Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

Great Seal of Oklahoma
Agency overview
Formed 1929
Preceding Agency Department of Vocational and Technical Education
Headquarters 1500 W Seventh Avenue
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Employees 259 unclassified
Annual budget $175 million
Ministers responsible
Joy Hofmeister, Chairman of the Board
Agency executive Dr. Marcie Mack, Interim Director
Parent agency Board of Career and Technology Education
Website www.okcareertech.org

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE, commonly known and branded as CareerTech) is an agency of the state of Oklahoma located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

CareerTech oversees a statewide system of career and technology education. The system comprises 29 technology center districts,391 comprehensive school districts, 14 skills centers and three juvenile facilities. The State Board of Career and Technology Education is the governing body of the department, composed of the Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction and eight members appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. The board appoints the director of Career and Technology Education, who serves as the chief executive officer of the department and serves as a non-voting member of the state board.

On July 23, 2014, Dr. Marcie Mack began serving as interim state director, following the resignation of Dr. Robert Sommers, the system's seventh state director.

Together with the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the department forms the core of Oklahoma's public education system.

History

The Oklahoma CareerTech System began with the passing of the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson. This act made available federal money for the promotion of vocational education. In 1929, the Division of Vocational Education was established as part of the State Department of Education. The department moved from Oklahoma City to Stillwater in 1932, and in 1941, the state legislature established the position of state director of vocational education. J.B Perky was the first director. In 1966, Oklahoma technology center school districts were formed, and in 1967, Tri County Tech became the state's first area vocational-technical school. On July 1, 1968, the Oklahoma State Board of Vocational and Technical Education was established as a separate entity from the State Department of Education. In 1971, the first delivery of training to inmates in a Skills Center at the Ouachita facility took place.[1]

On May 19, 2000, Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating signed House Bill 2128, which officially and immediately changed its name to the Department of Career and Technology Education.

Economic Impact

A study by Mark Snead and the Oklahoma State University's Center for Applied Economic Research discovered that graduates from an Oklahoma CareerTech Center can expect to earn higher wages and that their wages will tend to grow faster than non-CareerTech students who hold only high school diplomas. Snead's study also found graduates of CareerTech add about $2 billion to the Oklahoma economy. The income of CareerTech graduates could be expected to grow about 1.25 percent per year compared to a 0.25 percent annual growth for high school graduates without further education.[2]

Leadership

The department is led by the secretary of education, the chairman of the CareerTech board (who is the Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction), and the state CareerTech director. Under Gov. Mary Fallin, Janet Barresi serves as the chairman of the board and Dr. Robert Sommers serves as the state director.

Board of Career and Technology Education

The State Board of Career and Technology Education is a nine-member board composed of the Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction (who serves as the chairman of the board[3]), two members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education, one member from each of the state's congressional districts and one at-large member.

All members, except ex officio members, are appointed by the governor of Oklahoma and confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate.

As of 2015, the chairman is Joy Hofmeister, superintendent of education.

Organization

Staff

For fiscal year 2014, the Career and Technology Education Department had an annual budget of $175 million and was authorized to have 267.5 full-time employees.[4]

Division Number of Employees
Administration 24
Statewide Services 185.25
Dropout Prevention 58.25
Total 267.5

Hall of Fame

The Oklahoma Foundation for Career and Technology Education supports the Oklahoma CareerTech Hall of Fame. The award is given to individuals who, through their outstanding professional and personal achievements, have brought honor and distinction to career and technology education in Oklahoma.

Technology Centers

CareerTech Centers in Oklahoma provide career and technology education for high school students in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. An elected local board governs each technology center.

  • Autry Technology Center
Enid Campus
  • Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center
Fort Cobb Campus
Chickasha Campus
El Reno Campus
Yukon Campus
Sapulpa Campus
Drumright Campus
Omega Campus
Choctaw Campus
  • Francis Tuttle Technology Center
Portland Campus
Reno Campus
Rockwell Campus
Shawnee Campus
Frederick Campus
Lawton Campus
Okmlugee Campus
Woodward Campus
Muskogee Campus
Sallisaw Campus
Stilwell Campus
Tahlequah Campus
Antlers Campus
Atoka Campus
Durant Campus
Hugo Campus
Idabel Campus
McAlester Campus
Poteau Campus
Spiro Campus
Stigler Campus
Talihina Campus
Wilburton Campus
Stillwater Campus
  • Metro Technology Center
Adult & Continuing Education
Aviation Career Campus
South Bryant Campus
Springlake Campus
Wayne Campus
  • Mid-Del Technology Center
Midwest City Campus
Norman Campus
South Penn Campus
Afton Campus
Claremore Campus
Kansas Campus
Pryor Campus
Alva Campus
Fairview Campus
Ponca City Campus
Ada Campus
Duncan Campus
Ardmore Campus
Altus Campus
Bartlesville Campus
Broken Arrow Campus
Career Services Center
Lemley Campus
Peoria Campus
Riverside Campus
Sand Springs Campus
Training Center
Owasso Campus
Wetumka Campus
Burns Flat Campus
Hobart Campus
Sayre Campus
Weatherford Campus

College Credit

Transcribed college credit is available for high school and adult students enrolled at CareerTech Centers through the Cooperative Alliance Program for certain technical courses. The Cooperative Alliances potentially save students time and money.[5] The Cooperative Alliances are a partnership of CareerTech and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

OSSM

The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics has 12 branches on CareerTech campuses with primary focus on the Calculus BC, Physics C and Mechanics AP Exams.

Student organizations

CareerTech is involved with several Career and Technical Student Organizations.

Skills Centers

The Skills Centers began operations in February 1971. The system began at the Jim E. Hamilton CareerTech Skills Center inside the Jim E. Hamilton (formerly Ouachita) Correctional Center at Hodgen, Oklahoma. Currently the CTSC has campuses in nine state correctional facilities, three juvenile detention facilities and four community correctional facilities.

Campuses within State Correctional Facilities

Campuses within Juvenile Facilities

Campuses within Community Correctional Facilities

People

The CareerTech System has many notable graduates including governors, actors and a Miss America.

Kandinsky Holt, SkillsUSA, Miss Teen Oklahoma 2011

See also

References

  1. ↑ Major Milestones of Career and Technology Education in Oklahoma
  2. ↑ Riggs, Angel, Study touts benefits of CareerTech programs, Tulsa World, January 19, 2007
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ FY 2014 State Budget, Oklahoma Office of State Finance
  5. ↑ Brachterm Michal: "CareerTechs: Potential pathways to higher education", The Daily Oklahoman, November 13, 2005

Coordinates: 36°06′55″N 97°04′39″W / 36.11520°N 97.07741°W

External links