Career TEchnical AND Adult Education News

A recording of the Department’s OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal webinar from April 6 is available online. The webinar highlighted how the OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal was developed, the process a student must follow to achieve the seal, and what steps schools need to take to validate and issue the seal on transcripts and diplomas

May 7-11 is In-Demand Jobs Week, when communities, educators and businesses focus on the jobs, industries and skills that currently are driving Ohio’s economy. The week encourages educators, job seekers, and students to all come together to learn more about the many jobs and careers that are in-demand in the state.

Schools and educators can take part by planning events that inspire students to explore these careers in their local communities. Watch this video to learn more, and visit the In-Demand Jobs Week webpage to find resources, including the planning guide for educators. 

Students and their parents, as well as current job-seekers, can also visit the webpage to learn more about the hundreds of in-demand jobs. From accounting to engineering, administrative positions and veterinary technicians, this is a great opportunity to learn what skills and qualifications are needed for different positions and discover new career opportunities you may not have considered before.

Educators, community members and job-seekers can view all the week's events on the Facebook event page.

MakerMinded is a new competition aimed at getting students interested in the STEM field and elevating their classroom experience with hands-on activities. Students visit the MakerMinded website and choose from a list of STEM- and manufacturing-related activities and programs, post their participation on Social Media, track their points, and earn prizes at the end of the school year for participating. For career-tech educators, MakerMinded is the perfect platform to showcase all that students are already doing, and help them earn prizes for their hard work and dedication.  MakerMinded has also introduced teachers to new ideas and activities to further complement classroom learning.

Juliann Trevorrow, Project Lead the Way teacher in Alliance City Schools, is already using MakerMinded. “I have found that students are better able to reflect on their learning and be proud of their work when it is being published for others to see,” she said in an interview with Ohio STEM Learning Network. Her students have already completed several activities, including participation in an engineering design challenge by creating a robotic arm, holding a Siemens STEM Day, building a marshmallow tower, participating in Edheads, and creating a STEM Club.

Tevorrow says MakerMinded is so successful because of her school district’s “all-in approach.” She is invested in the program, as well as receives support from the school district administration. She highly recommends the program to other career-tech teachers, and says the activities have enriched her curriculum without costing a lot of money. “Most of the activities can be done on a limited budget and as enrichment to activities already completed in class. So don’t be afraid to jump in!”

Read more about the MakerMinded competition.

 - originally published by Ohio STEM Learning Network

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos on March 23 announced new details on the Federal Commission on School Safety the President appointed her to chair. The Commission has been charged with quickly providing meaningful and actionable recommendations to keep students safe at school. Accordingly, the Commission will be comprised of department heads whose agencies have jurisdiction over key school safety issues: Secretary DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.

The first organizational meeting was Wednesday, March 28 in Washington, D.C. to discuss the scope of the Commission's work, timeline, locations for meetings and topics for field hearings.

Input from and meetings with students, parents, teachers, school safety personnel, administrators, law enforcement officials, mental health professionals, school counselors, security professionals and other related stakeholders will be critical to the Commission's work.

Additional details on stakeholder engagement both in Washington and across the country will follow the meeting on March 28.

"Over the last several weeks, I have held meetings with parents and non-profit organizations, who in the wake of tragedy, have leapt into action and have focused on finding solutions to school violence," said Secretary DeVos. "The Commission's task will be to hear their ideas and the ideas of anyone who is focused on finding solutions to bolster school safety across the country. We want to highlight what's working so that every school has access to solutions that will keep students and teachers safe."

Read more:  Click here

Schools are invited to join Ohio ACTE as Organizational Affiliates, which provides membership in Ohio ACTE for all teachers, administrators, School Board members, staff and others involved with the delivery of career-technical education.

"This option allows Schools to affiliate with Ohio ACTE and provide benefits to staff," said Christine Gardner, Ohio ACTE Executive Director.  "I am glad the Ohio ACTE Executive Board added this optional membership for schools.  The individual memberships are still available," she said.

All members in all categories receive the same benefits, Gardner said.  This includes discounts to events and professional development, the monthly e-news and other benefits.

Click here for additional information about this new Membership!

Please email me at christine@ohioacte.org to get started!

The Ohio Department of Education and Ohio College Tech Prep are planning six regional SuccessBound conferences for schools, businesses and community leaders who want to begin forming partnerships to develop Ohio’s next generation of workers. These regional events are geared toward helping participants take first steps to engage with partners from different sectors to build career pathways, work-based learning experiences and other career preparation opportunities for students. The conference will offer participants opportunities to network with potential partners also interested in ensuring a strong workforce.Six regional conferences for schools, businesses and community leaders who want to begin forming partnerships to develop Ohio’s next generation of workers.

These regional events are geared toward helping participants take first steps to engage with partners from different sectors to build career pathways, work-based learning experiences and other career preparation opportunities for students. The conference will offer participants opportunities to network with potential partners also interested in ensuring a strong workforce. Register here.

Ohio technical centers would be recognized as institutions of higher education under a change made to a workforce development bill March 7.

The House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee accepted a substitute version of HB166 (Reineke-Cupp), which had focused on various changes to Ohio’s workforce development system. Rep. Bill Reinke (R-Tiffin) told the committee that the substitute version of the bill contains new language that addresses Ohio technical centers, which he said provide labor market-driven post-secondary training to adults. He said they are the adult education component at career centers, with students often taking classes at night and on the weekends, and the centers are highly responsive in meeting the needs of employers.

Reineke said the bill still addresses the overriding subject of improving workforce development. The newest addition to the bill is needed because of the overall lack of clarity for Ohio technical centers, he said. Technical centers are not currently recognized as institutions of higher education under Ohio law, and Reineke said they discovered there are actually multiple different definitions for institutions of higher education in current law. Technical centers would identify as higher education institutes under the bill for purposes of making students eligible for certain education and grant programs.

Rep. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) asked why the language was not a standalone bill, calling it “an odd procedural thing to do” when the bill was on its seventh hearing. Rep. Bob Cupp (R-Lima), a co-sponsor of the bill, said it is a matter of preference, but legally speaking it does address the same subject. He said they were seeking a method to try to get it done faster than a regular bill.

Asked about concerns from colleges about the new language, Reineke said those concerns are misdirected. He said the language only affects the ability of a student at a technical center to apply for certain scholarships like the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG). Committee Chair Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) said institutions can be sensitive to changes when a pool of money suddenly has more places to be divided.

The committee heard from witnesses representing the technical centers, including Bill Bussey of the Ohio Association of Career Technical Superintendents; Carrie Fife of the Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center; Anthony Huffman of the Washington County Career Center; Joyce Malainy of the Career Technology and Education Centers of Licking County; and Scott Naill of Upper Valley Career Center.

Engage in community conversations to provide input on Ohio’s Draft Strategic Education Plan, which will create a unified system that results in success for each student. The plan will be Ohio’s roadmap for taking innovative approaches to meet the state’s major education challenges. It identifies a clear, statewide goal for preK-12 education, along with enabling strategies and tactics that explain how the goal will be achieved. The ultimate outcome: creating a unified system that results in success for each student.

During the last six months, the State Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Education have engaged more than 150 partners from preK-12, higher education, business, philanthropy, community and the state legislature to craft a comprehensive strategic plan for education. This is the first prepared by the state in more than a decade.

Philanthropy Ohio, in partnership with the State Board, will host 11 regional stakeholder meetings to review the plan and receive targeted feedback that will inform the final draft of the plan.

These meetings are an opportunity to gather valuable input from various perspectives, including local educators, funders, parents, students and community members. The meeting will include an introduction from State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria, a brief overview of the draft plan and group discussions around specific provisions and options.

Register now to attend a local meeting by clicking on the specific meeting location below.

• Scioto County: March 14, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Washington County: March 15, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Stark County: March 19, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Muskingum County: March 20, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Defiance County: March 21, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Lucas County: March 26, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Cuyahoga County: March 27, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Montgomery County: March 29, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Ashtabula County: April 3, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Franklin County: April 5, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.
• Hamilton County: April 17, 2018 – 6-8 p.m.

 Questions? Contact Samantha Fallucco at Samantha.Fallucco@education.ohio.gov.

Students intending to participate in the fourth year of College Credit Plus, the successful program that provides Ohio students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school, can begin the notification process for the 2018-2019 school year today (Feb. 15). College Credit Plus debuted at the start of the 2015-2016 school year, with more than 52,000 students participating and getting a jump start on college. That number grew to nearly 65,000 students in the second year; to date, College Credit Plus participants have saved more than $262 million in college tuition costs.

College Credit Plus provides students with the opportunity to take college classes offered by any Ohio public college or university, or from any participating private postsecondary institution, at their high school, on the college or university campus, or online. The program allows students to explore college interests sooner and to earn college credits toward a degree before graduating from high school. It is free to families when students take courses offered by Ohio public colleges and universities.

Beginning Feb. 15, public high school students may notify their principal of their interest to participate, and must declare their intent to participate by April 1. This includes students who participated in any or all of the first three years of College Credit Plus. The application window for nonpublic and homeschool students also opens today and closes at 5 p.m. EST on April 13; those students may send their letter of intent to participate to the Ohio Department of Education, 25 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43215, or email it to CCPintentletter@education.ohio.gov.

In an effort to give more students and families the opportunity to save on the cost of college, College Credit Plus now includes a summer term. Credits earned by taking courses through College Credit Plus during a summer term will be applied to students’ high school and college transcripts during the fall. Students and parents should check the summer term registration deadline for the college or university from which the student intends to take courses.

Click here for more information

During a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse on Feb. 14, State Representative Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin) unveiled legislation aimed at better aligning Ohio’s public education system with the state’s workforce needs, as well as making the state more accountable for achieving results.

Reineke’s proposal would create a new cabinet level agency called the Ohio Department of Learning and Achievement (DLA), which will consist of the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Department of Higher Education and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation. This structural change is not expected to have a direct impact on local school boards or school districts.

“Education is one of the state’s most important tasks and this legislation aligns our education systems to better prepare our workforce for the needs of today and tomorrow,” Reineke said. “I look forward to discussing this bill further with the education and workforce community with the goal of working together to ensure that Ohio’s students are ready and prepared for the future.”

By forming a unified, cohesive department to oversee all education and workforce development policy, Ohio will be more fluid and flexible in preparing the state’s 1.7 million students to succeed both educationally and professionally, as well as to meet the workforce needs of the rapidly changing 21^st century economy.

The changes contained in the legislation closely resemble similar reforms made in 2007 to the state’s higher education model, in which oversight of state-supported colleges and universities transitioned from a nine-member Board of Regents to the Chancellor of the University System of Ohio.

Several education and workforce development leaders from Seneca and Sandusky counties joined Rep. Reineke, as well as a number of other House lawmakers supportive of the proposal.

Greg Edinger, Superintendent of Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Centers, expressed support for the proposal and explained how it can prepare Ohio’s workforce for the demands of tomorrow.

“There can be great value in multiple agencies working under one umbrella with the goal of developing policy to align the education systems,” Edinger said. “This focus on workforce and career preparedness at an early age aligns with the goals of our district and is essential for moving forward and addressing the critical workforce demands our state is seeing.”

Gary Barber, Superintendent of Tiffin City Schools, emphasized how the legislation can lead to long-term success by helping students prioritize both education and career readiness.

“This will help set a higher bar for career preparation programs, enabling all students to earn meaningful postsecondary degrees or credentials,” Barber said. “This will continue to challenge our K-12 systems to be simultaneously focused on curriculum and our students’ aspirational career goals.”

“I can clearly and confidently tell you that I support the principles and spirit of this new workforce and education restructuring bill, and the intent to create a Department of Learning and Achievement, which brings together K-12 education policy, the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation,” said David Zak, President and CEO of Seneca Industrial & Economic Development Corp. “It brings together two of the most important producers of talent—K-12, higher education, and the largest user of talent—growing private sector businesses represented by the Office of Workforce Transformation.”

Jim Lahoski, Superintendent and CEO of the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center, said the bill will “enhance opportunities for all students to be prepared for success.”

“The bill further aligns to the Ohio State Board of Education's vision for all Ohio pre-K-12 students to graduate with the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to successfully continue their education and/or be workforce-ready and successfully participate in the global economy as productive citizens,” Lahoski said.

Under the legislation, which Reineke introduced today, the director of the DLA will be appointed by the governor with consent of the Senate. The director will have the authority to appoint deputy directors where deemed appropriate for purposes of streamlining pre-K-12 through workforce policy development and implementation.

The legislation makes no membership changes to the State Board of Education, but brings its duties more in line with other state boards and commissions and keeps its functions consistent with the state constitution. That includes primarily quasi-judicial responsibilities, such as regulating teacher licensure and educator misconduct. The State Board also will continue to appoint a State Superintendent.

Furthermore, the State Board of Education, State Superintendent and Ohio Department of Education staff will maintain the authority to:

• Revoke a district and/or school charter
• Issue educator licenses
• Establish payments in lieu of transportation determinations
• Make territory transfer determinations
• Supervise and administer Ch. 119 administrative proceedings regarding community schools and sponsors
• Determine the permanent exclusion of students
• Sponsor community schools in accordance with state law
• Oversee the state schools for the deaf and blind
• Administer other miscellaneous Ch. 119 administrative law proceedings

Having just been introduced, the bill will soon receive a number and be assigned to a House standing committee for further review.

Full footage of today’s press conference is available here: http://ohiochannel.org/video/press-conference-education-bill-announcement