DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2025, AS “CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH” IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Sokola & Rep. Gorman

Sens. Buckson, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Pettyjohn, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson; Reps. Burns, Bush, Collins, Dukes, Heffernan, Hilovsky, Lambert, Morrison, Osienski, Phillips, Ross Levin, D. Short, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6

DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2025, AS “CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH” IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, the month of February 2025, has been designated as Career and Technical Education Month

®

by the Association for Career and Technical Education; and

WHEREAS, career and technical education (CTE) offers all students the opportunity to gain the academic, technical, and employability skills necessary for true career readiness; and

WHEREAS, students in career and technical education programs participate in authentic, meaningful experiences that improve the quality of their education and increase their engagement and achievement; and

WHEREAS, career and technical education provides all students with career exploration opportunities earlier in their educational experience, which enables them to make informed and beneficial decisions about their academic coursework and pursue established programs of study and career pathways; and

WHEREAS, CTE programs are offered by 31 local education agencies in Delaware, including its three technical school districts, 16 comprehensive or traditional school districts, seven charter school districts, and two state institutions serving at-risk youth; and

WHEREAS, as of the 2023-2024 academic year, Delaware high schools offered over 120 different CTE programs of study across the 16 Career Clusters, while Delaware middle schools offered 16 CTE programs of study, demonstrating a broad spectrum of career-focused education opportunities; and

WHEREAS, in the 2023-2024 academic year, 63.7% of all students in Delaware’s middle and high schools participated in at least one CTE program of study, including 67.6% of high school students (30,616 out of 45,263) and 56.2% of middle school students (18,485 out of 32,897); and

WHEREAS, 8,250 high school students were enrolled in Work-Based Learning courses in the 2023-2024 academic year, representing 26.9% of high school CTE participants and showcasing the integration of hands-on, practical experience with academic learning; and

WHEREAS, Delaware’s CTE concentrators achieved a four-year graduation rate of 96.4% in the 2023-2024 academic year, significantly exceeding the state’s target graduation rate of 90%; and

WHEREAS, Delaware is a leader in CTE and is uniquely positioned to be a model for the nation as these programs allow Delaware students the chance to earn early college credits, industry-recognized credentials, and work experience; and

WHEREAS, leaders from business and industry nationwide report increasing challenges related to addressing a skills gap. CTE programs can fill these gaps, particularly in Delaware’s key industries, like science and technology, food and agriculture, manufacturing and logistics, and education and healthcare; and

WHEREAS, career and technical education prepares students for these and other fulfilling careers by offering integrated programs of study that link secondary and postsecondary education and lead to the attainment of industry-recognized credentials; and

WHEREAS, career and technical education programs ensure that employers have access to a qualified and thriving workforce, ensuring that America is a strong and competitive economy.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153

rd

General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the General Assembly affirms the importance of Career and Technical Education and hereby designates February 2025, as “Career and Technical Education Month” in the State of Delaware.

SYNOPSIS

This concurrent resolution designates February 2025, as “Career and Technical Education Month” in the State of Delaware to urge all citizens to become familiar with the services and benefits offered by the career and technical education programs in their communities and to support and participate in these programs to enhance their individual skills and productivity.

Author: Senator Sokola