Because high school offers most students their last chance at free education, one Washington district has taken its apprenticeship programs to a higher level.
Repairs that require software updates and wrenches compel career and technical education administrators to buy more expensive tools and technology. And in the coming years, the spread of electric and driverless cars will only put more pressure on educators to keep the curriculum and equipment current.
Pinellas County Schools was recognized as one of DA's Districts of Distinction for a Personalized Learning Pathway initiative in which students created a digital platform to make learning accessible anytime, anywhere.
Enthusiasm and inquiry—not standardized testing anxiety—should drive learning. This belief led an Indiana district to turn an old swimming pool into The Imagination Lab.
A student expressing early interest in a career as an auto technician can begin investigating the inner workings of vehicles without getting their hands dirty—all through virtual reality.
Start with less teacher talk and more student-centered learning, says guest columnist Matthew X. Joseph, the director of curriculum, instruction and assessment at Leicester Public Schools in Massachusetts and a featured speaker at DA's FETC 2020.
Former administrator Mike Schmoker offers a warning: Research shows little evidence that many current educational fads have significantly improved achievement. At DA's September summit for chief academic officers, he will tell curriculum directors what they should prioritize.
