CTE Curriculum Development in Colorado

Kansas has built a well-organized CTE system centered around its Pathways Model, which provides structured sequences of courses that prepare students for specific career fields. The state organizes its CTE programs around career clusters and pathways that align with Kansas's economic strengths in agriculture, aviation and aerospace manufacturing, healthcare, and energy. The Kansas State Department of Education oversees secondary CTE, while the Kansas Board of Regents supports postsecondary CTE through the state's community and technical colleges. Kansas has been nationally recognized for its implementation of the Pathways Model, which requires students to complete a coherent sequence of CTE courses along with related academic coursework and work-based learning experiences. This structured approach ensures that CTE participants develop both the technical and academic skills needed for career success. The state has also invested in developing strong connections between secondary and postsecondary CTE, with extensive articulation agreements and dual enrollment options that enable students to accumulate college credits while in high school. Kansas's Excel in CTE initiative provides tuition assistance for high school students taking CTE courses at postsecondary institutions.

Nebraska's Career and Technical Education system provides students with structured pathways to careers across the state's diverse economy. The Nebraska Department of Education oversees secondary CTE programs delivered through local school districts, while postsecondary CTE is offered through the Nebraska State College System and community colleges. The state organizes its CTE programs around the Nebraska Career Education model, which groups career pathways into career fields aligned with the state's workforce needs. Agriculture remains a foundational element of Nebraska's CTE system, reflecting the state's position as a major agricultural producer, but programs in healthcare, business, information technology, and skilled trades have grown significantly. Nebraska has emphasized building strong connections between secondary and postsecondary CTE programs, with dual enrollment and articulation agreements that allow students to earn college credit while still in high school. The state's focus on career-ready graduates has driven investments in work-based learning, industry certifications, and employer partnerships.

New Mexico's Career and Technical Education system serves a diverse student population across a geographically vast state with unique economic and cultural characteristics. CTE programs operate through local school districts, regional education cooperatives, and postsecondary institutions, with a focus on preparing students for careers in the state's key industries. The state's economy is shaped by distinctive sectors including energy (oil, gas, and renewable), federal research laboratories, military installations, agriculture, healthcare, and tourism. New Mexico's CTE programs reflect these economic drivers while also addressing the workforce needs of tribal communities and rural areas that comprise much of the state. New Mexico has placed particular emphasis on serving its culturally diverse student population, including significant Native American and Hispanic communities. The state's CTE system incorporates cultural responsiveness into program design and works to ensure that career pathways are accessible to students in every corner of the state.

Utah's career and technical education system serves approximately 155,000 secondary students across the state's school districts and charter schools. The state's CTE programs are organized around eight career pathways that align with Utah's economic priorities, including technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and natural resources. Utah has distinguished itself through strong connections between CTE and the state's thriving technology sector, often referred to as the Silicon Slopes corridor. CTE programs in information technology, computer science, and engineering benefit from partnerships with leading technology companies headquartered in the state, providing students with access to internships, mentorships, and cutting-edge equipment. The state's CTE system also benefits from Utah's unique educational governance structure, which integrates secondary and postsecondary CTE under a coordinated framework. This coordination facilitates smooth transitions between high school CTE programs and postsecondary technical education, with strong articulation agreements and concurrent enrollment options available statewide.

Wyoming's career and technical education system serves approximately 15,000 secondary students across the state's 48 school districts. As the least populous state in the nation, Wyoming's CTE system is designed to maximize program quality and access despite the challenges posed by vast geographic distances and small student populations. Wyoming's CTE programs are aligned with the state's key economic sectors, including energy, agriculture and ranching, healthcare, construction, and tourism. The state's energy sector, encompassing coal, oil, natural gas, and increasingly wind energy, drives significant demand for CTE programs in energy technology, heavy equipment operation, and related fields. The state's CTE system benefits from strong connections with the University of Wyoming and the state's seven community colleges, which provide postsecondary pathways and dual enrollment opportunities for secondary CTE students. Wyoming has also invested in distance learning technologies and mobile CTE labs to extend program access to students in remote communities.