The career and technical education program approval process has been successful in establishing high-quality programs across New York State. I want to thank all of the BOCES and school districts that have gone through the process for their diligence and thoroughness in assessing their CTE programs. I encourage school districts that have not yet participated to consider the benefits of this process to their students and their programs. I especially encourage schools with a Business Education, Family and Consumer Science and/or Technology Education sequences to investigate this opportunity.

One of the key components of this process is that all students in a program are treated equitably and fairly. Under Section 100.2(w) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, all students who participate in an approved CTE program at a BOCES must receive an equal number of credits for the completion of these courses. This credit determination was put forth in my February 2001 field memorandum announcing the Regents policy on Career and Technical Education and further defined in the School Executive’s Bulletin in April 2002.

The BOCES consults with component school districts during the program approval process and prior to establishing the units of study. Approval by the State Education Department of the career and technical education program affirms that this allocation of credit is appropriate. Boards of Education must award credit in the amount determined by the BOCES in consultation with their component districts and approved by the Department. While the distribution of these credits is under the purview of the component district, districts are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the integrated or specialized offerings at the BOCES as they provide additional flexibility in a student’s schedule for elective courses or remediation.

If you have any questions about the CTE Program Approval Process, I invite you to call the CTE Team at (518) 486-1547 or visit the web site at http://www.nysed.gov/career-technical-education.