Techniques Feb 2013 - 26

At-risk Students

Table 1: VBCPS Student Population Statistics10
Student Facts—Updated 2011–2012 School Year
Caucasian

52.7%

Black/African American

24.1%

Hispanic/Latino

9.3%

Multirace

7.5%

Asian

5.6%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0.5%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0.3%

Female

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Economically Disadvantaged

29.9%

Gifted

11.8%

Limited English Proficiency

2.0%

Students with Disabilities

10.6%
Student Enrollment: 69,282 (K–12)

strategy that VBCPS uses effectively.
From a big picture standpoint, VBCPS
uses an annual 21st-Century Industry
Credentials Report prepared by the Office of Technical and Career Education
that places great importance on students
having the opportunity to take one or
more industry credentials related to their
program of study. Results from the annual
report are shared with each of the 13
school principals in individual meetings,
and copies of the report are provided to
CTE program leaders. Principals meet
with CTE program leaders to review the
results and chart a course for continuous
improvement. These CTE meetings result
in established goals which are often incorporated into the school’s plan for continuous improvement. The yearly CTE
credentialing data is also shared with
CTE teachers during mandatory summer
professional development. In 2012, for example, the focus was on workplace reading and writing scores as they correlated
to an individual school’s literacy plans.
Recognizing the value of student
credentialing is an initiative now shared

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February 2013

by all secondary administrators, guidance
personnel, CTE teachers and students,
since as of 2013, all standard diploma
students will be required to earn an
industry credential. The list of approved
credentials is included on a comprehensive list published by the Commonwealth
of Virginia. The list includes credentials
like Virginia’s state licensures, industry
association credentials like the American
Culinary Federation or the National
Home Builder’s Association, and a large
variety of NOCTI credentials which are
vetted by industry experts from across the
country.
Each high school is required to include
all Virginia-approved credentials passed
by students on the school’s report card.
This gives transparency to the number of
CTE student credentials earned so that
teachers, parents and the community
become more aware of the CTE program
rigor. For added visibility, the city’s Department of Economic Development sends
congratulatory letters to all students who
obtain the Virginia Workplace Readiness credential. Last year, 2,173 students

earned that credential and received a letter from the city. In addition, VBCPS has
achieved a CTE credentialing culture of
achievement. Since 2001, 31,284 credentials have been earned by CTE students
in VBCPS. Last year, the school district
celebrated a milestone credentialing event
highlighted by video remarks from Senator Mark Warner (D-VA).

Putting the Data to Work
VBCPS uses many NOCTI technical
skills assessments, which are effective
tools for promoting instructional improvement and individualizing learning.
The NOCTI score reports provide more
than simple scores for student grades.
These assessments are aligned to national
standards—industry standards, state standards, academic and/or standards from
a professional credentialing organization.
The NOCTI tests produce reports that
are granular, meaning that they include
subpart scores for major categories
within the occupation (e.g., construction
categories might include safety, blueprint
reading, hand tools, power tools, wall
www.acteonline.org

Techniques Feb 2013

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