Bond projects are planned for all middle schools and both high schools to increase opportunities for career technical education (CTE). This is an informational page to explain CTE and give the plans for the schools.*
CTE Program Information
Designs for Middle and High Schools
CTE Program Information
CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) at Greater Albany Public Schools helps expose students to potential career paths and provides them with the academic and technical skills necessary to succeed in future careers. CTE can encompass everything from welding and woodworking to healthcare, digital design, and culinary arts.
The key to the effectiveness of CTE is how it creates a connection from real-world occupations to educational institution learning. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has shown students are more likely to graduate if they participate in a CTE program.
According to the Oregon Department of Education, “The 2013-2014 four-year cohort graduation rate for CTE concentrators in Oregon was 85.7%; for all students (including CTE concentrators) it was 76.4%. An Oregon CTE concentrator is a student who has earned one or more credits in a technical skill course(s) within an Oregon state-approved CTE Program of Study.”
GAPS prioritizes CTE programs for our students and our graduation rates continue to climb; last year’s growth in 4-year cohort graduation rates for the district was 2.34%; our growth over five years was 4.6%.
Getting students involved in CTE starts young. For our elementary and middle school students, robotics clubs teach members to build code to make objects such as traffic lights, LED reader boards, alarm systems, and drawing bots. In competitions, kids learn high tech skills to apply to ambitious real-world projects, often working with experts in many fields, including members from NASA. Our teams regularly win first place awards for their innovative designs and teamwork.
In order to foster this type of learning, part of the construction bond funds are being used to improve middle school CTE spaces, which include remodeling existing classrooms to create maker, digital, and culinary labs.
Designs for Middle and High Schools
Architectural conceptual drawings of projects to support CTE at middle and high schools:
*If you would like details for Meadow Ridge Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, South Albany High, or West Albany High School, please see those pages on the Construction Bond Homepage. If you would like updates on the other schools, please see this page: https://albany.k12.or.us/critical-facility-upgrades-existing-schools