As you prepare for the 2018-19 school year, please ensure your local education agency is complying with the state’s regulations regarding access to career and technical education.

As provided in the Pennsylvania Code (22 Pa Code 4.23 (d)(1)), career and technical education (CTE) shall be made available to every student in a public high school program.  If a school district, or the career and technical center (CTC) in which the district participates, does not offer a specific CTE program, the district of residence must work with another school district or CTC to make this program available to interested students. Additionally, the district of residence must pay for this education and must not limit the number of students who receive CTE.

If the career and technical education program is offered at a CTC, the member districts of the CTC, through representation on the Joint Operating Committee have determined how CTE courses should be sequenced.  The Pennsylvania Department of Education has approved CTE programs based on a given sequence of courses and by grade levels. Thus, CTC member districts should offer CTE to their students for the grade levels the Department has approved the programs. The member districts must work with the CTC to make CTE available for each year the Department has approved the programs.

If you have additional questions, please contact Lee Burket, PDE’s Bureau Director for Career and Technical Education, at lburket@pa.gov or 717-787-5530.