Ron Selge, Dean~Career And Technical Education Unit
Writing on May 1, 2009, we are on the brink of several potentially momentous events for Career Technical Education

• the May election,
• the June budget “Revise” from the Governor,
• a legislative season that is just starting to jell,
• negotiations for Perkins core measure performance targets and
• the start of ARRA (federal Stimulus) funds going into California’s economy. 

In partnership with CCCAOE, we will continue to monitor these activities and may well seek your assistance in shaping outcomes.
Regarding Perkins funding, we’ve been busy with several program features. 

• It is our hope that program coordinators will find our new online application for “2009-10” Tech Prep funding easy to use. In recognition of the changing milieu in which Tech Prep operates, the new application includes an element designed to capture the “big picture” regarding local secondary school/community college program connections. That information will assist us in the program approval process, in that some permission, discretionary activities may be approved. Also, the online application pragmatically assists in greater application accuracy and internal coherence. It also includes data matching to ascertain Cal-Pass participation.
• Negotiations for Perkins core measure performance targets – both with the U.S. Dept. of Education and with our districts – is ongoing. At a recent State Director’s meeting in Washington, DC, the dilemma of negotiating performance in the context of unprecedented and unpredictable economic times was noted.
• A competitive re-application for several Perkins State Leadership projects is wrapping up.

Similarly, State Career Technical Education funding (aka “SB70” – the Governor’s Initiative), continues to occupy us.

• The close-out of the first year’s funding is occurring – sometimes with modest performance period extensions.
• Several projects subcontracted to the California Department of Education are in the awarding cycle. Among the first projects awarded, we were delighted to learn that West Valley Community College Advanced Transportation Technology and Energy Initiative (ATTEI) Center will be the Technical Assistance provider for the green-themed California Partnership Academies.
• We are refining the online application for the Career Technical Education Community Collaboratives. We anticipate that this funding cycle will be very similar to the last. We will be allowing more time for submission, and – like the Tech Prep application – the application includes data matching to ascertain Cal-Pass participation.

We are eager to learn the good accomplishments of this year from your final reports.
Because this summer promises to be filled with potentially momentous events for Career Technical Education, I hope you will continue to stay in communication with CCCAOE to answer calls for policy input and advocacy for our students, programs and communities.