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California leaders in education, business, labor, and government came together for an historic summit meeting in March to strategize about how career and technical education can help transform Californias high schools and maintain the states competitive edge in the global economy.

The summit, held in a cavernous sheet-metal manufacturing plant in Torrance, was called by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has made career and technical education (CTE) a centerpiece of his education policy agenda. He challenged the more than 100 people in attendance to use the event as a launching pad for an ambitious effort to expand CTE across the state.

"This summit is, of course, the beginning. It will open up the dialogue," said Gov. Schwarzenegger, who himself is a product of career and technical education in his native Austria. "I'm looking forward to hearing all the different proposals so we can create a long-term blueprint, and really move forward and expand career tech education."

The all-day summit was the first to bring together such a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss CTE.

Many of California's major industries were represented at the March 13 event, which took place at ACE Clearwater Enterprises, a family-owned sheet-metal manufacturer for the aerospace, automotive, and power generation industries. In attendance were CEOs from some of the state's largest construction, engineering, high-tech, biotech, and health care companies.

Participants also included Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, senior members of Gov. Schwarzenegger's cabinet, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and California Community College System Chancellor Mark Drummond. Legislative leaders included Assemblymembers Martin Garrick and Ted Lieu and state Sen. Mark Wyland.

The event was sponsored by the Irvine Foundation, which has made academically rigorous career and technical education a high priority of its Youth grantmaking program. Anne Stanton, director of Irvine's Youth program, said the summit was an unprecedented opportunity to promote dialogue among a diverse group of interests about the future role of CTE.

Irvine believes in the potential for a new, academically rigorous approach to CTE as a way to engage many more of California's young people in academic work and prepare them for lasting success in the state's economy.

Last year, Irvine established ConnectEd, a statewide nonprofit organization that works with schools, teachers, policymakers, education officials, and other stakeholders to develop programs of academic and technical study organized around different industry sectors. ConnectEd's president, Gary Hoachlander, was among the featured speakers during the afternoon session of the Governor's summit.

Hoachlander applauded the focus on CTE but cautioned the audience not to limit its vision to a relatively narrow set of occupations and future possibilities for young people. A new hybrid approach to CTE is needed one that uses practical learning to raise academic achievement and prepares students for a range of postsecondary options as well as career, not just one or the other.

"What we're talking about here is much more than CTE; what we're talking about is high school reform," Hoachlander said. "If we don't do something to change the way we engage our young people and only strengthen CTE, we will have done ourselves and our kids a huge disservice."

The all-day summit was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. The morning session was devoted to defining the problems, and included assessments from industry, labor and education leaders, and elected officials. State Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Victoria Bradshaw kicked off the session with a "gap analysis" showing projected workforce shortages across a range of industry sectors. The afternoon session was spent hearing from education experts about solutions and policies and engaging members of the audience.

In the morning, two themes emerged: First was the need for broad-based high school reform, given research showing that California high schools are not working for two out of every three students, and second, that a growing shortage of skilled workers is making it increasingly difficult for California businesses to stay competitive in the global economy.

Career and technical education may be an answer to both of these problems, many speakers agreed, but a return to the old approach of vocational education would be a mistake.

Several speakers noted that the old system of vocational education stigmatized students. It was seen as limiting career options, and effectively was used to track students from disadvantaged backgrounds into low-paying careers. At the same time, the jobs in today's economy require increasingly sophisticated skills, which means that workers need stronger basic analytical and communication skills, in addition to technical expertise.

"We can't go back to the way we taught CTE a decade ago," said Jack OC'onnell, Californians state superintendent of public instruction. "We have to match the level of sophistication we need in the job market with sophistication in the curriculum."

In the afternoon session, Hoachlander and others argued for a new approach to CTE that moves beyond the old dichotomy between college-bound students and those headed directly into the job market. It must prepare students for both postsecondary education — not only college, but a range of two-year degree and technical training programs as well — and success in careers.

It shouldn't be either/or," said educator Ted Mitchell, who chairs the Governor's Committee on Educational Excellence and was the moderator for the CTE summit. "We shouldn't track kids, and we won't."

Several speakers in the afternoon said that there are many good innovative programs already under way that are combining CTE with rigorous academics. In one sense, the problem facing California is how to scale up those programs to meet the broader need, they said. Many stakeholders expressed an interest in creating partnerships to make that happen.

The summit was the latest sign that California is making career and technical education a top priority. Since taking office, Gov. Schwarzenegger has increased funding for CTE by 18 percent, reversing a trend begun by his predecessors, who had cut CTE funding. And in his 2007-08 budget, he has included $52 million to build and improve new curriculums and streamline teacher recruitment and training.

Stanton, Irvine's Youth program director, applauded the governors' leadership on the issue. "Irvine is strongly committed to CTE reforms essential for California's children," she said. "We look forward to working with the Governor, the Legislature, and other key public policy leaders on helping shape this issue critical for the future of our state."

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