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Arizona Tech Prep is part of a National educational initiative that involves restructuring traditional curricula and introducing new teaching approaches at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Viewed as one of the most innovative and effective educational reform efforts in American history, Tech Prep connects learning to career pathways and provides students with the knowledge, skills and behaviors they need to compete successfully in the technologically advanced workplace of tomorrow.
Tech Prep provides each student with:
- A career pathway with an identified sequence of courses which leads to employment, employability and technological skills.
- Advanced occupational training identified in partnership with business and industry.
- Articulated programs leading to certification and/or a degree.
- A curriculum integrating academic and occupational learning and application.
All About Articulation
If you have a Tech Prep program at your school, you’ve likely heard of articulation. However, unless you participated in the articulation process, you may not be aware of the benefits to your students and why they should be a part of Tech Prep.
According to the New Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus, one definition of articulation is “the way in which different parts are joined together.” Tech Prep’s articulation process is exactly that: the way a high school career and technical program is linked to a post-secondary certificate or degree program to become a streamlined 2+2 program.
The purpose of articulation is to increase academic rigor within the high school program, reduce duplication of course work at the post-secondary level, and recognize the accomplishments and advanced skills gained during the student’s high school training through college credit and/or advanced placement in the post-secondary portion of the program when applicable.
During the articulation process, secondary and post-secondary instructors meet to review standards and competencies taught during the program and align curriculum. Even assignments, labs and other skill activities are discussed to ensure that students meet or exceed the requirements for college.
The award of articulated credit varies from consortium to consortium. However, all articulated programs, when credit is given, must have a signed articulation agreement outlining the agreed-upon sequence of courses and provisions for granting credit to participating students. In some areas, students “enroll” at the college, although the course is taken during high school hours (dual enrollment).
In other parts of the state, when credit is given, the credit is awarded at the post-secondary institution following the completion of the articulation requirements, although the student does not actually enroll at the college during high school. The credit earned in an articulated program is generally provided by the post-secondary institution to students at a reduced rate (and in some areas, at no cost), and is generally transferable to other post-secondary institutions within the state.
See "Elements of an Articulated Program" for additional information.
For more information on articulated programs in your area, contact your local Tech Prep Consortium director.
History of Tech Prep
If you have a Tech Prep program at your school, you’ve likely heard of articulation. However, unless you participated in the articulation process, you may not be aware of the benefits to your students and why they should be a part of Tech Prep.
Tech Prep is a national initiative linking career and technical education programs offered at the high school level to degree and certificate programs at the post-secondary level. In the Tech Prep Education Act of 1990, this initiative was implemented to strengthen education programs for youth who might not earn a four-year post-secondary degree.
At the national level, the goals of Tech Prep legislation were to (1) prepare students for promising careers, (2) to improve the quality of both academic and career and technical education and enhance effectiveness of preparing students for careers by more closely integrating them, and (3) to improve education for the “neglected majority,” those students in the middle quartiles who would most likely finish high school but were unlikely to complete a four-year post-secondary education program.
Employers were concerned that young people lacked both the social and technical skills required to succeed in even entry-level jobs. Increasingly, employees in many fields do not require a four-year degree, but do require specific technical training.
In Arizona, Tech Prep takes a local approach to addressing these issues. Eleven local Tech Prep Directors work with consortium high schools and post-secondary institutions to oversee articulation efforts and provide activities that help connect students to their futures. Arizona Tech Prep has tailored this national initiative to serve each community’s unique population.
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