Closing the Equity Gap in DC CTE

Special Population Groups include:

• Individuals with disabilities
• Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults
• Individuals preparing for nontraditional fields
• Single parents, including single pregnant women
• Out-of-workforce individuals
• Homeless individuals
• Youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system
• Youth with a parent who is a member of the armed forces and is on active duty
• Individuals with other barriers to educational achievement, including individuals with limited English proficiency

CTE counselors and educators are expected to protect special populations within their work. Use the following resources to better support students.

• Federal civil rights laws ensure all students, which includes learners with disabilities, can secure online or in-person access to CTE classes. A directory of DC’s Department of Behavioral Health Clinicians at DC Public and Public Charter Schools are noted here. A general introduction and directory on Children and Youth Behavioral Health Services are located here.
• The DC Special Education Hub helps DC families by providing the tools, information, and support needed to make informed decisions to guide their child’s
• Schools participating in DC CTE programs are required to provide English language learners (ELL) access to resources that mitigate any onboarding and/or matriculation barriers in CTE programs. For more information on ELL policies and resources to support them, click here.
• OSSE’s McKinney-Vento Homeless program offers grant assistance to eligible schools in the District so that economically disadvantaged families, foster children, and homeless students do not face barriers leading into high-wage, high demand occupations.
• My Child Care DC provides information about early care and education programs in DC.
• For more information on equitable pathways to work-based learning (WBL) opportunities contact Simone Garcia at simone.garcia@dc.gov.
• For more information on participating in Career & Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) that promote non-traditional training and employment in underrepresented careers contact Candice Mott at candice.mott@dc.gov.
• All students should be made aware of CTE programs of study through annual and continuous notices. See a sample notice here.
• The OSSE Special Education Process Handbook (September 2023) supports local education agencies (LEAs) in understanding and implementing special education requirements with this comprehensive overview of special education processes.
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) published updates to “A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities, August 2020” to advance the office’s efforts in ensuring that all students and youth with disabilities are equipped with the skills and knowledge to achieve their post-school and career goals.

• OSSE Data Equity in CTE Training Series
• OSSE Data Equity Training – Humanizing Data
  • Module 1
  • Module 2
• Perkins V Resources on Equity
• OSSE Division of Teaching and Learning offers two asynchronous course pathways on secondary transition programming on the OSSE Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Student-driven Secondary Transition Planning: This course consists of five asynchronous foundational courses, each focused on a different aspect of the secondary transition planning process. By the end of this course, educators will gain foundational knowledge and increased capacity in developing and implementing high-quality Individualized Transition Plans (ITPs) with secondary transition-age students. Registration link
  • Transition: The Educators’ Guide for Equity-Focused Transition Planning: consists of three modules designed to help educators apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in transition planning. It aims to equip teachers and school staff with the knowledge and skills to integrate culturally sustaining practices into the transition process, promoting equity and inclusivity. Registration link
• National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity is a leading organization for equity leadership and capacity building to transform education and workforce systems.
  • Explore the root causes for the disparities seen in CTE and STEM education and strategies to eliminate them with these resources from NAPE.
  • Learn about the five-step Program Improvement Process for Equity™ from NAPE.
  • Learn about the 9 best practices for implementing equity in NAPE’s Make The Future Series.
  • Further your learning on NAPE’s youtube channel.
• Explore equity resources from Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) to help promote student achievement and close barriers to academic excellence and success.
• Data Quality Institutes (DQI’s) help states develop and implement data systems that yield valid, reliable, and complete data on students who enroll in career and technical education programs.

• Schools can receive technical assistance when applying for competitive grants under OSSE DC CTE’s Innovation Grants which provide limited annual awards to support growth and expansion of CTE program. For more information, please contact Emily Carter at emily.carter@dc.gov.
• Case study: Equity in Baltimore County Public Schools
• The DC State Board of Education Social Studies Standards Guiding Principles document guided the revisions of state social studies standards to be culturally inclusive and anti-racist, impart important social studies content in the early grades, strengthen student knowledge of democratic principles and values, and promote civic engagement.
• Directory of the Civil Rights Coordinators

Best Practices in Curriculum Pedagogy and Work Based Learning Opportunities for IEP and ELL Students

• Preparing Industry Partners for High School Interns in Illinois: To help educate employers about their role in internships and remove barriers for students and industry professionals, the Director of the Valley Education for Employment System in Illinois worked with CAST to develop an innovative micro-credential with accompanying free training modules employers can use to create effective inclusive educational internships for high school students.

Individualized Learning Plans (IEPs)

• Learn about Supporting High Quality Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) from the High Quality IEPs Project.
• The Maine Department of Education’s Field Guide – Serving Students with IEP and 504 Needs in CTE highlights best practices, identifies legal responsibility of both CTE and sending schools, and provides teaching strategies that may be employed within the classroom and lab environments. The DC Field Guide for Students with IEP and 504 Needs in CTE is modelled after the Maine Field Guide Version.
• Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) provides a variety of technical assistance opportunities to support states including:
  • Overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Act
  • Coaching systems change efforts
  • Developing critical new resources for the field
  • Peer learning communities
  • Conferences
• The Guidance for IEP Teams on Participation Decisions for the DC Alternate Assessment in English Language Arts and Mathematics by OSSE helps Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams determine whether the DC Alternate Assessment is the most appropriate assessment for an individual student.

Secondary Transition Resources

• The OSSE Secondary Transition Resource Hub deploys five key strategies to support students with disabilities at every stage: Evidence-Based Practices, Family Partnerships, Professional Learning, Self-Determination and Strategic Collaboration.
• Access technical assistance with Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act from OSSE.
• Add Universal Design Learning to Your CTE State Plan to deliver effective professional development, improve work-based learning, and create innovative solutions to local issues.
• Secondary Transition Predictors of Postschool Success: An Update to the Research Base
• Special Education Law (Second Edition) Pamela and Peter W.D. Wright, Esq. (2011.) Harbor House Law Press.
• Transition Planning for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Youth – Gary Greene, (2011). Brookes Publishing
• The Planning for Post-School Success: Local Education Agency Secondary Toolkit by OSSE contains information and best practices to ensure that students with disabilities receive an excellent education and are prepared for postsecondary education, training, and employment.

Resources for English Language Coordinators

• Equal Access to Elementary and Secondary Education for Students Who Are English Learners with Disabilities
• Data Report on English Learners and Career and Technical Education, Department of Education
• English Learners in the District of Columbia: Building a shared understanding of the District’s English learners (ELs) and a sense of urgency in better meeting their educational needs