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District expands CTE and dual‑credit; begins aligning courses to CATER college requirements
Summary
District staff highlighted growth in CTE/dual‑credit pathways and outlined work to align high school courses to CATER (college academic distribution requirements) so more graduates avoid remedial college courses while preserving career pathway options.
Northshore officials outlined growing career and technical education (CTE) offerings, increasing certification opportunities, and efforts to expand dual‑credit access as ways to keep post‑graduation doors open. Presenters listed certification and CTE opportunities (including nursing and a phlebotomy course) and said many offerings are driven by student interest; some programs are competitive with limited slots.
District leaders described an expanded emphasis on aligning high school coursework with college academic distribution requirements—referred to in the session as ‘‘CATER’’—so students are less likely to require remedial college coursework. Dr. Dunham said the district is unpacking which local courses meet CATER and whether some CTE or industry certification courses should be designated to count toward those college distribution requirements.
Staff noted a tension: some courses valuable for career or industry certification are not currently recognized as meeting CATER, and the district must decide whether a 100% CATER goal is appropriate, or whether a different realistic target is needed. District plans include increased counselor guidance, expanding AP/IB/Running Start and dual‑credit opportunities, and pursuing CATER designations where appropriate.
Board members also discussed language and framing: one member suggested replacing the word ‘‘college’’ with ‘‘higher education’’ to better capture apprenticeships and certification pathways; others emphasized preserving student agency so the system does not pre‑determine post‑graduation destinations.
