CTE Glossary
Navigate the complex world of Career and Technical Education with our comprehensive glossary. Whether you're a CTE director, superintendent, or curriculum coordinator, understanding these key terms is essential for building effective programs.
20 terms
Articulation Agreements
Articulation agreements are formal partnerships between secondary and postsecondary institutions that allow CTE students to earn college credit for coursework completed in high school. These agreements define how high school CTE courses align with college-level courses and establish the conditions under which credit transfers.
ProgrammaticCareer and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs)
Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) are national organizations that provide CTE students with opportunities for leadership development, competitive events, community service, and career preparation. Recognized CTSOs include DECA, FBLA, FFA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, and TSA, each serving students in specific career cluster areas.
ProgrammaticCareer Clusters
Career Clusters are a nationally recognized framework that organizes career and technical education into broad groupings of related occupational areas. Developed by Advance CTE, this system helps students explore career options and allows educators to structure CTE programs around industry sectors such as Health Science, Digital Technology, and Manufacturing. The framework was modernized in 2024 from 16 clusters and 79 pathways to 14 clusters and 72 sub-clusters.
ProgrammaticCompetency-Based Education
Competency-Based Education (CBE) is an instructional approach where students advance by demonstrating mastery of specific knowledge and skills rather than by accumulating seat time. In CTE, CBE aligns naturally with industry expectations, as employers value demonstrated competency over time spent in training.
AssessmentComprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA)
The Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) is a required analysis under Perkins V that local recipients must conduct every two years. The CLNA examines student performance, labor market data, program quality, equity gaps, and stakeholder input to guide CTE program planning and funding decisions.
OperationalCTE Advisory Committee
A CTE Advisory Committee is a group of community stakeholders, primarily employers and industry representatives, who provide guidance and recommendations to CTE programs. Advisory committees help ensure that curriculum, equipment, and instruction remain aligned with current industry practices and local workforce needs.
OperationalCTE Concentrator / CTE Completer
CTE concentrators and completers are classification levels that identify how deeply a student has engaged in a CTE program. Under Perkins V, a concentrator has completed a specified number of CTE credits in a single career pathway, while a completer has finished all courses in a program of study, often earning an industry-recognized credential.
AssessmentCTE Curriculum Frameworks
CTE curriculum frameworks are structured documents that outline the essential content, competencies, and learning outcomes for CTE programs within specific career areas. Developed at the state or national level, these frameworks guide local curriculum development by defining what students should know and be able to do upon completing a CTE program.
ProgrammaticCTE Pathways
CTE Pathways are structured sequences of courses within a Career Cluster that prepare students for a specific group of related occupations. Pathways combine academic and technical instruction, providing a clear roadmap from introductory courses through advanced, specialized training aligned with industry standards and postsecondary opportunities.
ProgrammaticCTE Program Approval
CTE program approval is the state-level process through which career and technical education programs are reviewed, authorized, and periodically renewed. Approved status is typically required for programs to receive state and federal CTE funding, count students as CTE participants, and award CTE credits recognized by the state.
OperationalCTE Teacher Certification
CTE teacher certification encompasses the credentials, licenses, and pathways required for individuals to teach career and technical education courses. Unlike traditional teacher certification, CTE often provides alternative pathways for industry professionals to enter teaching, recognizing that relevant work experience and technical expertise are essential qualifications.
WorkforceCTE Teacher Shortage
The CTE teacher shortage refers to the persistent and growing difficulty of recruiting and retaining qualified career and technical education teachers. Driven by competition with higher-paying industry positions, complex certification requirements, and increasing CTE enrollment demand, the shortage affects nearly every state and career cluster area.
WorkforceDual Enrollment CTE
Dual enrollment in CTE allows high school students to simultaneously earn both high school and college credit by taking postsecondary CTE courses. This arrangement reduces time and cost for students pursuing postsecondary credentials while strengthening the secondary-to-postsecondary pipeline within CTE programs of study.
ProgrammaticEmployability Skills
Employability skills, also called soft skills, workplace readiness skills, or 21st-century skills, are the non-technical competencies that employers consistently identify as essential for workplace success. These include communication, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, professionalism, and adaptability, which CTE programs are expected to develop alongside technical skills.
WorkforceIndustry Certifications in CTE
Industry certifications in CTE are credentials issued by industry organizations or third-party bodies that validate a student's mastery of specific technical skills and knowledge. Examples include CompTIA A+, AWS Certified Welder, and ServSafe, which demonstrate career readiness to employers in ways that transcend state and district boundaries.
AssessmentIndustry-Recognized Credentials
Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRCs) are certifications, licenses, or other formal recognitions of an individual's qualifications that are valued by employers within a specific industry. In CTE, IRCs serve as portable evidence of student competency and are a key Perkins V accountability metric measuring program effectiveness.
AssessmentPerkins V / Perkins Act
The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) is the primary federal legislation funding and governing CTE programs. Signed into law in 2018, it authorizes approximately $1.3 billion annually for states to develop, improve, and expand CTE programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand occupations.
LegislationProgram of Study
A Program of Study (POS) is a coordinated, non-duplicative sequence of academic and CTE courses that spans secondary through postsecondary education. Required under Perkins V, a POS integrates academic content with CTE instruction, includes work-based learning, and leads to an industry-recognized credential or postsecondary degree.
ProgrammaticStandards Alignment
Standards alignment in CTE refers to the process of ensuring that curriculum, instruction, and assessments directly connect to and address state-adopted CTE standards, academic standards, and industry-recognized competencies. Proper alignment ensures students develop the specific knowledge and skills their state requires for career readiness.
ProgrammaticWork-Based Learning
Work-Based Learning (WBL) encompasses a range of educational strategies that connect classroom instruction with real workplace experiences. Activities include internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing, clinical rotations, and cooperative education, all designed to help CTE students apply technical skills in authentic industry settings.
ProgrammaticHave questions about CTE terminology?
Our team can help you navigate the complexities of CTE curriculum development.