Hillsborough County Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction
Information Item

DATE: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Career and Professional Education Act Five-Year Plan for Career Academies (Career and Technical Education)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Florida Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Act was created to provide a statewide planning partnership between the business and education communities in order to attract, expand, and retain targeted, high-value industry and to sustain a strong, knowledge-based economy. The Department of Career and Technical Education welcomes the Florida Career and Professional Education Act (CAPE) as both a confirmation and a reinforcement of our Career Academy focus and our long standing vision and implementation of rigorous and relevant education with course work that articulates to postsecondary and/or industry certification. Our career academy programs, provided in partnership with business, postsecondary institutions, and the community offer substantial student career preparation and access to high-wage and high-demand careers while supporting local and regional economic development and Florida’s workforce needs.

Students graduating as Career Academy concentrators achieve value-added credentials including, Gold Seal/Bright Futures, industry certifications, and the Ready to Work credential.

The integral goal of implementing this instructional delivery model is to improve student achievement. This is accomplished through implementing rigorous and relevant curriculum that integrates core academics, personalizing the students’ educational experience through the development of relationships, and impacting students' emotional connections to school and their academy. According to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) Report in February of 2007, students in career academies:

  • Tend to have lower absenteeism
  • Score higher on FCAT Math and Reading
  • Have higher graduation rates
  • Are more likely to attend college if the Career Academy has a Program of Study
  • Earn higher wages if they earn an industry certification
Beginning with the 2007/2008 school year, the district has developed, in collaboration with Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance, Hillsborough Community College, the Hi-TEC Centers, and other postsecondary institutions approved to operate in the state, a strategic 5-year plan to address and meet local and regional workforce demands. The Strategic Plan is to be submitted to the Florida Department of Education no later than June 30, 2008. The Strategic Plan includes provisions to have at least one operational Career and Professional Academy no later than the 2007/2008 School Year as required by CAPE legislation. The Career and Technical Education Department has surpassed this requirement and has identified over 100 career academies in the five-year plan.

ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)

All District Goals and Critical Success Factors

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Career Academies generate FTE and additional weighted funding may be earned to cover the cost of industry certification exams.

EVALUATION

Spring 2009 - Annual evaluation by Strategic Planning Committee and the Department of Career and Technical Education as outlined in the Career and Professional Education five-year plan.

SUBMITTED BY: Kristine Hensley, Supervisor, Career and Technical Education

Pamela Campbell-Peralta
General Director, Career and Technical Education
(813) 231-1860
Michael A. Grego, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
A 9.03
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20080610_330 * Section A Item# 9.03