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Chapter 2
Educational Service Delivery

This chapter reviews the educational service delivery system of Venus Independent School District (VISD) in the following sections:

  1. Student Performance
  2. Instructional Resources
  3. Gifted and Talented Education
  4. Compensatory Education
  5. Special Education
  6. Bilingual/English as a Second Language Education
  7. Career and Technology Education
  8. Library/Media Services
  9. Student Discipline and Alternative Education Programs
  10. Computer Technology


G. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

All students, whether they continue their education after high school or not, will eventually enter the workforce. The State Plan for Career and Technology Education 2000-2002, required under TEC Section 29.182, was developed as a guide to assist school districts in their efforts to offer effective career and technology education programs that prepare students for further education and eventual employment. Based on the premise that a rigorous academic foundation contributes to success in school and in life, the plan seeks to provide all students equal opportunities to succeed, and ensure that career and technology education enabling students to apply academic principles to a variety of community and career situations.

Exhibit 2-24 shows that VISD offers 28 Career and Technology Education (CATE) classes representing four career clusters. These clusters include agriculture education; business education; family and consumer science; and technology education. The high school offers CATE courses based on student interest. The high school provides a list of courses to its students, who express their interests during registration time. Students in grades 8 through 11 receive a course survey asking them to express areas of interest and to evaluate existing CATE courses. The student survey conducted in spring 2002 showed high student interest in adding courses in Agriculture Education. VISD added CATE courses to the high school offerings for 2002-03, as a result of the student interest survey comments.

Exhibit 2-24
VISD School to Career Program Offerings by Career Clusters
2002-03
Career and Technology Classes
Agriculture Education
Introduction to Agricultural Mechanics
Agricultural Structures Technology
Agricultural Metal Fabrication Technology
Personal Skill Development in Agriculture
Home Maintenance and Improvement
Wildlife and Recreation Management
Career Connection
Business Education
Keyboarding
Introduction to Business
Business Law
Banking
Business Computer Information Systems
Business Multimedia
Webmastering
Family and Consumer Science
Personal Family Development
Apparel
Textile and Apparel Design
Nutrition and Food Science
Food Science and Technology
Individual and Family Life
Family and Consumer Science
Child Development
Family Health Needs
Housing
Technology Education
Communications Systems
Communications Graphics
Computer Applications
Architectural Graphics
Communication Graphics
Source: VISD 2002-03 CATE reports and high school master schedule.

Exhibit 2-25 presents VISD and peer district CATE enrollment and expenditure information. VISD lies in the middle of its peer districts in its share of student enrollment at 19.1 percent, second in teacher FTEs at 5.7 percent and fifth in its share of budgeted CATE expenditures at 2.6 percent.

Exhibit 2-25
Student Enrollment and
Budgeted Expenditures in Career and Technology
VISD, Peer Districts and State
2002-03
    Student Enrollment Budgeted CATE Expenditures
District Number of Teachers* Number Percent of Total Expenditure Percent of Instructional Budget**
Dublin 4.9 297 22.5% $351,954 4.2%
Godley 6.9 282 20.5% $262,041 2.7%
Grandview 3.7 215 19.1% $181,865 2.8%
Rio Vista 3.3 162 18.1% $182,407 2.7%
Venus 5.7 358 19.1% $284,842 2.6%
State N/A 841,438 19.8% $777,845,249 3.9%
Source: TEA, PEIMS, 2002-03.
*Expressed in Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs).
*Total budgeted expenditures divided by CATE budgeted expenditures.

FINDING

VISD is taking the right steps to prepare students in several career areas that will enable students to get jobs or continue their post-secondary education.

TEC Section 29.181 states that “Each public school student shall master the basic skills and knowledge necessary for managing the dual roles of family member and wage earner; and gaining entry-level employment in a high-skill, high-wage job or continuing the student’s education at the post-secondary level.” The Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 74, Subchapter A requires school districts to offer “Programs of study for broad career concentrations in areas of agricultural science and technology, arts and communication, business education, family and consumer science, health occupations technology, trade and industry and technology education that will prepare students for continued learning and post-secondary education in employment settings.”

The high school houses VISD’s CATE program. Five full-time equivalents (FTE) units offer CATE classes at the high school. VISD entered a partnership with Hill College to offer two dual-credit CATE classes, welding and cosmetology, which are two-year certification courses. Welding students are served through the agriculture courses. VISD pays the tuition costs and provides transportation services to the students.

VISD serves as the fiscal agent for the CATE Cooperative that includes member districts Godley, Keene, Grandview and Rio Vista ISDs. This cooperative was formed because each district receives less than $15,000 per year in Carl Perkins funds. Godley, Keene, Grandview and Rio Vista pay VISD $300 per year for the fiscal services they receive. The VISD business manager coordinates he fiscal duties for the CATE Cooperative.

In addition to the course offerings and the partnership with Hill College for dual-credit CATE classes, VISD is negotiating an articulation agreement with Mansfield ISD (MISD) to expand CATE course offerings. The coordinator of Curriculum and Special Programs says that these courses will offer non-traditional two-year programs for students working toward the acquisition of skills. Because of a great demand for health care related jobs in the geographic area, health sciences are of particular interest to VISD. Other courses being considered in this partnership agreement include auto mechanics, computer programs and electrician and travel agent training. The partnership with MISD expands the choices currently available in the DIP and high school CIP and addresses various areas of the CATE program to prepare work-bound students for employment.

VISD administrators and staff acknowledge that the lack of industry in Venus presents a major post-secondary employment challenge for students who are not college-bound. The coordinator of Curriculum and Special Programs said that the district “will continue to seek support agreements with industries in the area to build partnerships” to provide students with additional opportunities for employment. The district is considering options within a 15-mile radius to the east, west and north of Venus. There are no opportunities to the south of Venus. Negotiations are in progress with the North Texas Consortium, which includes Tarrant, Dallas and Navarro Community Colleges,

After the peer review team visit, VISD finalized an agreement with Tarrant County Community College south campus in Mansfield. This agreement allows CATE students who complete any CATE tech prep class with an 80 average to receive high school and college dual-credit. The high school students receive an opportunity to register online for these courses as they complete them successfully. The registrar’s office at Tarrant County Community College will keep in its files all documentation of credits earned submitted by the students through their years in high school. This will ensure that the correct number of credits are available to the students when they enter college for either traditional or non-traditional programs.

COMMENDATION

VISD works collaboratively with colleges and neighboring school districts to provide students with improved resources for career and technology training and opportunities.