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Educators
Tech Prep is a college-preparatory, advanced placement program that provides students with academic, as well as, applied technical skills. The high school program prepares students to continue in a college program that leads to a minimum of a two-year associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree or certificate. A Tech Prep student's high school graduation plan should be based on the Recommended High School Program (RHSP) that includes a coherent sequence of two (2) or more career and technology courses for three (3) or more credits. At least one of these career and technology courses must be eligible for credit through articulation or dual credit by concurrent enrollment.
A key component of Tech Prep is program articulation, which is a planned process linking educational institutions and educational experiences to assist students in making a smooth transition from one level of education to another without experiencing delays or duplication in learning.
A program articulation agreement is a signed document that indicates the specific responsibilities of the secondary school, the postsecondary institution, and the student. The agreement also includes an outline of a recommended high school graduation plan and a two-year degree, certificate, or apprenticeship program plan. Together these are called a 6-year or Tech Prep plan
Within articulated Tech Prep programs are articulated courses, high school courses that contain the same course content as an equivalent college course, and for which a postsecondary institution has agreed to award college credit if the students meets the requirements outlined in the course articulation agreement, either through the Advanced Technical Credit program or in a local articulation agreement.
DECLARING INTENT TO PARTICIPATE IN TECH PREP
A student may declare intent to participate in a Tech Prep high school graduation plan in a number of ways. These may include:
• A four-year high school graduation plan that includes a locally-developed career and technology course sequence that is part of a state-approved Tech Prep plan with a college;
• Completion of a locally-developed intent form; and/or
• Record of a student’s verbal statement of intent documented by an advisor (counselor, teacher, or administrator).
WHEN IS A TECH PREP STUDENT IDENTIFIED
Tech Prep students are identified in grades 9-12 by the following:
• The student has a 4-year Tech Prep high school graduation plan described above; and
• The student has enrolled in, or completed, the first career and technology course in the plan.
Students are coded annually as Career and Technology Indicator Code (C/T) PEIMS code 3 based on their intent to continue to follow this graduation plan.
TECH PREP COURSE PARTICIPANT
A Tech Prep course participant is a student that is taking a course that is part of an approved Tech Prep educational plan, but indicates no intent to graduate under a Tech Prep high school graduation plan and will not complete a significant portion of a Tech Prep plan. This student is coded Career and Technology Indicator Code (C/T) PEIMS code 1 or 2 each year as long as the student has no intent to participate in a Tech Prep plan.
COMPLETION OF A HIGH SCHOOL TECH PREP PROGRAM
A student does not need to complete all courses in a Tech Prep high school graduation plan to be a high school Tech Prep student or to continue in a postsecondary Tech Prep program, although a student should take a majority of the plan, including courses eligible for college credit.
Although students are encouraged to take as many courses in the Recommended High School Program as possible, they are not required to complete the program to be a Tech Prep student.