Association and agency emphasize outreach, legislative roadshow and accreditation updates

OKACTE and agency leaders used the CareerTech State Board meeting to outline advocacy, outreach and accreditation efforts aimed at expanding access to CareerTech programming.

Skye McNeal, executive of the state CareerTech association (OKACTE), described the association’s roughly 4,500 members and its advocacy role at the Capitol, where association staff and agency leaders coordinate policy and appropriations requests. McNeal said OKACTE will host a legislative roadshow intended to take legislators to CareerTech sites, beginning at Central Tech, and that the association and agency are commissioning an updated economic impact study to present to legislators during the next session. “We will be hosting a legislative roadshow on Oct. 30,” McNeal said, inviting board members to attend.

Jessica Ventress provided the board’s annual accreditation training, saying the U.S. Department of Education recognizes the board as the state’s approval entity and the agency supervises accreditation visits. Ventress reviewed the seven quality standards the board uses to assess technology centers, the hybrid review process (virtual interviews followed by on‑site observations), the corrective‑action timeline (centers have 60 days after board approval to implement required corrections) and procedures for distance‑education approvals.

Director Hagan and board members emphasized the need to remove barriers that keep CareerTech courses from counting for core graduation credits and described efforts to collect participation data and to pilot expanded delivery options such as course‑only offerings and k–12 embedded programs. Hagan said the agency recorded an estimated 11,000 students on a wait list last year and proposed a multi‑year plan to expand capacity.

Board members asked about collaboration with school counselors and K–12 leadership, praised the accreditation work and raised staffing concerns, including a shortage of instructors and the potential for overlap with comprehensive high school programs. The director said outreach and a new directorship for outreach are intended to mitigate potential turf issues.

Ventress and McNeal invited board members to attend upcoming accreditation visits and the association roadshow; no board action was required on the accreditation presentation at this meeting.