Answers to CTE Questions

Hi Kevin

Okay, here we go.

1) CEPD Administrator packages with all the letters for the CEPD were sent out Friday, 2/8. Letters to fiscal superintendents were deliberately held until 2/13 to ensure CEPD Administrators received their packets PRIOR to the fiscal superintendent. (Just in case someone wonders why letters were sent to fiscal superintendents, we must follow Added Cost protocol, because these are the agencies that receive the funds and are also the agencies responsible for the required data collection and other reporting).

2) We have requested an abbreviated application in order to ensure that the program will meet the requirements for the CIP that is being requested. I think that is reasonable. If March 14 is a hardship, administrators should contact Glenna Zollinger-Russell as the letters indicate. This information has been included in the updates for the past few months as well as in the Standards Brief.

3) Depending on which CIP is involved, certification is a consideration in changing CIP codes. We are working with the Office of Professional Preparation (teacher cert) to address certification issues and we are very sensitive to the need for future change. If there is a concern, please have administrators contact the appropriate pathway/program consultant and we will work individually with those who have an issue.

4) The standards initiative has driven changes to the CIP codes. As we went through the standards identification process, there were some CIP areas where we could not find identifiable standards. Or, as in the case of IT, it was because we needed more CIP codes to accommodate the increase and the variety of standards because of the many specializations. We do not have a CIP for Integrated Manufacturing. If the questions are referring to Precision Production, there were no clear standards available. As an aside to this item on Advanced Manufacturing, I would like to quote Fred Stanley. We were discussing Advanced Manufacturing as referred to by Governor Granholm: “When I use that term, I am referring to “mechatronics” which is the integration of several manufacturing disciplines to accomplish a complex task. The only program that we currently have on the books that even comes close to that is “Electro-Mechanical Technology” 15.0403.” That program is very different from Precision Production.

I mentioned previously that we do, indeed, need to get some folks together regarding Added Cost and doing some things differently, but it won’t be until summer. As far as the CIP reconfiguration, it is not me who is worried about the skills being pushed to the postsecondary level – I do not believe that will happen – I have heard that comment from people in the field. I also know that there are quite a few people out there who would object to 16 broad clusters because the specific technical skills would be lost and our programs would lose respectability with our industry and business partners. But we are open to discussion on a variety of issues and look forward to beginning some dialogue.

I hope this helps you to communicate these things to your members. In addition, encourage people to read the letters and other communications that come from our office and to share them with the appropriate folks. And I would also encourage your members to read the other communications from our office – the Update, the Standards Brief and the upcoming Spotlight on CTE.

Best of luck, Kevin. Let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.

Patty