Today, on Nov. 17, Education Week released a special report on the intersection of CTE and AI in the classroom and workplace. ACTE worked extensively with EdWeek as they developed the report, providing expertise to reporters and making interview recommendations. The report consists of the following articles: 

• How AI is Changing CTE – This Q&A between EdWeek and ACTE’s Associate Deputy Executive Director Michael Connet focuses on how AI and technology are being implemented in CTE programs to create opportunities for students and solve problems.  

• ‘What Are You Doing on AI?’ How This District Added it to Career Education – This article describes how Ignite—a career pathway program in Bentonville, AR, public schools—incorporates AI into its curriculum. Students in the program have used AI tools to enhance their graphic design coursework, create a meal-planning app for expectant mothers with gestational diabetes and pitch a new product to Walmart customers.  

• Classroom View: How AI is Influencing Teacher Approaches to CTE – Pulling from the experiences of six CTE teachers, this article examines how CTE teachers are utilizing AI in the classroom to support their work and expand opportunities for students. While AI tools have been useful for CTE teachers (particularly newcomers), keeping up with advances in the field can be difficult. ACTE Board member Lavyne Rada is featured in this article.  

• Businesses Want Employees With AI Skills. Are K-12 CTE Programs Keeping Up? – As demand for AI-related skills rises among employers, this article investigates how K-12 CTE programs across the nation are beginning to implement AI tools in their curriculum. Some states began shortly after the AI boom: for example, leaders in South Carolina began developing an AI CTE pathway in 2022. The pathway, which will last for four years, introduces students to basic AI concepts before developing more comprehensive problem-solving and application skills. Most schools and districts are in the early stages of adoption, integrating AI into computer science and other related fields. 

The report also contains the results of a nationwide survey conducted by the EdWeek Research Center. The survey, which questioned 472 CTE teachers and administrators, found that nearly one-third expect their school or district to introduce CTE programs in the digital technology, IT, AI and cybersecurity fields.