Our Mission

Minnesota's five-year Career and Technical Education State Plan aligns goals with the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system strategic goals and provides direction for use of funds in secondary, postsecondary, and adult education programs.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities State Plan goals in May of 2007 included the following:

Increase access and opportunity by providing access to services for Special Populations, including underrepresented students, in career and technical education programs.

Provide high school-to-college transitions for students in career and technical education programs and adult student transitions into high-skill, high-wage or high-demand occupations.

Effectively use employer, community and education partnerships to support career and technical education to provide programs and services integral for state and regional economic needs.

Innovate to meet current and future educational needs and examine and expand collaborative practices to support CTE programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels to ensure a continuum of services provision.

Guiding Principles

Career & Technical Education and academic education must be integrated in a more comprehensive way.

College and work readiness skills are one and the same.

Each student needs at least some education or advanced training past high school, whether community and technical college, university, industry certification, or advanced training through work.

Federal Perkins funding for Career & Technical Education is not an entitlement at either the state or local level.

All education spending must be connected with student success outcomes.

High schools and colleges should continue Career & Technical Education programs and activities that have worked well.

Career & Technical Education must be strategically placed within the broader vision, mission and goals for education within the State of Minnesota.

Local Perkins Application Goals

Goal 1: Designing Programs of Study
Goal 2: Effectively Utilize Employer, Community and Education Partnerships
Goal 3: Improve Services to Special populations
Goal 4: Provide a Continuum of Service Provisions for Enabling Student Transitions
Goal 5: Sustain the Consortium Structure of Secondary and Postsecondary Institutions