career and technical education (CTE) pathways

Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways offer the opportunity for practical experience. Pre-requisite coursework starts in the 9th grade, so course planning with the counseling team and teachers offers students the opportunity to expand on these pathways. As students reach their junior and senior year, they may be offered internships in an area business as the culmination of their study in these areas. Students may also consider pursuing industry recognized credentials through these programs and our partnerships with local higher educational institutions.

Students may earn recognition through career and technical education programs.

CTE Completers

This is a student who has completed a minimum of three (3) secondary level credits in a single CTE pathway, with at least two (2) of those credits being a combination of technical and application level courses.

A completer must also earn or complete at least one or more of the following:

Earn an end of pathway assessment/certification for completer status (industry-recognized certification or a passing score on a third-party, end-of-pathway assessment).
Earn an Excel in CTE qualifying recognized credential aligned to the pathway.
Earn nine (9) + college hours leading to completion of a certificate or post-secondary program aligned to the pathway’s program of study.
Complete a high-quality work-based learning career preparation experience, Kansas work-based learning continuum, in the pathway defined in Kansas Work-Based Learning: Personalized Learning Plan Guidance Document (ksde.org).

CTE Concentrator

This is a student who has earned two (2) or more secondary level credits in a single CTE pathway, which are a combination of at least two of the three levels: Introductory, technical and application and meets a 70% proficiency on a technical skills assessment measured by the average of the letter grades, an average percentage on end-of-course assessments, or on the competency profile.

CTE Scholar

The KS CTE Scholar annual award recognizes students who have indicated a well-rounded demonstration of knowledge and skill according to their experiences within career and technical education. Achievement by senior students indicates academic achievement, CTE knowledge with excellence, community engagement through leadership demonstration, documentation of skill attainment and ability to verbal their career vision. For more information, please visit the Kansas Department of Education.