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Bedford County staff outline expansion of career‑tech offerings and rollout of Xello platform
Summary
District staff told the school board they are aligning CTE coursework with state high‑demand credentials and introducing Xello, a career‑exploration platform for grades 7–11, to support work‑based learning and accreditation goals.
Bedford County school staff on Wednesday presented a multi‑pronged plan to expand career and technical education (CTE), align courses to state “high‑demand” credentials and roll out Xello, a career‑exploration and planning platform for grades 7–11.
District staff described the accreditation shift to the so‑called “3 E’s” — employment, enrollment and enlistment — and said the state now expects roughly one point per student tied to CTE completion, recognized credentials or high‑quality work‑based learning. Speaker 8 summarized the change as: “we at least want a point because that’s what the state is now looking at for accreditation.”
Presenters said the list of high‑demand credentials was developed in partnership with state workforce representatives and the Virginia Department of Education, and that only a subset of existing CTE options currently map to those credentials. The district plans a mix of strategies: expand high‑demand credential opportunities where available, boost work‑based learning for programs without credential options, and form a committee to evaluate trade‑offs.
Staff also described outreach and student exposure efforts already under way: CTE days at elementary schools, Susie Gibson tours for all 10th graders, advisory meetings with local businesses, a Chamber‑sponsored career expo for eighth graders and partnerships with CVCC for dual‑enrollment alignment. Speaker 3 said Susie Gibson enrollment of students with disabilities has increased substantially after application changes.
On technology, Speaker 8 demonstrated Xello’s matchmaker quiz, learning‑style and personality assessments, teacher reporting and PowerSchool sync. Early feedback from counselors and teachers has been positive; one presenter said the product “is such a better product” than the district’s prior platform. Board members asked how Xello data would translate into job shadows and guaranteed employment; staff said Xello will help identify student clusters of interest to plan group tours and targeted shadowing, while individualized job shadows for every student remain limited by capacity and funding.
The presenters stressed that several proposed expansions — new EMT, firefighting and criminal‑justice classes at Susie Gibson — remain contingent on staffing and funding. Staff noted coordination with the Board of Supervisors on potential support for local recruitment and equipment.
The board scheduled a follow‑up on curriculum alignment and budget needs ahead of the budget season.
