Dr. Kurt Steinhaus speaking at July 22 Kiwanis meeting. Courtesy photo

By BROOKE DAVIS
Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos

At the July 22 Kiwanis meeting, Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, former NM Public Education Secretary, gave a presentation on Career Technical Education (CTE). He explained the definition and design principles of CTE, how it is funded, why it is needed, and future goals.

Steinhaus began by mentioning the historic swings in education trends and perceptions. In the past, technical courses, known as vocational education, were widely available and supported in public schools. These courses got an unfortunate reputation and perception of being for “dumb” kids and support went away in favor of the “all kids go to college” academic-only approach.

Today, academic leaders realize how important it is to provide multiple pathways to learning to better serve all students and to help them achieve success.

CTE combines academic instruction and hands-on training in specific careers and prepares students for fulfilling jobs in vital, in-demand industries. High school CTE students have an average graduation rate of 96% and are more likely to be employed full-time and have higher median annual earnings 8 years after graduation than students that went to college and followed a traditional academic path.

Funding for CTE is provided at the federal level through the Perkins Grant. Support has come from New Mexico in the form of a 9-year CTE pilot program which has now ended. State legislators are already working on bills to address incorporating the program into schools.

CTE incorporates multiple career pathways, called clusters. These include: Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; Information Technology; Hospitality and Tourism; Health Science; Government and Public Administration; Education and Training; Business Management and Administration; and Audio Video Technology and Communications. Among the design principles of the program are work-based learning with paid internships, partnerships with Higher Education Institutions, and business and community partnerships.

While larger urban schools tend to have the staff and facility resources to provide CTE to their students, smaller and more rural districts are at a disadvantage. To address this, the Rural CTE Alliance was established in January 2025 and includes approximately 20 rural school districts dedicated to enhancing student opportunities. The goals are to: 1) increase the number of strong active industry partners by 5% annually, 2) share resources and expertise by expanding access to high-quality career-connected learning experiences for rural New Mexico students by 5% annually, and 3) develop and deliver relevant and applicable professional development opportunities by 5% annually for district educators.