CTE Curriculum Development in Missouri

Arkansas operates a comprehensive Career and Technical Education system that serves students through secondary programs in public schools and a robust network of postsecondary institutions. The state's CTE offerings are organized around 16 career clusters and more than 90 individual programs of study that prepare students for high-demand careers in Arkansas. The Arkansas Division of Career and Technical Education works closely with the state's two-year colleges and technical institutes to create seamless pathways from high school through postsecondary credentials and into the workforce. Arkansas has made significant investments in CTE program quality, including competitive grant programs for equipment upgrades and facility improvements. Arkansas has also been a leader in the region for integrating computer science education into its CTE offerings, requiring all high schools to offer computer science courses and embedding digital literacy across career pathways.

Illinois operates a large and diverse CTE system that serves students through comprehensive high schools, area career centers, community colleges, and regional delivery systems. The state organizes its CTE programs around career clusters and pathways aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and the national Career Clusters Framework, with particular strength in manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and agriculture. The Illinois CTE system reflects the state's economic diversity, from the advanced financial services and technology sectors of the Chicago metropolitan area to the agricultural and manufacturing base of central and southern Illinois. The state supports CTE through multiple funding streams, including dedicated state CTE funding and federal Perkins dollars administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. Illinois has been a leader in the Midwest in developing career pathway systems that connect secondary CTE with community college programs and four-year institutions, creating clear routes from high school through credentials and degrees into careers. The state's Education Career Pathway models provide frameworks for building these connections across regions.

Iowa's Career and Technical Education system is organized through a strong partnership between the Iowa Department of Education and the state's 15 community college regions, which serve as the primary delivery mechanism for both secondary and postsecondary CTE. This regional model ensures that CTE programming is connected to local labor market needs while maintaining statewide quality standards. The state organizes its CTE programs around six service areas that correspond to broad career fields: Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Business, Finance, Marketing and Management; Health Science; Human Services; Applied Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing; and Information Solutions. Iowa's CTE system is deeply connected to the state's economic strengths in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, insurance and financial services, and renewable energy. Iowa has been a leader in the Midwest in developing secondary-postsecondary CTE partnerships, with extensive concurrent enrollment and articulation agreements that allow high school students to earn college credits in CTE courses. The state's Regional Planning Partnership model brings together secondary schools, community colleges, employers, and economic development organizations to plan and coordinate CTE programming.

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.

Oklahoma's career and technology education system is recognized nationally for its comprehensive approach to preparing students for both college and career success. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) oversees a statewide network of technology center districts and comprehensive school programs that serve over 130,000 secondary and adult students each year. The state's CareerTech system operates through 29 technology center districts with 59 campuses, providing hands-on training in more than 90 career majors. Oklahoma's technology centers are distinctive in that they serve both secondary students who attend part-time and adult learners seeking new skills or career changes, creating a uniquely integrated approach to workforce development. Oklahoma has consistently invested in aligning its CareerTech programs with state economic priorities, including aerospace, energy, agriculture, and healthcare. The state's strong industry partnerships ensure that program content remains relevant and that students have access to internships, apprenticeships, and job placement services upon completion.