Attention all OST stakeholders:
The Arkansas Department of Career Education is in the process of drafting a new state plan to guide the implementation of theStrengthening CTE for the 21st Century Act(Perkins V) Act that was signed into law in 2018. The draft plan is open for public comment until January 25, 2020. New provisions of the law enable greater flexibility and puts and creates greater opportunity for school - community partnerships and innovation. In addition, Perkins V allows school districts to begin working with children as early as grade 5. Many of our afterschool and summer programs are providing critical work-based learning and career readiness supports to students in middle and high school. However, those programs may not be known to your local education partners. We have an opportunity to provide feedback to the Arkansas Department of Career Education on how these important Out of School Time programs can support Arkansas’s college and career re adiness goals. The Perkins V guidelines are scheduled for full implementation in the 2020-21 school year. Your feedback is needed and appreciated.
We have uploaded the following items to the AOSN website atwww.ason.org to inform you as you prepare your comments.
· January 9th AOSN CTE Perkins Webinar Recording
· January 9th AOSN CTTE Perkins Webinar PowerPoint Slides
· Sample CTE comment language for afterschool programs
OST Workforce Handout
Follow the links below to review the Arkansas draft plan and to make public comments before the January 25, 2020 deadline.
Arkansas Perkins V Planning process: https://dcte.ade.arkansas.gov/Page/PerkinsV
Current Arkansas Perkins V draft Plan: https://dcte.ade.arkansas.gov/docs/Resources//1-3-20PerkinsVDraft.pdf
Link to make public comments by January 25, 2020: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2cHK7zzE-bJl4bzLvkFcdLv1XuFyc57YWGlO8PdJQENKFIA/viewform
For questions please contact Laveta Wills-Hale, Network Director, Arkansas Out of School Network, lwillshale@astate.edu or (501)660-1012.