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State Board interim CTE director highlights enrollment growth, industry-aligned standards and strong placement rates
Summary
Joshua Whitworth, interim administrator for the Division of Career Technical Education, told the House Education Committee that roughly 72,000 students are enrolled in CTE courses, program enrollment has grown sharply in recent years, and CTE concentrators show higher postsecondary enrollment and strong employment placement.
Joshua Whitworth, executive director of the State Board of Education and interim administrator for the Division of Career Technical Education, briefed the House Education Committee on career technical education (CTE) programs and outcomes.
Whitworth said Idaho has a single governance structure for education that supports alignment across secondary, technical colleges and workforce training. He described CTE as “priority for youth and adults for high skill in demand careers” and urged legislators to meet students and program staff after the hearing.
Key figures presented by Whitworth (as stated in testimony): the secondary system has a little more than 300,000 students; about 72,000 students are enrolled in CTE programs and that represents roughly 71 percent of high school students taking CTE courses. Whitworth said the CTE system has grown 49 percent over the last four years and that about 98 percent of program completers are placed positively into work or further education.
Whitworth described the CTE curriculum-development cycle as industry-driven: employers help set ‘‘criticality’’ ratings for skills, which shape program standards, curriculum and assessment. He said technical colleges and workforce training centers provide stackable credentials — certificates that can lead to associate or higher degrees.
Two student leaders gave first-person accounts. Nicole Dimitrasco, identified as secondary vice president of membership for Idaho Business Professionals of America, described gains in leadership and public speaking and said BPA “has been far more than just a student organization for me. It has been a life changing experience.” Kenzie Banks, who said she serves as Idaho SkillsUSA state high school president, told legislators SkillsUSA helped her gain confidence and leadership skills: “Because of SkillsUSA, I'm no longer the shy girl sitting in the corner with big ideas that go unheard.”
Committee members pressed for operational details. Whitworth said the CTE team develops criticality surveys with industry partners and that industry representatives are in the room when standards are reviewed. Teresa Danielson, director of student leadership, clarified that Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) are integrated into CTE pathways and that Perkins funding creates an expectation that a program pathway will host the appropriate CTSO (for example, FFA for agricultural programs); student affiliation and membership fees are optional.
Committee members asked about advisor compensation and program capacity. Danielson said compensation practices differ by district — some districts pay stipends or extended-contract days, others do not — and that much of CTSO activity is integrated into classroom instruction and project-based learning. Whitworth agreed to supply Representative Tanner with a breakdown of concentrations by program and location. He also agreed to follow up with Representative Hawkins about GED access in Benewah County.
No formal committee action was taken on CTE at the hearing; the item was an informational presentation and staff follow-up was requested.
