Funding Source:Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (federal)
Allocation: $108,049
Tech Prep:
The consortium of local school districts, intermediate school districts, career/technology centers and Kellogg Community College developed a four-year plan eight years ago which would have ended June 30, 2004. Perkins funds were reauthorized this past summer, but this year is a one-year transition year, while the new state plan is being written. The activities in the eighth year plan align with and support the original long range plan.
Required:
Alignment between eleventh and twelfth grade high school courses and community college curriculum to provide non-duplicative transition from secondary to post-secondary. A Tech Prep student has an EDP and is enrolled in an articulated program leading to a two-to-four year technical degree or certificated program. Tech Prep program curriculum focuses on the integration of technology, educational development plans (EDPs) and preparation for careers that require education and training beyond high school but do not require four-year college degrees. The Tech Prep program builds student competence and workplace skills through applied, contextual learning and integrated instruction (authentic instruction) in a coherent sequence of courses including math, science, reading, writing, communications, economics and technologies leading to an apprenticeship, certificate, or associate degree in a specific career field. According to Michigan guidelines, Tech Prep money can NOT be spent below eleventh grade, and 25 percent of the funds must be allocated to the community college partner.
Local Plan:
Kellogg Community College funding from this grant will be used to support half of a Tech Prep support position in the college’s admissions office to be a contact for local school districts, facilitate the career pathway and EDP processes from the community college’s end, monitor and update KCC’s articulation web page, develop materials to market EDPs and pathways, and help students enrolled at KCC to take advantage of the seamless transition and articulation process they began in high school.
The region will continue to use Tech Prep funds to provide support for staff development including state and national Tech Prep conference attendance, future counselor academies, support for developing and using articulated technical careers programs and for Tech Prep curriculum integration and contextual learning (authentic instruction).
The grant also funds regional coordination of Tech Prep programs, including business and education partnership development, coordination of academic integration professional development and administration of the grant.
Plans will be developed to address improvement in all six core performance indicators, with an emphasis on non-traditional enrollment, non-traditional completion and a higher number of graduates with post-secondary placement.
