The State Board of Education heard an update on an upcoming transition from a current interim advisory committee to an appointed advisory council on career and technical education on Tuesday. Members of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) staff and Dr. Don Claycomb, former president of State Technical College of Missouri, presented the upcoming changes.

Due to the passage of Senate Bills 620 and 582 during the latest legislative cycle, the work of the Department’s interim CTE Advisory Committee – which was convened to provide input and recommendations regarding secondary, postsecondary, and adult CTE programs and services – will evolve into a new council appointed by Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. The previous committee met quarterly and was comprised of representatives from area career centers, high schools, community colleges, State Technical College of Missouri and four-year universities.

“With the ever-growing focus on school and work partnerships in Missouri, we are thrilled to have such dedicated professionals working with the Department to enhance CTE curriculum throughout the state,” said Blaine Henningsen, assistant commissioner of the Office of College and Career Readiness.

Commissioner Vandeven has made 11 appointments to the 18-member Advisory Council:

• Roger Barnes, superintendent, Chillicothe R-II School District
• Mitch Comer, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) & industrial technology instructor, Camdenton High School
• Brian Crouse, vice president of education, Missouri Chamber of Commerce
• Brad Deken, professor and chair of the Department of Polytechnic Students, Southeast Missouri State University
• John Gaal, director of training and workforce development, St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council
• Sarrah Morgan, director, Lex-La-Ray Technical Center
• Raghib Muhammad, marketing teacher, McCluer South-Berkeley High School
• Brian Noller, director, Northland Career Center
• Vicki Schwinke, dean of academic and student affairs, State Technical College of Missouri
• Eddie Stephens, associate vice president of career and technical education, Crowder College
• David Webb, vice president of credit, FCS Financial

In addition, four members from the General Assembly (yet to be appointed) and three non-voting ex-officio members will also be included as part of the council.

The CTE Advisory Council will initially be tasked with creating requirements for a CTE certificate that a student can earn in addition to his or her high school diploma. Beginning with the 2017-18 academic year, students who enter high school will have the opportunity to earn the newly-developed CTE certificate.