§256.111. Definitions

"Administrative Agency", when used in relation to a joint cooperative agreement, means the public school district, regional superintendent of schools, or public community college designated as the fiscal and legal agent for the local educational agencies that are parties to the agreement. The term includes the cooperative acting as its own administrative district when provided for by the agreement establishing the cooperative. A public school district or community college designated as an administrative agency must be a party to the cooperative agreement.

 

"Area Career Center" means a specialized educational facility used exclusively or principally for providing CTE at the secondary level and that has been designated as an area career center by the State Board in accordance with Subpart B.

 

"Career and Technical Education Concentrator" means a student served by an eligible recipient who has completed at least 2 courses in a single CTE program or CTEPOS.

 

"Career and Technical Education Funds" or "CTE Funds", as applied to State or federal funds, means funds appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly to the State Board for the purposes of CTE.

 

"Career and Technical Education Program" or "CTE Program" means a program that receives funding under Section 2 of the Vocational Educational Act.

 

"Career and Technical Education Programming" or "CTE Programming" means a set of activities designed to lead to employment in a specific occupation or a career cluster, or for additional preparation for that employment, and that is specially and particularly suited to the needs of those engaged in or preparing to engage in those occupations. The instruction may include the following:

 

classroom instruction;

 

classroom related field, shop and laboratory work in or out of school, including instruction provided in extended campus facilities;

 

programs providing supervised occupational work experiences (e.g., workplace learning, job shadowing, apprenticeship);

 

related instructional aspects of apprenticeship programs;

 

remedial programs and transitional instruction that are designed to enable individuals to benefit from instruction related to the occupation or occupations for which they are being trained by supporting any core academic content knowledge deficiencies or disabilities that prevent them from benefiting from the instruction; or

 

activities of career and technical student organizations that are an integral part of the CTE curriculum.

 

"Career and Technical Education Program of Study" or "CTEPOS" means a coordinated, nonduplicative sequence of academic and technical content at the secondary and postsecondary level that:

 

incorporates challenging State academic standards;

 

addresses both academic and technical knowledge and skills, including employability skills;

 

is aligned with the needs of industries in the economy of the State, region, tribal community, or local area;

 

progresses in specificity (beginning with all aspects of an industry or career cluster and leading to more occupation-specific instruction);

 

has multiple entry and exit points that incorporate credentialing; and

 

culminates in the attainment of a recognized postsecondary credential.

 

"Career and Technical Education System" or "CTE System" means a State-approved consortium of entities that have a board of control, a System Director, and an intergovernmental agreement, which makes them eligible to receive funding as described in Subpart B, as well as school districts who receive funding and implement career and technical education, professional learning, and support.

 

"Career Clusters" means occupations in the same field of work that require similar skills. When used in relation to CTE programs, "career clusters" refers to the National Career Clusters Framework, which is a State-approved framework of career clusters that is informed by Advance CTE's framework of career clusters.

 

"Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment" or "CLNA" means an assessment conducted by an eligible recipient, in consultation with all required stakeholders in Perkins V, that is informed by the local needs assessment and contains all requirements of the comprehensive needs assessment in Perkins V.

 

"Cooperative Agreement" means:

 

a joint agreement entered into by the boards of education of one or more school districts with other local school boards or public institutions of higher education (see Section 10-22.20a, 10-22.31a, or 10-22.31b of the Code); or

 

an intergovernmental agreement entered into between one or more local educational agencies under applicable provisions of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Clause of the Illinois Constitution (Ill. Const. 1970, Art. VII, Sec. 10) and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act [5 ILCS 220].

 

"CTE" means career and technical education.

 

"Educator-Coordinator", when used in relation to workplace learning, refers to an educator who is coordinating programs of workplace learning and meets requirements for licensure in CTE set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.

 

"Elementary Grades" means kindergarten through grade four, as defined by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (20 USC Ch. 70).

 

"Essential Employability Skills", when used in relation to CTE Programs, refers to any skill identified as a component of the general skills and knowledge that are necessary for success in the labor market at all employment levels and in all sectors. 

 

"Funding Agreement" means a written agreement entered into between the State Board and other parties to the agreement that provides for the allocation of funds administered by the State Board as payment for a product or service rendered or as reimbursement for approved expenses incurred in the conduct of a program, project or activity under the terms of the agreement.

 

"High-wage Occupation" means an occupation that meets at least one of the following wage criteria:

 

using data from the United States Department of Labor and the MIT Living Wage Calculator, an occupation whose median salary is at least 85% of the statewide living wage for one adult and one child; or

 

if the occupation does not pay a family-supporting wage, it is a springboard occupation that is a necessary position for advancing to an occupation with more responsibility and that pays a family-sustaining wage

 

"In-demand" means an industry sector or occupation that meets at least one of the following demand criteria:

 

an industry sector that has a substantial current or potential impact on the State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate (including through jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement), and that contributes to the growth or stability of other supporting businesses or the growth of other industry sectors; or

 

an occupation that currently has or is projected to have a number of positions in an industry sector (including positions that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) so as to have a significant impact on the State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate.

 

"LEA" means Local Educational Agency.

 

"Local Application" means an application submitted to the State Board by an eligible recipient that is:

 

aligned to the participating district local needs assessment in the eligible recipient's cooperative agreement and the CLNA;

 

outlines goals and strategies to support CTE programs and CTEPOS; and

 

contains all of the following requirements, outlined in Perkins V:

 

description of the results of the local needs assessment;

 

information on the career and technical education course offerings and activities, which shall include at least one program of study, that will be funded;

 

description of how the applicant, in collaboration with local workforce development boards and other local workforce agencies and partners, will provide:

 

career exploration and career development coursework, activities, or services;

 

career information on employment opportunities that incorporate high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations, as determined in the needs assessment; and

 

an organized system of career guidance and academic counseling to students before enrolling and while participating in a career and technical education program;

 

description of how the grantee will improve the academic and technical skills of students participating in a CTE program;

 

description of how the grantee will:

 

provide activities for special populations for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations that will lead to self-sufficiency;

 

prepare CTE participants for non-traditional fields;

 

provide equal access for special populations to CTE courses, programs, and programs of study; and

 

ensure that members of special populations will not be discriminated against on the basis of their status as members of special populations;

 

descriptions of the work-based learning opportunities that grantees will provide to students participating in career and technical education programs and how the grantees will work with representatives from employers to develop or expand work-based learning opportunities;

 

description of how the grantee will provide students participating in career and technical education programs with the opportunity to gain postsecondary credit while attending high school, such as through dual credit or concurrent enrollment programs or early college high school, as practicable;

 

description of how the grantees will coordinate with institutions of higher education to support the recruitment, preparation, retention, and trainings, including professional development of educators and staff; and

 

description of how the grantees will address the disparities or gaps in performance in each plan year and, if no meaningful progress has been achieved prior to the third program year, a description of the additional action the grantee will take to eliminate those disparities and gaps.

 

"Local Needs Assessment" means an assessment containing reviews of all CTE programs size, scope and quality that:

 

is completed by all participating districts of an eligible recipient's cooperative agreement;

 

contains all requirements of the comprehensive needs assessment in Perkins V; and

 

informs the eligible recipient's CLNA.

 

"Local or Regional Advisory Committee", when used in relation to a secondary CTE program, refers to a group of stakeholders that may include representatives from a local business or industry, university and community college representatives, CTE faculty from K-12 CTE programs, CTE teaching faculty from postsecondary CTE programs, CTE staff, and representatives from local trade unions. The committee shall advise the institution on the development, implementation, and evaluation of CTEPs to ensure programs are tailored to meet the workforce requirements of the community while addressing student needs.

 

"McKinney-Vento Act" means the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11434a).

 

"Middle Grades" means grades five through eight, as defined by ESEA.

 

"Multidisciplinary" or "Cross-cluster", when used in relation to CTE programs, refers to an approved CTEPOS that includes courses from two or more different career clusters.

 

"Participating District", when used in relation to a cooperative agreement, means a public school district that is currently party to the agreement.

 

"Perkins" or "Perkins V" means the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 USC 2301 et seq.), as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21^st Century Act (Perkins V) or any subsequent amendment to that Act.

 

"Perkins State Plan" means the plan adopted by the State Board of Education and approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education that is in effect for a particular fiscal year. The current Perkins State Plan is available at https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Perkins-Plan.pdf

 

"Regional Education Center" means two or more local educational agencies that enter into a cooperative agreement to provide CTE programs, services, or activities.

 

"Secondary Grades" means grades nine through 12, as defined by ESEA.

 

"School Code" or "Code" means the Illinois School Code [105 ILCS 5].

 

"Special Populations" means individuals with disabilities; individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults; individuals preparing for non-traditional fields; single parents, including single pregnant women; out-of-workforce individuals; English learners; homeless individuals; youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system; and youth with a parent who is a member of the armed forces or is on active duty.

 

"State Board" means the State Board of Education.

 

"State and Federal Laws and Regulations" includes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by Perkins V and its regulations (34 CFR 400 through 401; 1986); the School Code; the Vocational Education Act; this Part; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 USC 2000d); section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 USC 794); Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 USC 1681 et seq.); the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 USC 6101 et seq.); and the Illinois Human Rights Act [775 ILCS 5].

 

"State-Determined Performance Measures" means the measures established by Perkins V that are the basis for the CTE accountability system, including:

 

1S1: Four-Year Graduation Rate: The percentage of CTE concentrators who graduate from high school, as measured by the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (as defined in Section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)).

 

1S2: Extended Graduation Rate: The percentage of CTE concentrators who graduate from high school, as measured by the extended-year adjusted graduation rate (as defined in Section 8101 of ESEA) within six years of entering high school).

 

2S1: Academic Proficiency in Reading: CTE concentrator proficiency in the challenging State academic standards adopted under Section 1111(b)(1) of the ESEA, as measured by the academic assessments in reading/language arts, as described in Section 1111(b)(2) of that Act.

 

2S2: Academic Proficiency in Mathematics:  CTE concentrator proficiency in the challenging State academic standards adopted under Section 1111(b)(1) of ESEA, as measured by the academic assessments in mathematics, as described in Section 1111(b)(2) of that Act.

 

2S3: Academic Proficiency in Science: CTE concentrator proficiency in the challenging State academic standards adopted under Section 1111(b)(1) of ESEA, as measured by the academic assessments in science, as described in Section 1111(b)(2) of that Act.

 

3S1: Post-Program Placement: The percentage of CTE concentrators who, in the second quarter after exiting from secondary education, are in postsecondary education or advanced training, military service, or a service program that receives assistance under Title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 USC 12511 et seq.), are volunteers, as described in Section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 USC 2504(a)), or are employed.

 

4S1: Nontraditional Program: The percentage of CTE concentrators in CTE programs and CTEPOS that lead to fields in which their gender is underrepresented.

 

5S1: Program Quality – Industry Credentials: The percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school having attained a recognized postsecondary credential.

 

5S2: Program Quality – Attained Postsecondary Credits: The percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school having attained postsecondary credits in the relevant CTE program or CTEPOS earned through a dual or concurrent enrollment or another credit transfer agreement.

 

5S3: Program Quality – Work-Based Learning: The percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school having participated in work-based learning.

 

"State Institutions that Serve Students from Special Populations" means institutions designated by the State that primarily serve students from special populations, as defined by Perkins V section 124(a)(1)(C) (20 USC 2344(a)(1)(C), including State correctional institutions, juvenile justice systems, and educational institutions that serve individuals with disabilities.

 

"Vocational Education Act" means 105 ILCS 435.

 

"Work-based Learning" provides participants with work-based opportunities to practice and enhance the skills and knowledge gained in their CTEPOS or industry training program, as well as to develop essential employability skills, and includes an assessment and recognition of acquired knowledge and skills.  A continuum of work-based learning experiences should include, at a minimum, career awareness, career exploration, team-based challenges, or career and technical student organizations (CTSOs), as well as one or more of the following at both the secondary and postsecondary levels:  internships, career-related service learning, paid work experience, on-the-job training, incumbent worker training, transitional jobs, apprenticeships (i.e., youth, pre-registered, non-registered, research), student-led enterprises, remote work for a client or employer, school-based enterprise, or cooperative work agreements or clinical experience.  These experiences should be integrated into the CTE curriculum.

 

"Workplace Experience" refers to CTE courses that provide students with in-person, remote, or simulated work experience within their CTEPOS.  These courses must include remote or classroom instruction and a workplace practicum that aligns to the Career Development Experiences.