Between 2009–10 and 2013–14, the number of career certifications received by district students rose from 177 to 1,683, an increase of more than 850 percent.
And with increasing the number of Career and Technical Education (CTE) certifications a goal of Destination 2020, the district’s plan to raise student achievement for all students, Richard Grimsley, Dallas ISD director of career education and workforce partnerships, said the aim is that students earn 4,000 CTE certificates by 2020.
Specialized CTE courses are offered at every Dallas ISD middle and high school. The courses, which range from horticulture to automotive tech and cosmetology, give student an opportunity to learn a specialized skill set and obtain a certification in that skill upon graduation.
The courses are not meant to deter students from going to college, but rather prepare students to be successful in careers before they navigate the world after high school.
To learn more, watch the above video.
