Career TEchnical AND Adult Education News

Congratulations Ohio ACTE Career-Tech 2020 Award Winners!

Watch Ohio ACTE's video tribute, and click here to read more about this year's winners!

And an extra special thank you to Derek Fitzer,  Career-Tech Teacher of the Year (who just happens to be an interactive media instructor)  for helping put together this video!

Ohio ACTE would like to honor this year's award winners!  While we may not be able to recognize them in person, that does not mean we do not want to highlight and thank them for all they do for their students, staff an the career-tech education community!  Here is Ohio ACTE's video tribute, along with winner's advice for other career-tech educators, to celebrate the many accomplishments of our award winners.

Ohio ACTE cannot thank you enough for all that you do!

Visit the Office of Learning and Instructional Strategies Resources page to find the schedule and links for upcoming Virtual Meetups co-hosted by the Ohio Department of Education and one of our partner professional organizations.

The Ohio Department of Education released the following information on May 12. Ohio ACTE, OACTS and CCS - the organizations representing career-technical education - are providing input.

Message from ODE:

Thank you! Since the ordered school-building closure began on March 12, you have stepped up to ensure a student-centered approach to caring, teaching and learning. We applaud your efforts to challenge, prepare and empower your students for future success—especially given the unparalleled challenges that accompany a pandemic.

The purpose of this letter is to share a coordinated and collaborative process currently underway for co-designing and framing the various considerations for a successful start to the 2020-2021 school year. The process will result in the launch of an Education Reset and Restart Planning Guide. This tool is intended to spur local-level, partnership-based discussions and decision-making in areas critical to the start of the 2020-2021 school year.

Please click this link to read the full letter from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria about this process and plans for moving forward together to envision how to proceed.

SUMMARY:

• For the latest information from ODE, visit http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Student-Supports/Coronavirus
• The ODE Office of Career-Tech has posted guidance specifically for career-tech education. Click here for updates and page links.
• Education budget reductions impact all schools.  Click here for information on the impact to career-technical education.  
• The 2020 Ohio ACTE Annual Connections to Education Conference has been cancelled.  Click here for the announcement and details.  Ohio ACTE plans to offer career-field specific virtual meeting opportunities.
• Ohio ACTE News page is kept up to date with information career-tech educators need to know. Click here for updates.
• Career-tech association leaders continue to work for educators and students, including emphasizing the importance of credentials and focusing on solutions for students, and are working with the Governor’s administration, ODE and Office of CTE.

The 2019-2020 school year is drawing to a close, and not in the way anyone anticipated. With no notice, all educators were asked to deliver education and engage students in new and different ways for the safety of all Ohio citizens.    Career-technical educators stepped up to the challenge and there are many ways schools have adapted, click here for a few examples.

Many members have been asking about the Ohio ACTE Annual Connections to Education Conference, and after much thought and deliberation, the Ohio ACTE Executive Board made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s conference.  It’s a disappointment to all, as the conference is a time to get up to date on career-tech programs, hear ODE updates, and most popular of all, connect with colleagues and share solutions.  For details, click here.

While you continue to focus on your students, the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education leadership, in conjunction with our partners, Ohio Association for Career-Technical Superintendents (OACTS) and Ohio Association of Comprehensive and Compact Career-Technical Schools (CCS), continues to work on behalf of the career-technical and adult education community. 

We remain in contact with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and the DeWine-Husted administration to make sure career-technical and adult education concerns are addressed as plans move forward regarding the reopening of school and the 2020-2021 school year.  

Here are the latest updates:

Ohio ACTE Actions

• Update the Ohio ACTE website and continually post news items on the news blog and use social media to share information and updates from ODE.
• Provide feedback and work with our colleagues in the ODE, Office of CTE, on issues and concerns specific to career-technical education.  Association leaders have weekly calls with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria and ODE staff.  Calls have also included members of the Governor’s staff.

State Actions

• The Ohio Department of Education is working on guidance for the upcoming school year and how schools will be affected.
• The ODE Office of CTE has issued guidance and answered questions specific to CTE, click here.  http://ohioacte.org/news/8947837
• ODE has issued general and specific guidance for schools and teachers and provides updates as available.  ODE created a special webpage for disseminating important information, including video messages from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria.   http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Student-Supports/Coronavirus

National Action

• The United Sates Department of Education has issued guidance, resources and provided flexibility on Perkins deadlines and other requirements. Click here.  
• The Ohio Department of Education continues to provide updates on its COVID-19 webpage… http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Student-Supports/Coronavirus

For health-related questions regarding COVID-19, contact the Ohio Department of Health’s call center at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

Ohio ACTE encourages members to check for updates from the CDC and the Ohio Department of Health. 

Let me know if there is anything that Ohio ACTE can do for you and please share your ideas, examples and innovative education delivery you have developed.  Email me at Christine@OhioACTE.org with your ideas, questions and thoughts.

Christine Gardner, Ohio ACTE Executive Director

After much thought and consideration, the Ohio ACTE leadership has made the decision to cancel this year’s Ohio ACTE 2020 Connections to Education Conference originally scheduled for July 27-29.

All registrants who paid the Conference fee will receive a full refund in the original form of payment.  Refunds will be automatic, paid registrants will not have to do anything to receive the refund, but should allow 2-3 weeks for refunds to be processed. 

Sleeping room reservations made at the Hilton under the Ohio ACTE group accommodation will be cancelled by the hotel, but registrants should call and verify reservations have been cancelled.   Hilton Easton:  (614) 414-5000.

Ohio ACTE will host several career field specific virtual meetings in the coming months for members to interact with fellow educators.  Dates and times will be listed on the Ohio ACTE website calendar as they are developed.

The 2021 Conference dates are July 26-28 at the Hilton Easton.

Ohio ACTE leadership thanks all educators for adapting to all of the changes in education and continuing to serve students.

Continuing learning is challenging, especially for career-tech programs and classes as school buildings are closed.

Click here to learn how several schools are implementing virtual learning.

As Ohio’s state government continues to focus on the health and safety of its citizens, it has recently released cuts to the biennial operating budget caused by the economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic, including cuts to k-12 education.

The short term budget impact announced by Governor Mike DeWine on May 5 includes the following reductions to education funding to be implemented over the next two months:

•   K12 Foundation Payment Reduction: $300 million
•   Other Education Budget Line Items: $55 million
•   Higher Education: $110 million

Note the following information specific to Career-Technical Education (CTE):

• The U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will provide school districts with supplemental funding to make up for a significant portion of losses described above. Joint Vocational School Districts (JVSDs) are ineligible for most of this Federal aid based on the distribution method required for under Federal law. (90% of CARES Act funding directed to k-12 schools must be distributed based on Federal Title I guidelines; JVSDs are ineligible for Title I assistance).
• A portion of overall funding for JVSDs already includes Federal dollars allocated through the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21^st Century (Perkins V) Act.  Perkins V specifically instructs the State of Ohio to provide Maintenance of Effort (MOE) in order to receive Perkins funding.  These MOE provisions prohibit the State from significantly reducing funding for CTE.  Consequently, the immediate budget cuts do not currently include reductions to State foundational funds allocated to JVSDs for career-technical education. 
• Ohio Technical Centers (OTCs) are receiving a 3.8% reduction in state funding (the same percentage all Higher Ed Institutions are receiving). However, OTCs and other colleges and universities are also receiving supplemental assistance from the CARES Act to partially offset these losses.
• Additional budget reductions for education are anticipated as Ohio’s economic recovery continues.   These cuts could be made to funding dedicated to industry credentials, innovative workforce development and other programs.

Career-technical educators are committed to maintaining a focus on students—serving them as effectively as possible through remote means and developing plans for potential programming to assist graduating seniors with attaining their Industry Credential(s).  The CTE Community continues to provide input to the DeWine Administration, Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Ohio General Assembly on school reopening considerations.  Updates will be shared as information becomes available. 

In appreciation of all that career-tech teachers do every day, we honor our award winning Ohio ACTE Teachers!

Click here for a message from Teacher of the Year: Derek Fitzer – South-Western City Schools Career Academy

New CTE Teacher: Rebecca McCowan – Great Oaks Career Campuses 

Outstanding Teacher in Community Service: Sara Plozay – Upper Valley CC 

Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year: Joy Shepherd – Apollo CC

Click here for more information on all Ohio ACTE 2020 Award winners

The Ohio Department of Education, Office of CTE has added some career-tech education specific information to its Covid-19 Information for Ohio Schools and Districts webpage:

• Adult Diploma Programs
• Career-Technical Education
• Career-Technical Education FAQ
• Industry Credential Vendor Flexibility NEW!