Career Technical Education (CTE)

CTE helps students prepare for future jobs by offering a planned sequence of courses that teaches both academic content and hands‑on technical skills. These courses can lead to industry‑recognized certificates or college credentials and may include real‑world learning like work‑based projects.

CTE connects middle school, high school, and college programs so students can earn credit early and explore different careers. Kansas uses a modern framework that aligns CTE programs with the state’s workforce needs, helping students learn about high‑skill, high‑demand, and high‑wage careers.

The Kansas CTE Model is organized into four levels—Industries, Clusters, Pathways, and Strands—with six major industries, 13 career clusters, and 31 pathways that show students the many education and training options available.

Assessments and Skill Validation

Provides information about End of Pathway Assessments (such as cPass, AAFCS Pre-PAC, National Health Science Assessment, etc.) and a link to a list of sample industry-recognized Assessments, Certifications, and Credentials (K-PAC)

Business and Industry Partnerships

Information about Advisory Committees, including the “Advisory Committee Handbook”; information on the Kansas Advisory Committee for Career & Technical Education (KACCTE); and CTE Wage and Employment Data for all 13 Career Clusters.

Career Clusters

The Career Clusters Framework serves as the foundation for designing consistent, high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) and career pathway programs. In Kansas, we have 13 Career Clusters.

Career Pathways

The Kansas CTE Model employs a four-level organizational framework: Industries, Clusters, Pathways, and Strands.

Career Ready Practices and CTE Course Competencies

Career Ready Practices (as related to Kansas Pathways) and the course competencies for each course within each pathway.

Career and Technical Student Organizations

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) are a powerful avenue for helping our nation address key challenges such as workforce development, student achievement, economic vitality and global competitiveness.

Individual Plan of Study

Individual plan of study (IPS) overview; college and career planning; career interest assessments; graduation planning and coursework; work-based learning; student goal setting; IPS resources and research.

Perkins Federal Accountability

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 is designed to improve and expand services for students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs. CTE Programs prepare students for further education and careers in current or emerging employment sectors of high skill, high wage, or in-demand occupations.

Postsecondary Partnerships

Information about partnerships between postsecondary institutions and KSDE. It contains a link to all Statewide Articulation Agreements, a link to the guide for Creating an Articulation Agreement, and information about Excel in CTE (formerly Senate Bill 155).

Resources

Fact Sheets, Handbooks and Logos for Kansas CTE.

Special Populations and CTE

In Career and Technical Education (CTE), special populations are those groups of students identified by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) as needing targeted support to ensure equitable access and success in CTE programs.

Students' Right to know

Ensure distribution of the degree prospectus information published by the Kansas Board of Regents; the Kansas Training Information Program (K-TIP) report and other information relevant to the students’ understanding of potential earnings to students 7-12 grades and their families by October 15th each year.

Work-Based Learning

Contains information and links to documents that assist schools in designing professional leaning experiences for students enrolled in CTE Pathway courses.

For more information on Career and Technical Education, contact:

Natalie Clark
(785) 296-4351

Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.

900 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 102
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1212
(785) 296-3201

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The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. For more information, visit our grievance procedure page.

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