The deadline to apply for this year's final Certified Teacher Program cohort is next Friday!
 
Want to become an ed-tech expert and meet other digital learning leaders from across North America? Through this self-paced professional development program , you'll demonstrate how you facilitate blended-learning resources in your classroom and earn a micro-credential, digital badge and PD certificate.  
 
Click here to submit an application for the fall cohort by September 20th.

To learn more, click here.

Erin Cassidy-Dorion, PHD Candidate at State University of New York at Albany is gathering information for a research project on entrepreneurship education. The current focus is on schools that offer programming in entrepreneurship to high school students. 

If you would like to provide any information or participate, please contact Erin.
(518) 429-6451

High Demand Career and Technical Education
Form Package: 414
Eligible Sub-grantees: Public School, School District

Purpose:
OSPI will allocate grants to middle schools, high schools, or skill centers, to develop or upgrade high-demand career and technical education programs. Grant funds shall be allocated on a one-time basis and may be used to purchase or improve curriculum, create pre-apprenticeship programs, upgrade technology and equipment to meet industry standards, and for other purposes intended to initiate a new program or improve the rigor and quality of a high demand program. Priority in allocating the funds shall be given to programs that are also considered high cost due to the types of technology and equipment necessary to maintain industry certification. Priority shall also be given to programs considered in most high demand in the state or applicable region.

Due Date: 10/24/19 4:00 pm

Questions? Contact:
Douglas Meyer
CTE Program Supervisor
doug.meyer@k12.wa.us​

Click here Ross was born on March 12, 1938 in Spokane, WA to James and Norma Byrd. He graduated from John Rogers High School in 1955.  He was active in the Glee Club, Booster Club, Student Council, Sergeant at Arms, Tanglefoot, Baseball, Junior Math Club and worked at Rosauer’s Market in HS and College.  Ross got his undergraduate degree in Business Education at Eastern Washington University in 1959.  He taught at Shadle Park High School in Spokane from 1959-1965 in the Business Education Department and was the Department Chair. Ross was also a Business Education Teacher at Spokane Public Night School from 1960-65 and Spokane Community College.  Ross was active in The Army National Guard from 1960-1962.  At the same time, he was attending Whitworth College to earn his Master’s Degree, which he completed in 1963. School wasn’t his only interest; he married Ida, his high school sweetheart in 1958.  They had three children; Dan, David and Marcia. His children remember him as kind, positive, and very driven father who encouraged them to pursue their goals to gain happiness and success.  He taught his kids how to boat, ski, camp, and travel the US in a tiny VW with a luggage rack on top!  In 1966, Ross moved the family to Pullman, WA so he could complete his doctorate degree at WSU.  (Go Cougs!)  In 1969, the Byrd family moved to Ellensburg so Ross could join the CWU faculty in the Business Education Department.

Ross was a faculty member at CWU for 31 years and department chair for his last 16 years.  He served as President of the WSBEA and EWBEA; Editor, Secretary, and President of WBEA; President of WVA; served on the NBEA Executive Board; served as NABTE secretary and was on the Executive Board.  He was also conference chair for WSBEA and WBEA conferences.  Active in curriculum development and research, he also wrote several position papers and resolutions for WSBEA. Ross received several awards; WBEA and WSBEA Distinguished Service Award, WBEA Outstanding Business Educator, WBEA President’s Award and WSBEA Lifetime Achievement Award.  Ross was very dedicated to his students and was a major advisor to many graduate students, student teachers and in charge of first year teacher visitations.  Ross was a teacher, mentor, and friend for many business educators in Washington State.  He always took time to judge at the FBLA conference and was invested in the business leaders of the state.  He was a devoted individual who loved teaching and who was passionate about educating his students.  He would always say, “I am going to school,” never to work!

After retirement Ross served as the President of the CWU Retirement Association and stayed active playing golf, going to the gym and hanging out with his friends telling tall tales over coffee.  He and Ida also enjoyed traveling to the Panama Canal, Alaska, Caribbean, and Mexico many times.   They both truly enjoyed boating and gave up their boat after 42 years of boating on Lake Chelan and the San Juan Islands.
​
A memorial is scheduled for Saturday, September 10 at 1:00 PM at Sue Lombard Hall on the CWU campus in the Lombard Room.   All are welcome to attend and celebrate Ross’s life. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Dr. F. Ross Byrd Scholarship Fund @ WSBEA c/o Jackie Floetke, chair, PO BOX 138, Wilson Creek, WA 98860 or donations be made to Central Washington University Foundation in memory of Professor Ross Byrd.  Funds received will be used to establish the Professor Ross Byrd Scholarship Endowment at the CWU College of Business.   Gifts may be mailed to CWU Foundation, 400 E University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7800, or donated online at cwu.edu/give. The family would like to thank Burien Skilled Nursing and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for their care during his illness.

June 8, 2016 


LEGISLATIVE ALERT: Tell your Senators to Support CTE Opportunities for America's Veterans!
On June 7, 2016, Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and James Lankford (R-OK) filed amendment #4479 to the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which would expand eligibility for returning veterans to use their education benefits at area CTE centers.

Many area CTE centers offer credential-granting programs with online components, which provide flexibility for their many working students to build their skills while balancing other obligations, such as a family or career. However, current law prohibits veterans from using their benefits for such programs unless they are offered at a degree-granting institution, such as a four-year university – an arbitrary limitation that has forced many CTE programs to close their doors to America’s heroes.

ACTE has partnered with Senators Inhofe and Lankford to craft this amendment, and now we need your help to ensure that it receives maximum support!
Take Action

1. Use our online congressional directory to find your Senators.

1. Contact both of your Senators using the CTE Action Center or by phone through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

1. Tell them to ensure our veterans can access high-quality CTE programs by supporting amendment #4479 to the NDAA!

June 6, 2016 


Senate Takes Up Perkins Funding Bill
Next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin consideration of its FY 2017 funding bill for education and workforce training. This committee will be making initial decisions about how much funding Perkins and other programs will receive next year. The Perkins Basic State Grant program is currently funded at $1.118 billion, but tight budgetary caps for the coming fiscal year may result in many education programs being cut or frozen at current levels in the bill!
Thanks to the efforts of CTE advocates nationwide, 150 Members of Congress, including 32 Senators, signed letters in support of increased funding for Perkins earlier this spring. Now take a few minutes to contact your Senators (particularly those listed below who are members of the committee) and let them know it’s time to realize the goal of increasing our investment in CTE!

Take Action

1. Use our online congressional directory to find your Senators.
2. Contact both of your Senators using the CTE Action Center or by phone through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
3. Tell them to increase funding for the Perkins Basic State Grant in the FY 2017 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill.

Senate Appropriations Committee Members

• Thad Cochran (R-MS)
• Steve Daines (R-MT)
• Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
• Richard Shelby (R-AL)
• Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
• Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
• Patty Murray (D-WA)
• Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
• Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Richard Durbin (D-IL)
• Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
• Jack Reed (D-RI)
• Mark Kirk (R-IL)
• Jon Tester (D-MT)
• Roy Blunt (R-MO)
• Tom Udall (D-NM)
• Jerry Moran (R-KS)
• Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
• John Hoeven (R-ND)
• Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
• John Boozman (R-AR)
• Christopher Coons (D-DE)
• Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
• Brian Schatz (D-HI)
• William Cassidy (R-LA)
• Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
• James Lankford (R-OK)
• Christopher Murphy (D-CT)

 

Your ACTE membership and dues directly impact our ability to serve as your advocate for CTE programs on Capitol Hill, and our efforts would not be possible without your support. Learn more about ACTE’s policy activities and the latest news on ACTE’s CTE Policy Watch blog. If you have any questions, please contact the ACTE Public Policy Department.