FY21 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Education Career Pathway Grant
Applications accepted by electronic submission only through the CTE Education Career Pathway system in the
IWAS program listing.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
The administrative agency of a regional vocational system formed under a cooperative agreement, a public community college, a technical institute operated by a state university, or a state agency having administrative control and direction of a program of vocational education. Eligible applicants cannot partner with schools already served in the FY20 CTE Education Career Pathway Grant.
Eligibility to receive priority points:
- Rural district(s) as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics are identified in the proposal.
- District(s) that have been identified at 70% adequacy or below according to the FY 2021 Evidenced-Based Funding formula are identified in the proposal.
PROGRAM PURPOSE
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is committed to providing students with a well-rounded and relevant education that includes equitable opportunities to participate in CTE. CTE programs prepare students for both the workforce and the pursuit of postsecondary opportunities by offering students opportunities to develop technical and employability skills while also strengthening core academic skills and abilities. CTE programs are expanding nationwide and realigning Programs of Study to include pathways that respond to current and future economic and occupational needs. This grant will be an avenue to recruit students into the field of education, thus addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois. It will provide funding to eligible applicants to support the development and implementation of CTE Education Career Pathways or Programs of Study in specific partner districts and schools.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The CTE Education Career Pathway State Grant will provide funding directly to eligible recipients to support planning and implementation of a CTE Education Career Pathway or Program of Study. Programs will include coursework designed to prepare students for matriculation into and success in a postsecondary teacher preparation program and will afford students opportunities to participate in field experiences, and/or work-based learning to begin to hone their craft and gain experience in different educational settings and content areas. Additionally, program participants will have opportunities to earn dual credit, industry certification such as para-professional licensure, the State Seal of Biliteracy, a College and Career Pathway Endorsement, and micro-credentials to demonstrate teaching competencies acquired through the program.
The ISBE and Illinois Community College Board achieved a major milestone in their efforts to expand dual credit access with the adoption of the Model Partnership Agreement and the passing of the Dual Credit Quality Act (PA 100-1049). These resources offer local districts support in ongoing efforts to establish robust partnerships with higher education and engage in collaboration to further increase educational equity and access to CTE programs.
Eligible applicants must identify one to nine local schools in which programs will be implemented. All applicants are required to form partnerships to strengthen programs. Priority points will be given to applicants who meet at least one of the following additional criteria:
- Will implement programs in rural district(s) as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics; and/or
- Will implement programs in district(s) that have been identified at 70% adequacy or below according to the FY 2021 Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula that currently offer approved career and technical education programs serving grades 9-12.
The definitions of a Career Pathway and Program of Study are below:
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CAREER PATHWAY is defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102) and referenced in Perkins V. The term Career Pathway means a combination of rigorous and high-quality education, training, and other services that:
- Aligns with the skill needs of industries in the economy of the state or regional economy involved;
- Prepares an individual to be successful in any of a full range of secondary or postsecondary education options, including apprenticeships registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act; 50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.) (referred to individually in this Act as an apprenticeship, except in section 171);
- Includes counseling to support an individual in achieving the individual’s education and career goals;
- Includes, as appropriate, education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster;
- Organizes education, training, and other services to meet the particular needs of an individual to the extent practicable;
- Enables an individual to attain a secondary school diploma or its recognizable equivalent and at least one recognized postsecondary credential; and
- Helps an individual enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster.
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PROGRAM OF STUDY is a coordinated, nonduplicative sequence of academic and technical content at the secondary and postsecondary level and a component to a career pathway that:
- Incorporates challenging State academic standards, including those adopted by a State under section 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education act of 1965;
- Addresses both academic and technical knowledge and skills, including employability skills;
- Is aligned with the needs of industries in the economy of the State, region, Tribal community, or local area;
- Progresses in specificity (beginning with all aspects of an industry or career cluster and leading to more occupation-specific instruction);
- Has multiple entry and exit points that incorporate credentialing;
- Culminates in the attainment of a recognized postsecondary credential.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Proposals must be submitted in IWAS by 4PM on Monday, December 14, 2020.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
A technical assistance session was held for this application on November 9, 2020 at 10AM. All questions from the webinar were addressed in a Frequently Asked Questions document. This document is posted at the top of this section, so respondents can see all questions and the responses to the questions. Changes to the FAQ were not made after December 7, 2020. Applicants were advised to check the site before submitting a proposal.
HOW TO ACCESS THE CTE EDUCATION CAREER PATHWAY STATE GRANT
This grant will be available in the
IWAS system.
Account holders will log in, new users will sign up.
Once logged in, users will select CTE EDUCATION CAREER PATHWAY from the system listing.
All eligible applicants must create and submit an application in the system. To create the application you will select "Year: 2021" and choose "Create Application."
For assistance with IWAS, please review the
IWAS Guide
.
Priority Points School Lists (FY2021):
The Illinois State Board of Education is committed to providing students with a well-rounded and relevant education that includes equitable opportunities to participate in career and technical education (CTE). CTE programs prepare students for both the workforce and the pursuit of postsecondary opportunities by offering students opportunities to develop technical and employability skills while also strengthening core academic skills and abilities. CTE programs are expanding nationwide and realigning programs of study to include pathways that respond to current and future economic and occupational needs. This grant will be an avenue to recruit students into the field of education, thus addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois. It will provide funding to eligible applicants to support the development and implementation of CTE Education Career Pathways or Programs of Study in specific partner districts and schools.
