Located in:
b. 8. The State Plan Must Describe How the Eligible State Agency Will Provide Local Educational Agencies, Area Career and Technical Education Schools, and Eligible Institutions in the State with Technical Assistance. (section 122(c)(15))
Current Narrative:
Secondary: The Minnesota Department of Education maintains program specialists in five career and technical education fields who also serve as regional contacts for all career and technical education programming under the Perkins Act. These individuals will be first contacts for providing technical assistance, and will bring issues to the State career and technical education team so that recurring needs are addressed in a timely manner and in a consistent fashion.
Postsecondary: The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Office has two full–time program directors, who report to the State Director of Career and Technical Education. In addition, several other staff from other divisions in the Office of the Chancellor have responsibility in the areas of accountability and finance. All these individuals work with perkins–eligible colleges and Perkins consortia to improve programs and services eligible under the Perkins Act.
Joint Perkins IV Planning: Staff members from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Office of the Chancellor have met regularly for nearly two years to plan for Perkins IV. A Leadership Team comprised of senior administrative staff representing state level agencies responsible for secondary and postsecondary CTE and including the State Director for CTE has also met regularly. The Leadership Team has conceptualized and approved the new direction Minnesota will take under Perkins IV.
With the Perkins Act now enacted, the joint planning has focused on Basic and Tech Prep local planning. The joint planning has resulted in all recipients, Secondary Basic, Postsecondary Basic, and Tech Prep, using the same format for the local application and a common operational handbook. Frequently asked questions (FAQs), be they from secondary or postsecondary, are answered in a single document. All documents, materials and resources produced in preparation for informing local eligible recipients on the intent of the new law, Minnesota’s new direction, Minnesota’s five Perkins IV goals, and Minnesota’s rationale for the new consortium structure are available on www.cte.mnscu.edu.
Future Planning and Technical Assistance: Formal training sessions have been provided on local plan development in five regions of the state. Additional sessions are planned on partnership building, programs of study, technical skill attainment, and accountability. Training on other topics will be provided as needed. Individual assistance will be provided as requested or will be scheduled for each consortium.