El Monte Union outlines CTE pathways, funding and goal to boost completers

Dr. McGinnis, director of instruction and curriculum, gave the board an overview of the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at the May 7 meeting, highlighting 2- and 3-course pathway models, labor-market alignment by county, completer data and funding sources.

McGinnis showed school-level pathway completion projections, described the state definition of a CTE completer (minimum 300 hours and capstone with C– or better) and summarized that 40% of the class of 2024 met the state’s college-and-career indicator through a mix of measures (A–G completion, AP/dual enrollment and pathway completion). She said Perkins and CTIG grants, Strong Workforce funds and district supplemental allocations support staffing and equipment.

Trustees sought more disaggregated information: one asked whether low completion at specific sites reflected lack of student interest or staffing; another asked about teacher credentialing and whether the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing rules create barriers to growing CTE programs. McGinnis acknowledged credentialing and master-schedule constraints and noted district plans to pursue CTSO memberships, internships, and stronger middle-school outreach.

The presentation included labor-market charts linking high school diploma and certificate-level careers (home health aide, truck drivers, medical assistants) to local pathway offerings. Trustees discussed living-wage thresholds when recommending pathways and the need for continued grant pursuit and industry partnerships.

Board members did not vote on CTE policy at the meeting but asked staff to continue refining pathway data and recruitment strategies ahead of next year’s scheduling and budget decisions.