Janesville Schools outline expanded academic and career planning, highlight growing CTE participation

Janesville School District staff on Sept. 11 reviewed the district’s Academic and Career Planning program, describing efforts to introduce career exploration earlier and connect students to postsecondary credit, apprenticeships and industry credentials.

The presentation, led by district staff including Chris Madke, framed ACP as “student driven and adult supported,” using state guidance and labor-market data for Rock County and Wisconsin to steer course offerings and partnerships. Staff said the district emphasizes exploration—including tools such as Xello, career presenters, field trips, job fairs and youth apprenticeships—so students can test interests and narrow post‑high‑school options.

District presenters pointed to local employment projections showing growth in transportation and warehousing, construction and health services and said that influences course offerings and CTE emphasis. They named UW‑Whitewater and Blackhawk Technical College as postsecondary partners and described multiple college‑credit pathways available to students, including Start College Now and transcripted credit with Blackhawk.

Enrollment data shared with the committee showed 75 applications for Start College Now in the 2021 school year, 89 in 2022 and 59 requests for the current fall semester. The district reported steady participation in dual‑enrollment and CTE programs and said 75–80 students used Partners in Education courses at UW‑Whitewater in a typical term (instructor estimate). Staff described the district’s offer of advanced standing and transcripted credit through Blackhawk Technical College but did not provide a districtwide total of transcripted credits for the current year.

Staff listed industry‑recognized credentials offered through CTE: OSHA 10, Microsoft Office Specialist (about 30 students certified last year), newly added Snap‑on certifications (58 students certified), youth apprenticeship placements (40 students last year), and Skill Co‑op placements (29). Staff also said Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and assistant childcare teacher opportunities are offered; precise recent counts for some credentials were described as approximate or not specified in the presentation.

The district highlighted a revitalized pre‑apprenticeship called Craftsman with Character (14 students at Parker, with plans to expand to Craig) and noted efforts to grow CTSO (career and technical student organization) participation—about 350 students across the two high schools. Staff described employer partnerships that provide workplace exposure and said some programs leverage grant funding or state reimbursement to remain sustainable.

On funding, staff said Start College Now / early college credit is required by state procedures and initially paid from the district budget, with districts filing an end‑of‑year form to seek partial state reimbursement. They listed additional funding sources used for CTE and credentialing: Perkins funds, a technology incentives grant that reimburses for industry certificates reported at graduation, and small local grants written to seed programs like Craftsman with Character. When asked about students who enroll but do not complete a college course, staff said the district technically could request reimbursement under state procedures but historically has not asked families for payback in most cases.

Speakers took several questions from committee members about recruitment for the Global Competency Certificate (world‑language teachers and counselors primarily promote it), how students learn about CTE options (course guides and classroom outreach), and whether industry credentials cover their costs: staff said some credential costs are offset through grant rewards, reimbursements and Perkins funding.

District staff concluded that ACP’s emphasis on earlier exploration, dual credit and work‑based learning is intended to increase college, career and community readiness and to better align courses with local and state labor demand.