In carrying out its duties, the State Board of Education shall develop and implement any policies, rules, regulations, and procedures as necessary to ensure career and technical education programs of high quality. The State Board of Education shall prepare a Master Plan for Career and Technical Education. The plan, to be updated periodically, shall ensure that, at a minimum, the following activities are accomplished:

(1) Articulation shall occur with institutions, agencies, councils, and other organizations having responsibilities for work force preparedness.

(2) Business, industrial, agricultural, and lay representatives organized as business advisory councils under Part 4 of this Article have been utilized in the development of decisions affecting career and technical education programs and services.

(3) Public hearings are conducted annually to afford the public an opportunity to express their views concerning the State Board’s plan and to suggest changes in the plan.

(4) The plan describes the State’s policy for career and technical education and the system utilized for the delivery of career and technical education programs, services, and activities. The policy shall include priorities of curriculum, integration of career and academic education, technical preparation, and youth apprenticeships.

(5) A professionally and occupationally qualified staff is employed and organized in a manner to assure efficient and effective State leadership for career and technical education. Provisions shall be made for such functions as: planning, administration, supervision, personnel development, curriculum development, career and technical education student organization and coordination research and evaluation, and such others as the State Board may direct.

(6) An appropriate supply of qualified personnel is trained for program expansion and replacements through cooperative arrangements with institutions of higher education and other institutions or agencies, including where necessary financial support of programs and curriculums designed for the preparation of career and technical education administrators, supervisors, coordinators, instructors, and support personnel.

(7) Minimum standards shall be prescribed for personnel employed at the State and local levels.

(8) Local boards of education submit to the State Board of Education a local plan for career and technical education that has been prepared in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Master Plan for Career and Technical Education.

(9) Appropriate minimum standards for career and technical education programs, services, and activities shall be established, promulgated, supervised, monitored, and maintained. These standards shall specify characteristics such as program objectives, competencies, course sequence, program duration, class size, supervised on-the-job experiences, career and technical education student organization, school-to-work transition programs, qualifications of instructors, and all other standards necessary to ensure that all programs conducted by local school administrative units shall be of high quality, relevant to student needs, and coordinated with employment opportunities.

(10) A system of continuing qualitative and quantitative evaluation of all career and technical education programs, services, and activities supported under the provisions of this Part shall be established, maintained, and utilized periodically. One component of the system shall be follow-up studies of employees and former students of career and technical education programs who have been out of school for one year, and for five years to ascertain the effectiveness of instruction, services, and activities. (1977, c. 490, s. 2; 1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1983, c. 750, s. 1; 1993, c. 180, s. 3; 2017-57, s. 7.23H(e).)