Colorado’sColorado’sSpecial Populations Special Populations

Career and Technical Education Career and Technical Education

DivisionDivision ACEACE

Alternative Cooperative EducationAlternative Cooperative Education

ACE / Special Populations CTE ACE / Special Populations CTE DivisionDivision

Mission StatementMission Statement

ACE provides high-risk* students with a lifelong pathway for graduation, employment, and career

development.* Includes individuals: with disabilities; from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children; preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents, including single pregnant women; displaced homemakers; and individuals with limited English proficiency.

What is ACE?What is ACE?

ACE is the only Career and Technical ACE is the only Career and Technical Education program designed specifically for Education program designed specifically for high-risk and special populations students*high-risk and special populations students*, , which addresses individualized and transition which addresses individualized and transition needs.needs.

ACE works to transition these students from ACE works to transition these students from high school to post-secondary education and high school to post-secondary education and training or into the workforce.training or into the workforce.

The ACE framework is the multi-occupational The ACE framework is the multi-occupational program spanning multiple career pathways program spanning multiple career pathways for students.for students.

Students at high-risk of dropping out or not graduating from high school

Indicators may include but are not limited to:

educational barriersspecial education qualified limited English proficiencyeconomically disadvantaged;

including foster carehead-of-household students;

displaced homemakers

pregnant and parenting teens

non-traditional career goalsinvolvement with the

criminal justice system

Who are Special Populations?Who are Special Populations?

Current facts on Colorado YouthCurrent facts on Colorado Youth

2006-07 Colorado Youth PopulationBased on 525,713 youths ages 10-17

44,985 Juvenile Arrests 6,829 Live Births by mothers ages 10-1923,600 Dropouts

44% of students with an IEP drop out of high school

What is the cost of 23,000 dropouts What is the cost of 23,000 dropouts per year?per year?

What is the cost to Colorado’s school districts?23,000 x $6,0001 = $138,000,000 revenue lost

What is the cost to Colorado’s communities?23,000 x $250,0002 = $5,750,000,000 will be spent supporting

this year’s dropouts!

What is the cost to you, your family, your community?

By supporting ACE Programs we pay a little now as opposed to a LOT later.

1 state average per pupil allocation2 average cost to community over the lifetime of a dropout

ACE ProgramsACE Programs2012-20132012-2013

enrollment in ACE programs = 6,535number of ACE programs = 113data shows 92.5% of ACE students are

employed or continuing their education

ACE students are successful!

1 Colorado Vocational Act required, annual data report (VE-135)

Response to InterventionResponse to Interventionis built into every ACE programis built into every ACE program

Response to Intervention is federally mandated by Response to Intervention is federally mandated by NCLB and IDEANCLB and IDEA

The ACE program meets a tier 2, targeted-level intervention, by meeting the needs of students identified as high-risk or those who require specific supports to make adequate progress in general education, through a nationally identified and funded Career and Technical Education program.

ACE Curriculum is…ACE Curriculum is…

designed for students who are high-risk or have special needs designed for students who are high-risk or have special needs equivalent to the Special Populations Definition.equivalent to the Special Populations Definition.

a comprehensive curriculum providing a continuum of pre-a comprehensive curriculum providing a continuum of pre-employment, employment, 21employment, employment, 21stst Century Skills, independent Century Skills, independent living skills, financial literacy, etc.living skills, financial literacy, etc.

CTE standards-based (11 essential skills)CTE standards-based (11 essential skills) aligned with Colorado Academic Standards.aligned with Colorado Academic Standards. an enhancement to the application of academics providing an enhancement to the application of academics providing

contextual learning opportunities and relevance.contextual learning opportunities and relevance. academic assistance for struggling and/or credit deficient academic assistance for struggling and/or credit deficient

studentsstudents also taught under other program names (e.g. Achieve, JET, also taught under other program names (e.g. Achieve, JET,

GAIN, Options, ICE, ACE/WES, etc.)GAIN, Options, ICE, ACE/WES, etc.)

ACE is the only Career and Technical Education program ACE is the only Career and Technical Education program designed specifically for designed specifically for high-risk and special populations high-risk and special populations

studentsstudents, which addresses individualized and transition needs., which addresses individualized and transition needs.

ACE supports other CTE programs ACE supports other CTE programs by:by:

providing work-related opportunities for practical, hands-providing work-related opportunities for practical, hands-on experiences for all pathways including those which may on experiences for all pathways including those which may not offer work-related components.not offer work-related components.

building a foundation for students to explore multiple building a foundation for students to explore multiple career pathways.career pathways.

coordinating a variety of multi-occupational employment coordinating a variety of multi-occupational employment opportunities.opportunities.

Career and Technical Education Career and Technical Education incorporates over 80 different incorporates over 80 different

career pathway opportunities in career pathway opportunities in specific career fields.specific career fields.

Context and Relevance Context and Relevance

Work-basedWork-basedInternshipInternshipWork evaluationsWork evaluationsJob coachingJob coachingJob shadowsJob shadowsJob fairsJob fairsProviding opportunities to build strong community Providing opportunities to build strong community

relations and group dynamics business community relations and group dynamics business community relationshipsrelationships

Soft skillsSoft skillsEarn credit towards graduation for work Earn credit towards graduation for work

experiencesexperiences

ACE is a SolutionACE is a Solution

ACE provides students who are high-risk or have special needs* with fundamental Career and Technical Education Skills

ACE enhances the application of academics by providing contextual learning opportunities and relevance

ACE provides assistance with academics in and out of class.

* Includes individuals: with disabilities; from economically disadvantaged families, including foster children; preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents, including single pregnant women; displaced homemakers; and individuals with limited English proficiency.

Colorado ACE www.coloradostateplan.com/ACE.htm

ACTE Special Populations Division https://www.acteonline.org/specialpops/#.VC8NSRBrWSp

Colorado Dept of Ed: Exceptional Student Services

http://www.cde.state.co.us/offices/exceptionalstudentservicesunit