CTE Curriculum Development in Ohio

Indiana has established one of the Midwest's most structured and industry-aligned CTE systems, offering programs through comprehensive high schools, career and technical education centers, and a strong network of Ivy Tech Community College campuses. The state organizes its CTE programs around career clusters and defined pathways that map directly to Indiana's high-demand industries, including advanced manufacturing, life sciences, logistics, and healthcare. Indiana's CTE model is distinguished by its emphasis on employer-driven program design. The state's Next Level Programs of Study initiative provides detailed frameworks that connect secondary coursework to postsecondary credentials and career entry points, with program standards validated by Indiana-based employers. This approach ensures that CTE graduates are equipped with the specific skills that Hoosier employers need. The state has also invested in expanding its career scholarship and certification programs, providing financial incentives for students who complete approved CTE pathways and earn industry-recognized credentials. Indiana's Graduation Pathways model integrates CTE completion as one of the primary routes to earning a high school diploma.

Kentucky's Career and Technical Education system serves students through a comprehensive network that includes area technology centers, comprehensive high schools, and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). The state organizes its CTE programs around 14 career clusters and more than 70 career pathways, reflecting Kentucky's diverse economic landscape that spans advanced manufacturing, healthcare, energy, agriculture, and logistics. Kentucky's area technology centers are a distinguishing feature of the state's CTE delivery model, providing specialized facilities and instruction to students from multiple sending school districts. These centers, operated by the Kentucky Department of Education, offer programs in high-demand fields that require expensive equipment and specialized instructors that individual districts might not be able to support. The state has made significant investments in CTE through its career readiness initiatives, which have elevated CTE as a core component of Kentucky's education strategy. The state's accountability system recognizes CTE pathway completion and industry certification attainment as key measures of school and district performance.

Michigan's Career and Technical Education system is deeply intertwined with the state's industrial heritage and evolving economic landscape. As a state historically defined by advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry, Michigan has developed CTE programs that reflect both its traditional strengths and emerging sectors like mobility technology, cybersecurity, and clean energy. The state delivers CTE through a combination of local school districts, career technical education centers, and intermediate school districts that serve regional communities. Michigan's CTE system serves students at both the secondary and postsecondary levels, with strong articulation pathways connecting high school programs to community colleges and universities. Michigan has been proactive in modernizing its CTE offerings, launching initiatives like the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance to strengthen connections between education and industry. The state's Going PRO campaign has helped elevate the perception of skilled trades and technical careers, addressing workforce shortages in critical sectors.

Pennsylvania operates one of the nation's most extensive career and technical education systems, with a network of 85 career and technical centers (CTCs) and over 170 approved CTE programs serving more than 180,000 students annually. The state's CTE infrastructure reflects its industrial heritage while evolving to meet the demands of a modern, knowledge-based economy. Pennsylvania's CTE system is organized through area career and technical centers, which serve students from multiple sending school districts, and through comprehensive high school programs that offer CTE within the traditional school setting. This dual-delivery model ensures broad access to career-technical education across the state's diverse communities. The state has made significant investments in modernizing CTE programs, particularly in high-growth sectors such as healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and energy. Pennsylvania's Industry Partnerships and the state's workforce development network collaborate closely with CTE to ensure that programs prepare students for in-demand careers in the Commonwealth.

West Virginia's career and technical education system serves approximately 42,000 secondary students through programs offered in comprehensive high schools, career and technical education centers, and multi-county vocational centers across the state's 55 counties. CTE plays a particularly vital role in West Virginia's education and economic development strategy, as the state works to diversify its economy beyond traditional extractive industries. West Virginia's CTE programs are organized around career clusters and pathways that align with the state's economic priorities, including healthcare, energy and petrochemicals, advanced manufacturing, technology, and tourism. The state has invested in modernizing CTE programs to prepare students for emerging industries while maintaining strong programs in traditional sectors that remain important to the state's economy. The Simulated Workplace initiative is a hallmark of West Virginia's CTE system, transforming CTE classrooms into functioning businesses where students experience real-world workplace protocols, including drug testing, attendance policies, performance evaluations, and team-based projects. This innovative approach has been widely recognized for its effectiveness in developing workplace readiness skills.