It's Career and Technical Education Month® and you may suddenly find your social media feed full of new terms and acronyms. Don't get overwhelmed! Here are the top terms you need to know to be part of the #CTEMonth conversation and help advocate for DECA and career and technical education.
Advance CTE
Advance CTE is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State CTE Directors and state leaders of career and technical education.
Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)
The largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education, ACTE is the professional association for career and technical educators and students.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
An instructional program that is delivered through comprehensive programs of study to help students succeed in education and careers. CTE prepares students to be college- and career-ready by providing core academic skills, employability skills and technical, job-specific skills.
Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)
DECA is one of eight CTSOs recognized by Congress and the United States Department of Education.
Career Clusters®
An initiative by Advance CTE, career clusters® provide a way for schools to organize instruction and student experiences around 16 broad categories that encompass all occupations. The four career clusters relating to DECA are marketing, business management and administration, finance and hospitality and tourism.
Career Pathway
Occupations within a career cluster are grouped according to shared commonalities such as knowledge and skillsets or common roles.
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
First authorized by the federal government in 1984, the act aims to increase the quality of technical education within the United States. The act is the main federal funding source for career and technical education programs.
NCC-CTSO
The National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO) is a coalition of national career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) serving career and technical education students and teachers in one or more of the 16 Career Clusters® identified in The National Career Clusters® Framework.
National Curriculum Standards
Educational standards that provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn within a specific curriculum. DECA aligns the Competitive Events Program with National Curriculum Standards in the career clusters of marketing, business management and administration, finance, and hospitality and tourism.
Perkins V
Officially titled “The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act”, Perkins V is federal legislation that presents a major increase to CTE funding.
