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Texas
School Performance Review
Port Arthur
Independent School District
Chapter
3
CAREER, TECHNOLOGY AND SCHOOL-TO-WORK INITIATIVES
Table of Contents:
A. Organization, Planning and Management
B. Student Performance
C. Curriculum and Instruction
D. Special Education
E. Career, Technology and School-to-Work Initiatives
F. Gifted and Talented
G. Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL)
Career, Technology, and School-to-Work programs are designed to prepare all students for career and job opportunities upon graduation from high school, a post-secondary training institution, or a university. A well-rounded Career and Technology program provides information on many different career options and opportunities for students to develop specific job skills. In addition, effective programs address the skills outlined by the 1991 SCANS report, such as basic skills, leadership, self-management, problem-solving, and technology.
The federal School-to-Work initiative provides funding to schools and districts so that educational institutions can determine the needs of their local economies and develop career awareness and development programs to help meet those needs. Also, federal Tech Prep programs augment schools' career programs by encouraging collaboration between public school districts and higher education institutions. Tech Prep programs allow students to earn high school and college credit for Career and Technology courses, encouraging their movement into higher education while providing them with marketable skills.
CURRENT SITUATION
PAISD provides vocational education programs at its Stilwell Technical Center. Once accepted at Stilwell, students take courses for a half-day and either attend classes at their home school or work at jobs related to their vocational curriculum for the remainder of the day. Exhibit 3-20 shows the courses offered through Stilwell Technical Center, the grades levels served, and which programs include internships, in which students receive on-the-job training and, in some cases, certification documenting their mastery of job skills.
Exhibit 3-20
PAISD Career And Technology Courses
1997-98
|
Course
|
Grades
|
Students can receive Certification after Completion
|
Internships are Available
|
| Auto Technician
|
11th and 12th
|
No
|
No
|
| Auto Collision Repair
|
11th and 12th
|
No
|
Sometimes
|
| Business Office Services
|
10-12th Resource Students
|
No
|
No
|
| Criminal Justice
|
12th
|
No
|
No
|
| Cosmetology
|
11th and 12th
|
Yes
|
No
|
| Homemaking
|
10-12th At-risk Students
|
No
|
No
|
| Drafting
|
11th and 12th
|
No
|
No
|
| Health Occupation
|
11th and 12th
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Machine Shop
|
11th and 12th
|
No
|
No
|
| Office Administration
|
11th and 12th
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Welding
|
11th and 12th
|
No
|
Sometimes
|
Source: Stilwell Center Staff Interviews, 1997-98.
In general, enrollment at Stilwell has increased significantly over time, but enrollment in select courses such as auto technician and drafting has declined (Exhibit 3-21).
Exhibit 3-21
Stilwell Technical Center Course Enrollment
1994-95 Through 1996-97 School Year
| Course
|
Enrollment 94-95
|
Enrollment
95-96
|
Enrollment
96-97
|
Enrollment Change
|
| Auto Technician
|
29
|
31
|
24
|
-5
|
| Auto Collision Repair
|
26
|
20
|
27
|
+1
|
| Business Office Services
|
11
|
24
|
16
|
+5
|
| Criminal Justice
|
16
|
26
|
42
|
+26
|
| Cosmetology
|
23
|
28
|
33
|
+10
|
| Homemaking
|
21
|
29
|
30
|
+9
|
| Drafting
|
30
|
21
|
25
|
-5
|
| Health Occupation
|
115
|
120
|
94
|
-21
|
| Machine Shop
|
15
|
21
|
27
|
+12
|
| Office Administration
|
61
|
65
|
76
|
+15
|
| Welding
|
19
|
16
|
19
|
0
|
| Total
|
366
|
401
|
413
|
+47
|
Source: Stilwell Enrollment Data, 1994-1997.
FINDING
Due to changes in central administration in recent years the assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction manages the entire Pre-K-12 instructional delivery system in addition to guidance services. Consequently, minimal attention is given to the district's guidance functions, and PAISD's guidance counselors have not had adequate opportunities to meet and plan comprehensive guidance services. Guidance counselors play a large role in student placement in vocational education programs. PAISD requires that all eighth-grade students have a four-year plan outlining their scope of work in high school and the programs they are likely to enter while completing their high school education.
PAISD lacks a comprehensive guidance program with a strong career development component for students. PAISD has not, for example, fully explored opportunities with the Southeast Texas School-to-Work Partnership to expand career awareness and develop curricula for students other than efforts made at PAISD's Stilwell Center. District administrators and guidance counselors point to a lack of leadership at the district level as the reason for inconsistent goals in the guidance program, and in particular an insufficient focus on career development. Some further indicated that middle school students, and ninth- and tenth-grade high schoolers have limited career awareness and few opportunities to explore career options.
The Southeast Texas School-to-Work Partnership conducts a needs assessment for its region of Texas that identifies area labor needs and suggests courses that would help address these needs. This information could be used to help determine the goals, objectives, content, activities, and assessments necessary for a comprehensive guidance program. In many guidance programs around the state, students at the elementary and middle school level have opportunities to participate in career awareness and investigation activities, so that when they reach high school level they are capable of making informed decisions about their career goals. Guidance counselors in these programs typically assist in implementing the career curriculum and support teachers in career development activities.
Recommendation 34:
Increase coordination of the guidance program and develop a comprehensive guidance plan containing a strong career development component.
PAISD and representatives from the Southeast Texas School-to-Work Partnership should work together to develop a guidance program that will target all K-12 students.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction works with the Southeast Texas School-to-Work Partnership to develop a comprehensive guidance plan containing a strong career development component.
|
July 1988
|
2. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction implements, evaluates, and revises the comprehensive guidance program annually.
|
Ongoing
|
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal implications would be associated with this recommendation.
FINDING
The Stilwell Technical Center works with the Southeast Texas School-To-Work Partnership and relies on the partnership's data to assess the local labor market and modify its courses as necessary.
Exhibit 3-22 shows the potential growth industries vital to the economic development of the Southeast Texas region versus courses offered at Stillwell for the particular industry. The industries are shown in rank order with industries having the greatest growth at the top; they were identified by the Southeast Texas School-To-Work Partnership based on regional, state, and national variables likely to affect employment trends in Southeast Texas.
Exhibit 3-22
Potential Growth Industries
| Growth Industries
|
PAISD Course is Offered
|
|
Health Services
|
Health Occupation
|
|
Business Services
|
Business Office Services
Office Administration
|
|
Special Trade Construction
|
No Course Offered
|
|
Social Services
|
No Course Offered
|
|
Eating/Drinking Places
|
Homemaking
|
|
Building Materials
|
Machine Shop
Welding
|
|
Trucking and Warehousing
|
No Course Offered
|
|
Auto Repair
|
Auto Technician
Auto Collision Repair
|
|
Legal Services
|
Criminal Justice
|
|
Engineering, Accounting Services
|
Computer-aided Drafting, Accounting
|
|
Miscellaneous. Retail
|
No Course Offered
|
|
Auto Dealers
|
No Course Offered
|
Source: Quality Workforce Planning, 1997.
In addition to coursework, Stilwell's students often are placed in internships to get hands-on experience while finishing their high school curriculum. Exhibit 3-23 shows the average response to questions on the Employer Survey Report required by the TEA, which is designed to assess the competency of students exiting career and technology programs. Employees of Stilwell students were to asked to respond to questions using a scale of one to five, with five being the highest rating.
Exhibit 3-23
Employer Survey Report
| Survey Item
|
Average Response
|
| Technical Knowledge
|
4.7
|
| Work Attitude
|
4.8
|
| Work Quality
|
4.9
|
Source: TEA Secondary and Adult Preparatory Program Completer Follow-up
and Employer Survey Report, 1996
Employers give high ratings to the level of preparedness provided to PAISD vocational education students. Follow-up reports also show that many of those who complete the program and graduate go on to post-secondary programs not related to their career and technology education. (Exhibit 3-24)
Exhibit 3-24
Completer Follow-Up Reports
|
|
1994-95
|
1995-96
|
|
Total Number of Completers
|
311
|
276
|
| Percent Employed in Related Field
|
16%
|
8%
|
| Percent Enrolled in Post Secondary Program Not Related
|
5%
|
50%
|
| In Training Related to Program
|
44%
|
0%
|
| Other Worksite Programs
|
11%
|
7%
|
| Information Not Available on Completer
|
24%
|
35%
|
Source: TEA Secondary and Adult Preparatory Program Completer Follow-up and
Employer Survey Report, 1996.
While having many students pursuing secondary education is desirable, it is significant that only 8 percent were employed in a related field. A needs assessment could determine why, if courses match the identified labor needs, so few students were employed in fields related to their preparatory programs. A comprehensive needs assessment also could help identify problems in placing students in careers and determine potential solutions. The outcome of this type of analysis should be a program that is better able to link students' educational curriculum to immediate employment opportunities.
Recommendation 35:
Conduct a needs assessment to identify gaps in the Career and Technology program and create necessary solutions.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction convenes a task force of parents, former students, guidance counselors, teachers, and the Texas School-to-Work Partnership to help identify problems in placing students into careers.
|
August 1998
|
2. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction works with TEA personnel to identify districts with similar student populations and greater success in placing students in careers.
|
August 1998
|
3. The task force develops a plan aimed at placing career and technology students into related job opportunities.
|
December 1998
|
4. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction implements, evaluates, and modifies the plan as necessary.
|
Ongoing
|
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal implications would be associated with this recommendation.
FINDING
PAISD's enrollment for some Career and Technology courses is at capacity. In particular, many female applicants are unable to take courses in cosmetology, health, and business due to limited enrollment space. According to administrators, the Stilwell Center has no additional space to expand its current offerings. Exhibit 3-25 shows the percentage of students served in Career and Technology programs in PAISD and comparable districts. Only Waco ISD and Longview ISD serve a smaller percentage of students in Career and Technology programs than PAISD.
Exhibit 3-25
Percent Of Students Served In
Career And Technology Programs
1995-96 Through 1996-97
| District
|
Percent of Students in Career and Technology Programs
1995-96
|
Percent of Students in Career and Technology Programs
1996-97
|
| Waco ISD
|
18%
|
9%
|
| Longview ISD
|
12
|
13
|
| Port Arthur ISD
|
14
|
13
|
| Beaumont ISD
|
17
|
19
|
| Galveston ISD
|
12
|
20
|
| Region V
|
19
|
21
|
| North Forest ISD
|
21
|
23
|
| Bryan ISD
|
24
|
22
|
Source: AEIS, 1995-96 and 1996-97.
The district provides most of its Career and Technology classes at the Stilwell Center; high school-based vocational programs are limited to Marketing Education, Industrial Technology, Computer Engineering Technology, Retail, and Accounting. Students accepted into vocational education programs are bused to and from the Stilwell Center to receive services. More school-based Career and Technology education programs would provide additional opportunities for PAISD students to participate in employment-focused programs while attending regular classes.
TEA has recommended middle school courses in the following areas: Agricultural Science and Technology Education; Business Education; Career Orientation; Home Economics Education; and Technology Education. For high schools, the following programs are suggested: Agricultural Science and Technology Education; Business Education; Health Science Technology Education; Technology Education/Industrial Technology Education; Marketing Education; Trade and Industrial Education; and Career Orientation.
Recommendation 36:
Develop a long-range plan to integrate Career and Technology education programs at each high school and enhance Career and Technology education course offerings.
PAISD should consider offering at least one course in each of the TEA recommended Career and Technology Education areas at all its secondary schools. In addition, PAISD should discontinue courses at Stilwell Center that are continuously under-enrolled.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, in conjunction with career and technology administrators and teachers, identifies members for a career and technology planning team.
|
August 1998
|
2. Members of the career and technology planning team observe successful school-based career and technology programs to gather ideas for improving PAISD programs and develops recommendations for the elimination of under-enrolled courses.
|
September - December 1998
|
3. Members of the team develop a plan for integrating existing Career and Technology programs into the high schools.
|
January - March 1999
|
4. Members of the team develop a plan for identifying career and technology programs that should be considered as pilots in PAISD and develop corresponding curriculum.
|
April 1999
|
5. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction presents this plan to the superintendent and board for approval.
|
May 1999
|
6. The assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction implement the plan in phases.
|
August 1999
|
FISCAL IMPACT
Career and Technology programs could be integrated into the high schools with existing resources. By reallocating teaching positions from consistently under-enrolled classes to these pilot programs, the district would incur no additional costs.
| 
