Programs of Study Amended Narrative

              Programs of Study – Amended Narrative
Illinois is addressing the deficiency noted in the letter date June 14, 2007 from Sharon Miller, Director of the Division of Academic and Technical Education of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education at the United States Department of Education. Below describes:
The career and technical education programs of study, that may be adopted by local educational agencies and postsecondary institutions to be offered as an option to students(and their parents as appropriate) when planning for and completing future coursework, for career and technical content areas that—
Response
Illinois secondary and postsecondary education will organize programs of study around the sixteen Career Clusters. To ensure success, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Community College Board will partner to develop sample programs of study that may be adopted by the local education agencies and postsecondary institutions. This endeavor will also require Illinois to provide written and active guidance for local education agencies on strategies to engage all the necessary partners, fostering a collaborative approach to implementation of the programs of study; including and emphasizing academic and career and technical courses that a student may use in planning for specific careers within a career pathway. The encouraged program of study will start no later than the ninth grade and continue through at least two years of postsecondary education, ensuring that the learner masters all the foundation and pathway knowledge and skills.
Statewide and local collaboration will be facilitated to determine the programs of study the state will develop and make available for our Education for Employment Regional Delivery Systems (consortia of schools) and postsecondary institutions.
Programs of study targeted for development will have an advisory committee that is comprised of the following partners:
• academic and technical education to facilitate interdisciplinary cooperation in curriculum integration,
• secondary and postsecondary education to ensure smooth transition from secondary to postsecondary education without duplication or remediation; and
• business and industry representatives to ensure industry standards are incorporated and emerging trends anticipated.
A guide will be developed to assist Education for Employment Regional delivery Systems (consortia of schools) and postsecondary institutions their implementation of the programs of study at the local level. This guide will include strategies to assist in:
• Developing/Adopting Programs of Study,