organizations.
- DECA Membership and Its Effect on Grade Point Average as an Indicator of Academic Success ($) – Kosloski & Ritz, Career and Technical Education Research, August 2014
This research study demonstrated that DECA members show significant increases in overall academic grade point averages during their memberships.
- Benefits of Career and Technical Student Organizations on Female and Racial Minority Students’ Psychosocial and Achievement Outcomes ($) – Aragon, Alfeld & Hansen, Career and Technical Education Research, 2013
Research findings reveal that CTSO and CTE experiences provide benefits above those offered through general education alone, particularly for girls and students of color.
- An Examination of the Relationship between SkillsUSA Student Contest Preparation and Academics – Threeton & Pellock, Journal of Career and Technical Education, December 2010
This study examines how CTSO event preparation aligns with academic state goals and summarizes the information students need to know to prepare for competitions.
- An Informal Analysis of Career and Technical Education Student Organization Competitive Event Competencies via Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory – Threeton, Ewing & Clark, Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, September 2010
Researchers studied HOSA, FFA and SkillsUSA competitions to outline how CTSOs can and are using experiential learning to prepare for national competitions.
- Effectiveness of Career and Technology Student Organizations (CTSOs) in Texas – Ullrich, Pavelock, Fazarro & Shadow, Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, August 2010
This study surveyed school administrators to determine the impact of CTSO participation on employability skills and academic success.
- Looking Inside the Black Box: The Value Added by Career and Technical Student Organizations to Students’ High School Experience – Alfeld et al., National Research Center for CTE, June 2007
This research finds a positive association between CTSO participation and academic motivation, academic engagement, grades, career self-efficacy, college aspirations and employability skills.
Toolkits, Guides and Frameworks
- Career & Technical Student Organizations Quick Reference Toolkit 2021-22 – Dzurick, Iowa Department of Education, January 2022
This toolkit developed by the Iowa Department of Education outlines steps to starting, designing and implementing a high-quality CTSO and provides CTSO-specific resources.
- DC Career & Technical Student Organization Guide – DC CTE, 2021
This guide explains the responsibilities of state advisors, state officers, local institutions and chapter advisors and offers resources and ideas for meetings, professional development activities, community service, fundraising and more.
- High-quality CTE: Planning for a COVID-19-impacted School Year – ACTE, June 2020
The guide was designed to help CTE leaders make difficult decisions as they offer remote, blended and socially distanced learning during COVID-19. It is organized around the elements of the ACTE Quality CTE Program of Study Framework, including guidance related to CTSOs.
- Virtual Conference Planning Guide – ACTE, 2020
ACTE’s Virtual Conference Planning Guide features detailed tips and procedures for hosting virtual conferences, including CTSO events.
- Colorado CTSO Chapter Success Guide – Colorado FBLA, 2017
This handbook walks advisors through multiple steps to creating a high-quality CTSO, including classroom integration, creating a strong chapter presence, training chapter officers, planning meetings and developing a program of work.
CTSO-specific Resources
- Business Professionals of America Chapter Handbook
- DECA New Advisor Resource Center
- Future Business Leaders of America Advisor Resource Site
- Phi Beta Lambda Membership Page
- FCCLA Chapter Adviser Resources
- FFA Advisor Dashboard
- HOSA-Future Health Professionals Advisor Resources
- SkillsUSA Membership Kit
- Technology Student Association Toolkits and Resources
Books
- CTSO Competition Companion ($) – Mann, 2020
This book is a comprehensive guide designed to help students and advisors navigate and excel at CTSO competitions. It includes the expertise of eight former competitors, advisers and judges on topics such as competition preparation, selecting the right competitive event and improving communication skills.
On-demand Webinars
- Get Involved! CTSOs Promote Leadership & Communication Skills – ACTE, March 2022
This webinar features a panel of CTSO leaders, chapter advisors and alumni who discuss how CTSO involvement can help students become more engaged in their studies and inspire their career decisions.
- Introduction to CTSOs – Iowa Department of Education, November 2021
Part of the Iowa Department of Education’s CTSO Advisor Academy, this webinar serves as an overview of CTSOs by reviewing their role in a high-quality CTE program, advisor responsibilities, curricular integration and basic CTSO operations.
- Webinar Book Launch: CTSO Competition Readiness – ACTE, September 2020
In this webinar, Rachael Mann, author of The CTSO Competition Companion, and panelists address why students should compete in a CTSO event, winning strategies, public speaking advice, guidance for written components and more.
- High-Quality CTE: Planning for a Covid-19-Impacted School Year: CTSOs – ACTE, July 2020
In this webinar, a panel of experts discusses how to offer CTSOs in remote, blended and socially distanced learning environments.
- Virtual Awards & Celebration Event – SkillsUSA Oklahoma, 2020
This webinar from SkillsUSA Oklahoma describes a virtual awards ceremony and celebration event (password: 7p$.*0.8).
- Virtual Conference Tips and Tricks – Iowa HOSA, 2020
Iowa HOSA hosted a virtual conference in March 2020 with only a few days’ notice. The advisers discuss how they pulled it off and lessons learned on this webinar recording.
- Virtual Interview Contest and Meet the Employer – SkillsUSA Tennessee, 2020
This webinar from SkillsUSA Tennessee describes a virtual interview contest and virtual meet the employer event (password: 6u?g0^=X).
Deonna Anderson, an engineering teacher at Franklin Technology Center in Joplin, Missouri, guides this webinar to discuss the value of CTSOs in every CTE program.
- #SpeaklikeTED: Preparing Students for Public Speaking in Competitive Events – ACTE, March 2017
This panel discussion with Rachael Mann and student Lennon Audrain provides advisors and teacher leaders with the tools needed to equip students to succeed and advance in public speaking and presenting during CTSO competitions.
Online Courses
This free module unpacks how the tools used to organize and complete a project in the classroom can be applied by students in CTSO activities, including service learning. CTSOs provide an excellent environment for students to develop global workforce readiness and project management skills. Adding a global connection to these activities will provide students an advantage in the interconnected workplace as well as when they are competing with students across the country—or the world—in CTSO competitions.