Volusia County Schools Career & Technical Education FAQ


For the 2019-2020 school year, Volusia County Schools has 79 Career & Technical Education programs and 41 career academies in its high schools.

WHAT IS A CTE PROGRAM AND CTE ACADEMY?


A Career & Technical Education Program is a sequence of three or more CTE courses that provides rigorous instruction to prepare students for high-wage, high-skill, high-demand careers. Programs are designed to bridge secondary and postsecondary curriculum, provide industry certification opportunities, reinforce core academics, and deliver the skills necessary for cutting-edge, economically viable career options. Work-based learning opportunities, hands-on learning, school-based enterprises, and Career & Technical Student Organizations are key components of CTE programs. Many CTE programs offer post-secondary dual enrollment and industry certification options.


A Career Academy is a small learning community that combines a college-preparatory curriculum with a career focus. Academies provide unique learning opportunities through extensive business partnerships, integrated instruction, hands-on learning, feld studies, service learning, career shadowing, Career & Technical Student Organizations, and internships. Teacher teams, in conjunction with business partners, provide the real-world skills necessary for students to be successful in today’s work environment. Many academies offer post-secondary dual enrollment and industry certification options.


ADMISSION CRITERIA: Career Academy


1) Admission into an academy of choice requires the student to complete the District Career Academy Application for each academy of choice, even when the academy of choice is located at the student’s zoned high school.


2) The District Career Academy Application is available at the High School Showcase Event; in high school and middle school guidance departments; and at WWW.MYVOLUSIASCHOOLS.ORG/CTE.


3) District Career Academy Applications are due on or before January 31, 2019.


4) Each completed District Career Academy Application is submitted to the Academy Director at the high school offering the
academy of choice. Academy Director contact and school address information are located on each school page of this booklet
and at WWW.MYVOLUSIASCHOOLS.ORG/CTE.


5) Student eligibility to an academy of choice may be determined by such factors as career academy offerings at the zoned high
school, academic performance, attendance, and conduct. A career academy may require other admission criteria.


6) When the number of qualified student applicants to a career academy exceeds the number of available positions, a random
selection process (lottery) is used to accept qualified applicants.


7) If the student is not accepted into a career academy this year, he/she must reapply next year, if interested.

APPLICATION TIMELINE


*In zone students have priority to CTE programs and academies. Out of zone students’ access to CTE programs and academies is based on available capacity of the school and program.

January 31, 2020 Application Deadline (Students/Parents)
February 1, 2020 – March 1, 20202 Application Processing (Academy Directors)
February 28, 2020 – March 1, 2020 Mail Acceptance/Denial Letters to Students/Parents (Academy Directors)
March 12, 2020 Deadline for *Declaration of Intent (Academy Directors)


ADMISSION CRITERIA

Career and Technical Education Programs

Out-of-Zone Variances


• Subject to Volusia County School Board Policy 203, a student may apply for an out-of-zone variance to attend a school other than his/her assigned zoned school.
• In the event that the student ceases to be enrolled in the career academy for which the out-of-zone variance is approved, the student is required to return to the school assigned to the attendance area based on residence.
• Variance application submittal is not necessary for a student applying to career academies or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs offered outside his/her assigned high school zone.

Bus transportation to out-of-zone schools


• NO bus transportation is available for a student to attend an out-of-zone high school.
• If the career academy of choice requires a student to attend an out-of-zone high school, the student must provide his/her
own transportation.

*A student may send only ONE (1) Declaration of Intent to an academy in which he/she received written acceptance.