Narrative: a. 1. A.

Perkins IV requires Career and Technical Education (CTE) to have a renewed and strengthened focus on collaborative partnerships and the development and implementation of programs of academidc and technical preparation spanning secondary and postsecondary education. To promote this heightened expectation of collaboration between secondary and postsecondary CTE, the following guiding principles became instrumental in moving CTE forward in Minnesota under the Perkins IV Transition Plan:

1. CTE and academic education must be integrated in a more comprehensive way.

2. College and work readiness skills are one and the same.

3. Each student needs at least some education or advanced training past high school, whether 2–year college, 4–year university, industry certification, or advanced training through work.

4. Federal Perkins funding for CTE is not an entitlement at either the state or local level.

5. All education spending must be connected with student success outcomes.

6. High schools and colleges should continue CTE programs and activities that have worked well.

7. CTE must be strategically placed within the broader vision, mission and goals for education withihn the State of Minnesota.

Rather than developing a vision and mission for CTE in Minnesota, these guiding principles acted as the primary drivers for advancing CTE within Minnesota high schools and colleges. In particular, adhering to these guiding principles will be critical at the local level as high schools and colleges begin implementing the key new feature of the Minnesota CTE Plan: A New Consortium Structure that requires each consortium of high school and college partners to develop a SINGLE LOCAL PLAN, starting July 1, 2008 and all years thereafter. The SINGLE LOCAL PLAN will govern and manage the use of secondary basic, postsecondary basic and tech prep funds for each recognized consortium. At the same time, it enables the State to achieve its vision of having a seamless CTE education system through a New Consortium Structure, which is pivotal for the successful implementation of the State Plan. Finally, the guiding principles should provide CTE stakeholders the overall framework for enabling the necessary input and recommendations for the State Plan.

Minnesota indicated, to the US Department of Education, its intent first to submit a one year Transition Plan with goals, strategies, objectives, outcomes and measures laid out in their fullest detail. These goals, objectives, and strategies are summarized below.

Transition Plan Goals: Modifying Them to Meet the State Plan Goals: The primary goal of the Minnesota State Perkins Transition Plan focused upon the formation of a new consortium structure of high schools and colleges. In addition, Minnesota chose to agglomerate the required and permissible activities as laid out in the Perkins Law into four additional goals. The five Transition Plan goals were:

1. Create a new consortium structure of high schools and colleges. This goal addresses the planning and provision of structural recommendations for the implementation of Perkins IV (beginning FY09). In FY08, high schools and colleges must begin the process at the local level of identifying the new consortium structure. In order for secondary and postsecondary recipients to obtain funding after June 30, 2008, a recipient must participate in a consortium that includes at least one Perkins–eligible postsecondary institution and at least one Perkins–eligible secondary school district. Elements to consider when selecting consortium partners include current effective relationships, anticipated programs of study, roles of brokering services with other Perkins schools/institutions, matriculation patterns of high school graduates to colleges within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, and geographic proximity.

2. Improve and expand high school to college transitions for career and technical education students. This goal is designed to support the transition of students from high school to college through programs and services such as the development and implementation of programs of study, alignment of high school and college standards, integration of academic concepts into career and technical education, credit articulation, career guidance, college readiness, etc.

3. Examine and expand collaborative practices to support career and technical education programming. This goal builds upon the successes of Minnesota Indicator 12 under Perkins III by expanding on collaboratively planned activities that support career and technical education programming. Indicator 12 is the requirement, which directs at least 10% allocation of local funds to be spent on collaborative activities at the local level, but allowing for separate planning and implementation to occur for most of the local funds.

4. Effectively use employer, community and education partnerships to support career and technical education. This goal promotes input from, and consultation with, education, employer and community organizations to successfully address each purpose of Perkins IV. Active involvement of external partners helps ensure that programming and structural reorganization under Perkins IV will promote student success.

5. Provide access to services for special populations, including under–represented students, in career and technical education programs. This goal addresses the continuing focus of the Perkins Act on students in special population groups. By ensuring equal, if not greater access, to all available education programming and support services, students with the greatest need are assured of the:

• Participation and completion of CTE programs,
• Preparation needed for high–skill, high–wage, or high–demand occupations that lead to self sufficiency, and,
• Consistent application of the accountability, adminsitrative and funding rules across all student groups.

Minnesota Five–Year State CTE Plan: A Preview

Minnesota will build and sustain CTE through a New Consortium Structure that brings together high schools and colleges around a SINGLE LOCAL PLAN. Guided by seven basic principles, each new local Perkins IV consortium will focus on CTE becoming more accountable to all its stakeholders, but particularly to students as they maneuver through high school and college building their knowledge and skills and work towards stable employment in their chosen career pathway. With the New Consortium Structure for Minnesota in place, an alignment between high schools and colleges regarding administration, funding, acocuntability, and, most importantly, programming of CTE is beginning to take shape. The long–term goal will be to create a strong and solid foundation for CTE in Minnesota at the state and local levels.

The following sections of this document will address: Program Administration under a New Consortium Structure; Service to Special Populations; Accountability and Evaluation; Tech Prep Programming; Financial Requirements and Edgar Certifications. The rest of this section will discuss planning, coordination, and collaboration prior to plan submission.

Public Hearings. The State conducted four regional public hearings on the State Plan, and one public hearing that was broadcast electronically thoughout the state. These public hearings were held on the following dates:

• February 7, 2008 ––– Bemidji
• February 13, 2008 ––– Mankato
• February 19, 2008 ––– Anoka
• February 20, 2008 ––– MnSAT Satellite Broadcast
• February 21, 2008 ––– Duluth

Each hearing began with a presentation on key elements of the State Plan with particular emphasis on programs of study and the new consortium structure. Participants were then engaged in dialogue with State Perkins staff responding to questions about the state’s proposed CTE plan.