This fourth blog post in our CLNA series based on Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation: The Impact and Promise of the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment, our new report co-published with Advance CTE, explores the role of equity in the first CLNAs.
Many states went above and beyond minimum federal requirements to help local recipients take an equity lens during the first CLNAs, and local CTE leaders have shared how the CLNA made them more aware of inequities. For instance, the need for improved access to CTE programs and more inclusivity within programs were two themes that emerged from the CLNA conducted by the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) in Ohio. What educators learned from their data analysis and stakeholder feedback led the center to change its admissions process from a grade-point-average ranking to a lottery system. DACC also started a learner-led, non-traditional equity group; created a social media campaign focused on non-traditional learners; and revised promotional materials to be more inclusive.
In another example, the College of DuPage in Illinois leveraged the Illinois Community College Board’s equity-focused CLNA template and its own stakeholder engagement process to learn more about barriers and challenges faced by learners. The findings led the college to implement additional financial supports for CTE learners and to make full time a workforce specialist position that had been part time, with additional responsibilities for helping students navigate available resources and supports.
Stay tuned for the final entry in this series, which will summarize recommendations gleaned from our interviews with CTE leaders, and revisit our last post on data in the CLNA.
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