GUIDANCE AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE

Introduction

Each technology center is expected to provide all students with information on career options advise them on appropriate educational paths to meet career goals; and provide students with the necessary support for success in their career programs.

Commendations or Strengths

Canadian Valley Technology Center is to be commended for following through on the suggestions made from five years ago. The assessment processes have been strengthened for the adult students and now a wide variety of assessments are available and used with both high school and adult students. For adult students with disabilities who self disclose, there is documentation in place for providing services to them.

All partner-school sophomores do class shadowing in order to have a better idea of what training is offered at the technology center. Canadian Valley is to be commended for implementing individual interviews with the high school students. These interviews result in a point scale using attendance, grade point average, PLAN scores, and the interview itself. Using this point scale has helped with appropriate program placement, resulting in very few schedule changes or
students switching programs.

A generic plan of study has been created for each sending school counselor to use and this will only become more important as the system moves from programs to courses and career majors. The student services staff is highly credentialed and meet weekly to further refme strategies and improve on their services.

Specific Recommendations for Improvement

This administrative review standard was met.

General Suggestions for Improvement

A guidance plan should be developed and written to outline the goals and objectives for the program as well as the services provided. The description of the student services program found in the handbook could be expanded and more information on student services (guidance and counseling) could be included in the promotional material and on the website. A student services brochure would be a good addition to the promotional materials.

The documentation put together for many of the quality indicators was not as fully developed as it could have been. It is recommended more attention be placed on fully describing and providing examples of the indicators on the next evaluation visit.

With the change to career majors, early career planning becomes even more important. The staff provides interpretation of Explore and PLAN for the sending schools; however, it is suggested that this time also be used to start andlor review a plan of study with the students.

It is suggested that the exit survey include specific questions on student services that were provided, such as assistance with career planning, to help gauge customer satisfaction and provide a baseline of data.

The career cluster interest survey should be used in place of the Career Search interest survey because the Career Search program is no longer current. Changes that were discussed on the individual vocational plan should be put into place for better alignment with civil rights concerns.

In the student handbook, there was a statement that seemed to indicate a student needed a
teacher's permission to see a counselor. It is suggested that statement be rewritten because a
student does not need the teacher's permission to see a counselor.

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