Common state standards are nothing new to the field of education, but until recently one area did not have a set of standards to call their own: Career and Technical Education. With guidance from the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium, or NASDCTEc, the standards were created as the result of input from people working in education and business throughout 42 states.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the purpose of Career and Technical Education (CTE) “is to provide individuals with opportunities throughout their lifetimes to develop, in conjunction with other education and training programs, the knowledge and skills needed to keep Pennsylvania’s workforce competitive.”

President Obama has announced his budget requests for education in the upcoming year, including his request for Career and Technical Education.

Imagine a learning environment where teachers can help facilitate learning, while students use creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research, critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making, concepts and technology operations to show mastery of material and help facilitate the learning environment. This environment is a prime example of the NETS•S, educational technology standards integrated into the curriculum that allow students to effectively learn and be successful in a digital world. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) recently updated these educational technology standards (referred to as the NETS) in order to reflect the rapid changes in technology and instruction (International Society for Technology in Education, 2010).

Educators spend time getting to know their students and helping them to develop the knowledge and skills that will help them become successful in the real world. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to teach my students over a three-year period, watching them grow and mature from high school sophomores into seniors ready to take on the world. For this reason, there is a bond that develops not only between myself and the students, but also among the students themselves. After they graduate, each student goes off on their chosen path, but many still keep in contact. What has the greatest impact on me as a teacher, however, is hearing how a former student has applied one of the “life lessons” that they learned in my classroom.

As a dedicated advocate of Career and Technical Education, I have had the opportunity to speak with many local government politicians about the general public misperception of what CTE can provide for students. As a strong believer that all it takes to bring about change is getting the right people to listen, I was fortunate enough to speak with PA State Representatives Bernie O'Neill (29th Legislative District), Steve Santarsiero (31st Legislative District), Marguerite Quinn (143rd Legislative District) and Paul Clymer (145th Legislative District) during recent visits to my classroom. Rep. Clymer serves as chairman of the House Education Committee, and after our conversation about the current state of CTE in Pennsylvania, I invited him to meet with my administrative director and I to further discuss the need for change in the funding and public perception of CTE. Without hesitation we went immediately to her office. After only a few minutes, Rep. Clymer suggested holding a meeting of the PA House Education Committee at our school.