A dozen schools received grants to teach new high school classes that will test a career and technical education curriculum being developed by the state to make it easier for high school students to get certifications and dual credits.
Each of the selected schools will get $50,000 from the Governor's Workforce Cabinet to launch a program under the state’s proposed “Next Level Programs of Study” plan. The pilot programs range in topics including agriculture, construction and healthcare.
Policymakers say it will give them the opportunity to learn how best to launch a statewide plan for all schools to give students more hands-on experiences that culminate in certifications.
Anthony Harl, assistant director of CTE for the state of Indiana, says in the new curriculum students could leave high school with more college credits that count towards an industry credential or degree.
“So a lot of these courses will be redesigned to have approximately six post-secondary credit hours where, in some cases, we only had three before,” he says.
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Some of implementation grant recipients will also incorporate apprenticeships or work-based learning through the "State Earn and Learn" program. Each are charged with applying their plans into the new curriculum's standards.
"The delivery method is varied ... so we're really excited about the twelve we're working with," Harl says.
The 12 pilot schools were selected from a pool of 36 schools who previously received smaller grants in March for creating curriculum plans.
The new CTE curriculum is set to launch statewide in the fall of 2021.
Contact reporter Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.
