A team of individuals, representing the Pennsylvania Department of Education including a Bureau of Career and Technical Education team leader and trained volunteers, conducted an onsite review of the Carbon Career & Technical Institute’s career and technical education programs.

The review is titled an Approved Program Technical Evaluation.

CCTI received the final report summarizing commendations and recommendations for their career and technical education programs.

The Joint Operating Committee will retain a copy of the final report. The documentation must be maintained onsite for any follow-up visit.

After review of each of the programs, the team announced that no corrections were identified, and CCTI will not be required to submit a corrective action plan to the Bureau of Career and Technical Education.

Team leader Mindy S. Freidin-Mansfield, from the Bureau of Career and Technical Education, noted that this is “My first APTE with no corrections in my 100-plus reviews in my 8-plus years at PDE.”

The reviews are held every six years. CCTI also had no corrective actions in 2018.

CCTI was asked to consider presenting and sharing some of their best practices (from the commendations) at upcoming conferences. CCTI officials are in the process of planning a presentation.

A small sample of the commendations and best practices noted were:

• The Automobile Service Technology program, headed by Hal Resh, was commended for collaborating with Angela Sablich’s chemistry class to support a Skills USA project highlighting the impact of road salt and brine on different types of brake lines as well as an experiment focusing on the carbonization of fuel.

• The Management Information System instructor, Mike Garrant, had excellent lesson plans, that were detailed, included standards, and were specific to the task grids.

• Various instructors do an excellent job encouraging SkillsUSA participation; all of Kevin Kuehner’s Precision Machining Students have achieved Advanced Placement status on their National Institute for Metalworking Skills exams throughout his entire career; and CCTI has robust Occupational Advisory Committee membership and involvement.

The team commended the staff and administration for their efforts to comply with all the requirements of the state education department.

During the visit, they expressed that they were “impressed by the cooperation of both staff and students, the exemplary documentation of all programs, and the hospitality provided during our visit.”