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Winter Quarterly Newsletter

Greetings, fellow future-focused CTE enthusiasts!

For decades, we've prepared students for tomorrow's jobs, from welding to coding. But guess what? Tomorrow's here, and it's buzzing with something new: artificial intelligence.

Yes, AI isn't just sci-fi anymore. It's poised to revolutionize everything from healthcare to marketing, and guess what else? CTE. Think about it: robots building smart homes, automated factories spitting out personalized products, self-driving cars zipping us to work. These aren't pipe dreams; they are the jobs our students will fill in the future.

That's why I'm excited to encourage you to consider submitting a proposal to present at our Region III conference this June in Indianapolis! This is our chance to lead the nation in exploring how AI will impact our classrooms, curriculum, and student success.

We need your voices. Are you already teaching AI concepts in your classes? Or utilizing AI to create instructional materials? Have you tried virtual reality simulations to train future technicians? Are you grappling with the ethical quandaries of robots or AI in the workplace? Share your best practices, your doubts, your triumphs! Let's build a collective brain trust, learn from each other, and prepare our students to thrive in an AI-powered world.

This isn't just about fancy gadgets. It's about empowering our students. AI isn't here to replace them; it's a powerful tool they can use to create, innovate, and solve problems. We need to teach them how to harness this technology, understand its limitations, and ensure it serves humanity, not replaces it.

The Region III conference can be a springboard for this critical conversation. Please join us in Indianapolis. Let's share ideas, inspire each other, and show the nation that CTE educators are pioneers, not passengers, in the technological revolution. Submit your presentation proposals by Feb. 7, and let's chart a course for the future of work, together. Here is a link to the proposal form.

Note: AI was used to generate a large portion of this message

See you in June!

Brandon Russell

VP, ACTE Region III

The State of CTE: News from Across Region III

Illinois ACTE is excited to announce registration is open for the 94th Annual Illinois Association of Career and Technical Education Conference "Preparing Tomorrow’s Workforce Today" on Feb.15–16 held at President Abraham Lincoln - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and BOS Conference Center in Springfield, IL. The upcoming conference will have so much to offer from featured speakers, break-out sessions for each of the CTE-related disciplines and more. There will also be vendors showcasing the latest curriculum and equipment, delicious catered meals, and a networking session along with multiple networking opportunities. Registration will remain open until the conference begins.

The conference schedule is now available and can be found using the following link.

Indiana ACTE is busy planning a great Region III Leadership Conference scheduled for June 12–14 at the historic Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The call for presentations is out and can be accessed here. Please consider sharing your best practices at the conference. CTE stakeholders across Indiana will participate in the State Policy Seminar on Feb. 15 at the Indiana State Capitol. This is a great time for Indiana CTE leaders to advocate for CTE!

Due to feedback from teachers and administrators, Iowa ACTE has moved the date of the annual state IACTE conference from September to June. CTE educators said it has been increasingly difficult to get coverage for teachers to be out during the school year. The next annual conference is set for June 18. Some of the divisions will put their division conferences back to back with this conference and offer discounted pricing for attending both. Iowa ACTE hopes these changes will encourage and enable CTE professionals to be able to engage both with their division as well as other disciplines across the state of Iowa.

Governor Kim Reynolds just gave the Condition of Iowa address on Jan. 9. One of her initiatives is to increase teachers’ base starting pay to $50,000 and set a minimum salary of $62,000 for teachers with at least 12 years of experience. Another initiative, that is a concern to some CTE professionals, is the return of regional area education agencies to only serving students with special needs. Many of Iowa’s regional AEAs have teams providing CTE support helping instructors deliver high quality programming and CTE leaders do not want to see this service discontinued. If you are interested in hearing more about this issue, you can find more information here. Iowa ACTE is holding a CTE Day at the capital on Feb. 6. All of Iowa’s CTSOs will be in attendance: BPA, DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, and TSA. CTE educators from around the state will also be in attendance with their students to advocate for CTE.

The Iowa Department of Education also just announced a $17 million dollar grant to help Iowa school districts to align secondary CTE programs with industry-recognized credentials. You can find more information here.

Missouri ACTE is working hard to get ready for our annual CTSO legislative day at the capital next month on Feb. 14. This event brings students and CTSO leaders from all over the state to interact with legislators. The administrative division (MCCTA) held a winter meeting this month to help administrators prepare their students to better advocate for CTE in Missouri, as well as explore how AI is impacting CTE. Two ACTE members in Missouri were recognized recently, including Debra Price Scheppman, an active MoACTE and MoEFCS member, who was inducted into the FCS Roll of Honor. Shylee Endicott, Awards Chair for Region III, was also recognized as the Health Sciences Teacher of the Year for 2023.

Greg Granberg, who is the newly appointed Region III representative from Wisconsin, brings greetings from the heart of Wisconsin! Greg is the CTE Coordinator for the Sun Prairie Area School District, and he is thrilled to share exciting news and updates shaping the landscape of ACTE and CTE in Wisconsin.

Prepare for an immersive experience as Wisconsin proudly hosts the Work-Based Learning Conference from May 1–3 in the vibrant city of Milwaukee. This conference is not just an exceptional learning opportunity; it's a chance to explore the wonders of Milwaukee. The agenda is brimming with thrilling pre-conference sessions designed to enhance your professional journey. You can find more information about this amazing conference here.

Wisconsin's ACTE organization is on the brink of a revival, with discussions kickstarted at CareerTech VISION in Phoenix, gathering momentum with a dedicated subgroup meeting on Jan. 17. Together, they are charting a course to explore the unique benefits a new organization can offer Wisconsin's CTE professionals. The unanimous agreement within the core group emphasizes the need to build grassroots awareness. Plans are underway to leverage the proposed meeting on May 1 in Milwaukee to shape the direction of this initiative. ACTE stands ready to provide dedicated support for the legal incorporation of a new organization, signaling their commitment to the Wisconsin CTE community, if the collective decision is to move in that direction. The conversation on Jan. 17 highlighted the importance of ensuring the new organization's structure complements, rather than replicates or displaces, existing successful CTE-focused efforts. Collaboration is our cornerstone, and we are committed to working hand-in-hand with existing CTE organizations and community groups for a more robust impact. The journey to revive Wisconsin's ACTE organization is gaining momentum. Stay tuned for updates, and Greg eagerly anticipates meeting you at the Work-Based Learning Conference in Milwaukee from May 1–3 and/or at the Region III conference in Indianapolis from June 12–14.

From ACTE

ACTE Announces Board of Directors 2024 Election Results

ACTE's recent board of directors election was open to the Association’s membership of approximately 25,000 career and technical education (CTE) professionals. We are grateful to all of the candidates for their willingness to serve the Association. Congratulations to the winners:

• Dustin Davis-Austin, Region II Vice President-elect
• Martin Hanley, Region III Vice President-elect
• Karin Davis, Family and Consumer Sciences Education Division Vice President-elect
• LaDonna Selvidge, Health Science Education Division Vice President
• Richard Trinkwalder, New and Related Services Division Vice President-elect
• Jan Jardine, Work-based Learning Division Vice President

Further, given that one person applied to serve in each of the following positions, the board of directors voted to appoint:

• Shani Watkins, President-elect
• Craig Statucki, Region V Vice President
• Matthew Eddy, Agricultural Education Division Vice President

Celebrate CTE Month!

Generously sponsored by NAHB

Join us as we celebrate CTE Month^®, generously sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Each year in February, we celebrate educators like you and spread awareness about the importance of CTE by sharing your success stories via #CTEMonth on social media, encouraging your students to participate in this year’s CTE Month-NASA HUNCH student video challenge, “Why Go to the Moon?,” gearing up with festive CTE Month merchandise at shopacte.com to show your support for CTE, and much more!

2024 Events

Hone Your CTE Advocacy Skills & Raise Awareness for CTE

With a featured event from the CTE Research Network

Come voice your opinion on CTE policy and programming, and share what your community needs, at ACTE’s National Policy Seminar, happening March 17–20 in Arlington, Virginia. Featured sessions will cover best practices for influencing federal policy and CTE advocacy and messaging. And on the last day of the event, March 20, the CTE Research Network will address topics that will help expand the evidence base for CTE.

Achieve 100 Award

Apply for the Achieve 100 Award 



ACTE’s Achieve 100 Award is presented to schools and institutions that achieve 100% ACTE membership among their CTE staff and faculty. This is a distinguished award that showcases an organization’s dedication and commitment to CTE. Applications are due Feb. 1.

ACTE Digital Badge