Administrator Resources

Evaluating & Improving CTE Programs in Your School

Resources that can be used to strengthen CTE

Since IL does not have a defined set of State CTE Standards YET, our office  recommends evaluating HS CTE programs using the following IL-based tools:


How well does your school implement IL Essential Employability Skills in CTE classes? https://www.illinoisworknet.com/DownloadPrint/ILEssentialEmployabilitySkills-Handout.pdf

**A great way to evaluate and improve this is by reviewing your implementation of SEL.  Use this CROSSWALK to help you meet the needs of your students.

 Essential Skills & ISBE SEL Standards Crosswalk - Unit Planning - Template


We also suggest that schools use the Program Quality Review Tools to help evaluate and improve CTE programs....This review process will be required by ISBE through EFE Offices in the near future.

CTE PQR Fillable Template


More detailed information on PQR is on the ISBE Career and Technical Education website, https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Career-Technical-Education.aspx,  Under Programs Of Study at the bottom of the page.  The PQR is currently in Pilot mode, but many of these questions are now being asked of schools in a bi-annual Local Needs Assessment.

Other resources that can be used to strengthen CTE

Common Career Technical Core (CCTC)  set by the ACTE.   CCTC Standards overview are here.

Common Career Technical Core by clusters from ACTE are HERE.

Lots of information can be found on the ACTE website, www.careertech.org.

Career Ready Practices Highlights ACTE's research for 12 Career Readiness skills that should be included in Academic and CTE classes for all students.

Industry-Based Standards used by ACTE in Evaluating CTE Standards are found starting on page 4 of this document. This table lists the Organizations referenced for specific standards and are not all-encompassing of the CTE Programs offered.

ISBE - Career and Technical Education Website

This is the link to ISBE's CTE webpage.  Click the link to view curriculum resources, the new Career Guide, course codes and descriptions, and many other items.  

https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Career-Technical-Education.aspx 

Computer Science Requirements 2023-2024

With the new statewide Computer Science requirement for 2023-2024 - ISBE has issued a Computer Science Crosswalk to help schools determine if a course currently taught in their district qualifies.  Computer Science has to be OFFERED starting with freshmen in the 2023-2024 school year

Note: this is different from Computer Literacy which is a graduation requirement starting 2022-2023

Check out the ISBE form HERE.

Graduation Requirements

ISBE has updated the link for the new Graduation Requirements Crosswalk - you can find it HERE.

Statewide CTE Evaluation Completed in CY2022