Commission launches rulemaking to rename 'vocational' endorsements as career and technical education and broaden CTE endorsement options
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Summary
The commission voted to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process to change titles of 12 endorsement areas, replace 'vocational' with 'career and technical education' across CTE licensure guidelines, add veteran teacher experience statements and broader occupational options for several endorsements, and remove course lists from endorsements.
At the Nov. 1 meeting, Brett Robinson and Tanya Gibson presented a proposed set of changes to the Career and Technical Education (CTE) licensure guidelines and asked the commission to begin the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process for rulemaking.
Robinson said the department reviewed the licensure document in detail and proposed renaming 12 endorsement titles for consistency with current curriculum naming, replacing the term "vocational" with "career and technical education," and removing fixed course names from endorsements so routine curriculum updates do not require repeated commission approval. He said these changes are intended to broaden the candidate pool and reduce administrative burden.
Gibson listed six endorsement areas where the department proposes adding flexible approval pathways or occupational experience options: small gas engines; heavy equipment; TV broadcasting and production; dental assisting; masonry; and plumbing. Robinson added that certain career pathway endorsements (including software development, diesel service technician, and heating/ventilation/air conditioning) would receive updates to broaden acceptable occupational experience and to add additional occupational options.
Robinson told the commission that the department consulted with Dr. Murphy about the approach and that removing course names would minimize the need for frequent return requests when curricula are revised. "We removed the course names," he said, describing the intended administrative relief.
Jamie Creel moved to begin the APA process and Mary Hill Taylor seconded; the commission approved the motion by voice vote. The commission's vote begins the formal rulemaking timeline; any final changes will return to the commission after the APA process and public comment.