The CTE Connect

March is here, and with it comes momentum, opportunity, and the excitement of what many might call our own version of “CTE March Madness.” As we approach Spring Break, it is a great time to pause, recharge, and reflect on the incredible work happening across our programs.

March also gives us the opportunity to celebrate Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the achievements, leadership, and contributions of women who have shaped industries, strengthened our communities, and paved the way for future generations. In Career and Technical Education, we see this impact every day as our students explore pathways in fields where women continue to lead, innovate, and break barriers.

When we return from Spring Break, we will enter one of the busiest and most important stretches of the year as we continue ensuring that every student is college, career, and/or military ready.

Across our district, CTE classrooms, labs, shops, and learning spaces continue to prepare students with the technical skills, industry knowledge, and real-world experiences needed to thrive beyond high school. From certifications and advisory partnerships to work-based learning opportunities and pathway completion, your dedication is opening doors and changing trajectories for our students every day.

As we move through March, let’s keep the energy high and the focus strong. The work you do matters, and the impact is visible in the confidence, competitions, skills, and future plans of the students we serve. Thank you for your continued commitment to excellence and for being champions of opportunity for our students.

#KISDSTRONG
#ExcellenceByDesign

Last month we celebrated reaching 73%, and now we have climbed to 77% and growing, a four-point gain that reflects the hard work and commitment happening across our campuses.

While this progress is worth celebrating, this is not the finish line. The goal remains 88% or higher, and every certification earned, pathway completed, and opportunity provided moves our students closer to that mark.

A special shoutout to HHHS for officially surpassing the 88% CCMR goal and landing in the A Bracket for CCMR achievement. Your dedication and focus on student success continue to set the pace.

Let’s keep the momentum going. As we head into the final stretch of the year, every campus has a role to play in helping our students cross the finish line college, career, and military ready.

Let’s push together to reach and/or exceed the 88% goal!

Take a sneak peak to see all the amazing College, Career, and Life Readiness tools that this platform will offer. The goal is to replace Naviance which has similar goals, however there are bonus features such as view and tracking CTE Completers, WBL hours, Course planning for MS and HS, and much more: https://www.loom.com/share/0d5527d21c4045f7ab538d8266c1c8c6

Students had to receive at least a grade of 97 on their project and presentations to advance to Nationals. The following students are National Qualifiers:

If you have not already scheduled your career cluster advisory board for the spring, please do so when we return on Monday, March 23rd. You will have time to get this scheduled for each career cluster (every CTE teacher falls within an identified TEA career cluster) with vertical teams planning together during the PM CTE PD session (1-4), representation from each campus is a requirement (expansion discussion will occur). See Advisory Board Guidelines and the Agenda for reference.

What’s New / Must-Do / New Considerations:

• Schedule your second advisory board meeting for this school year (virtual or in person).

• Identify any potential new certifications for each program. Does a student have at least two opportunities (once in 9th or 10th AND once in 11th or 12th) to become CCMR through a certification? Here's the link to TEA's IBC list for accountability 2025-2030 and the newly updated Program of Study framework documents (provided by TEA). This is the time to identify any changes needed to enhance programming. TEA is proposing Tiered certifications, based on what we currently offer, here's the breakdown. Do we see the opportunity to offer additional Tier 1 and/or Tier 2 certs? Tier 3 certs will remain, however, based on this tiering system, we will be limited to 5% of gradates receiving CCMR credit for Tier 3 certs. Is there any interest to replace any certs? These are topics to discuss with the Advisory Board to ensure they best decisions are made with students in mind.

• Engage stakeholders in long-range planning discussions, including short- and long-term program goals and 1–3 year plans, with a focus on big-ticket purchase requests and or facilities needs. As part of the district's optimization plan, this is the time for needs to be made known.

• Information shared will assist with planning the 26-27 SY budget - spending deadlines must be completed by Valentines Day (excluding PD).

Please reach out to your campus leaders and the CTE district team to let us know if you need support as you begin scheduling.

Appreciate you greatly,

Team CTE

Check out the students and much more in the link above

Mr. Tibbitts' students Micah Rollins and Anderson Smith took 1st in Commercial sUAS Drones at Skills USA District! Amazing job!

• Are you new to these CTE courses: Anatomy & Physiology or Forensic Science? Visit your CIS/CIS to receive your access information to pacing, Instructional Focus Documents, and more.

• TCMPC is an online curriculum management system aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the state standards for what students should know and be able to do. It includes curriculum frameworks, unit planning tools, assessments, scope and sequence guides, and other resources to help teachers and leaders plan instruction.

• https://go.tcmpc.org/

The State Board of Education approved two sets of universal employability skills Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for all CTE courses in a program of study; one set for Level 1 and 2 courses and one set for Level 3 and 4 courses. Cross references to the new employability skills TEKS will be added to the TEKS for each CTE course, as applicable. Employability skills standards are required to be taught as a part of each course in a CTE program of study.

New §127.15, Career and Technical Education Employability Skills, will be available in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter B, High School.

Relocation of CTE TEKS:

All TEKS are now found in Chapter 127 (they relocated from Chapter 130). CTE TEKS to 19 TAC, Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education. The move ensures that all CTE TEKS are in the same chapter in administrative rule and will be effective on August 1, 2025.

Check out the story in the above link

Watch Carson go below in the Calf Scramble!

Join us in congratulating Isabelle Jundi, a Killeen High School and KISD Career Center Graphic Design and Illustration student, for being named a recipient of the 2026 Career and Technical Education Award! Out of more than 500 students who entered, Isabelle was selected as one of 33 finalists and ultimately named one of only 7 winners. What an incredible accomplishment!

Our district has signed up with Intuit for Education to provide financial literacy resources for your students at no cost. Check out a few of the highlights:

• Free and interactive curriculum with real-world tools to help students become financially confident
• Both personal finance and entrepreneurial finance courses with a choice of lesson plans that are guided by educators or self-paced learning for students on their own
• Plus, there’s a Teacher Assist search function built in to help locate the lesson plans you want instantly. It really couldn’t be easier to get started!

Click here to create your free account in just a few moments and then selecting your school and following the steps listed in the ‘For those already approved’ section. Selecting your school is a critical step in the process!

This educator toolkit is a full collection of lessons, simulations, games, and other resources broken down by topic. You can find your state’s standards alignment on the site as well once you log in.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email stepan_mekhitarian@intuit.com to help any way possible with access to additional support and professional guidance.

You will find additional information in the CTE Schoology folder -- Resources -- Curriculum Resources -- BMF

1. Clarify expectations for learning and mastery ("Know" and "Show"):

• The "Know" side lays out the essential conceptual understandings students must grasp.

• The "Show" side specifies how students should demonstrate that understanding—through actions, responses, or evidence of learning.
  For example, in weekly data meetings, educators use a know/show chart to unpack a target standard—defining what students need to know and how they’ll show mastery. This then guides lesson focus and assessment.

2. Anchor collaborative instructional planning and analysis:

• Teachers and administrators use know/show charts as shared reference points during planning cycles and data meetings. Together, they dissect standards, align exemplars to expectations, surface conceptual or procedural gaps, and design reteach lessons tailored to the identified needs.

3. Identify and address learning gaps through focused reteaching:

• After marking areas where students struggle (evidenced by student work or exit tickets), instructional teams revisit the know/show chart to determine whether the issue is conceptual ("know") or procedural ("show"). Then, they craft reteach plans that explicitly target the gap—whether through modeling, questioning, or guided discourse.

4. Build consistency and clarity across teachers and lessons:

• By defining exactly what counts as "knowing" and how to "show" it, know/show charts help ensure that lessons, exemplars, and assessments are all aligned and consistently rigorous across classrooms

• All Pacing Calendars with TEKS in Schoology
• Know and Show - supports PLCs & Unit Focus Document(s) for planning lessons
• Unit Focus Documents (UFD) in Schoology

🎉Remember-Discipline leads to habits, Habits lead to consistency and Consistency leads to student growth! District Instructional Specialists are on Campuses!

We are entering the time of year for IBCs, I wanted to share with all CTE teachers to ensure no one missed the expectations/procedures.

Please review the following expectations and procedures to ensure a smooth and secure testing experience for all students.

Before Testing

• Confirm that all eligible students are registered for the assessment.
• Notify students and parents of the testing date, time, and location at least two weeks in advance.
• Provide students with an overview of the test format, rules, and expectations.
• Verify that all testing accommodations (IEP/504) are documented and ready.

On Testing Day

• Verify student identity and attendance using your seating chart or testing plan.
• Actively monitor the room to maintain test security—no unauthorized materials or devices are allowed.
• Reinforce expectations for respectful conduct and academic integrity.
• Only trained proctors may supervise testing sessions.

After Testing

• Collect all test materials immediately and return them securely to the designated location.
• Record and verify student results with the vendor.
• Submit all required documentation to your Dean of Instruction within five (5) school days of test completion. Documentation includes:

o Certification Reporting Form (below)

o Annotated class roster showing which students were eligible, tested, passed, or failed (ex. below)

o A copy or printout of each student’s certification from the certifying entity

Submission Deadlines

· All documentation must be submitted within five (5) school days of each IBC test date.

· CTE Awards Ceremony recognition submissions: April 24, 2026

· Graduation submissions: May 12, 2026

Please ensure all certification data is accurate and submitted promptly for accountability entry and student recognition.

If you have any questions or need assistance with registration, accommodations, or reporting, please reach out. Thank you for maintaining the integrity of our testing process and supporting students as they work toward earning their certifications.

We want to continue highlighting the amazing things happening across our district.

Each week, use the form to share your good news and feel free to upload a photo or two. We’ll showcase these celebrations on our Killeen ISD CTE webpage, monthly webpage, and/or social media to keep our CTE community inspired and connected.

Thank you for sharing your "good things" with our district-wide CTE team!

Click for details!

CTAT is the leading advocate supporting CTE programs and the professionals who lead them.

We hope you are doing well. We are reaching out to share an exciting professional learning opportunity for your teachers. WeTeach_CS, in partnership with Baylor University, is offering a FREE Computer Science and a Technology Applications certification preparation course. With these certifications, a teacher is credentialed to teach courses in the Computer Science curriculum, including cybersecurity, game programming, and other areas. Attached is a flyer with all the details, including registration.

This program is an excellent opportunity for teachers interested in expanding their skills or adding a new certification area. With increasing demand for computer science and technology instruction across grade levels, this course can help campuses expand their STEM offerings at no cost to educators or their districts.

Program Highlights:

• Fully funded—no cost to teachers
• Prepares educators for the Texas CS or Tech Apps certification exams
• Flexible, synchronous and asynchronous coursework
• Supported by leaders in CS education
• Significant stipends for completing coursework and additional stipends for certification
• Generous Professional Development hours for participants.

Please feel free to share the attached flyer with any teachers who may be interested. It supports broader campus goals around STEM pathways, technology integration, and preparing students for future-ready careers.

Let us know if you have any questions or need additional copies of the flyer. If you have questions, please e-mail sara_teichelmann1@baylor.edu.

Greg Speegle, Professor, Computer Science, greg_speegle@baylor.edu

Trena Wilkerson, Professor, Mathematics Education, trena_wilkerson@baylor.edu

https://cs.baylor.edu/weteachcs/

Join G-W's Mandy Green for a free, transformative masterclass series. Whether you’re refining your design skills or starting fresh, this series equips you with practical tools and proven frameworks to make learning stick and transfer beyond the classroom. Register now for as many sessions as you'd like to attend, and feel free to forward this message to any colleagues who might be interested.

March 31, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

April 28, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

May 19, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

June 23, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

July 28, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

August 25, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

September 29, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

October 27, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

November 17, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. CST

I hope you can join us for these monthly webinars with Mandy Green. She combines an extensive background in education, an innovative and energetic approach to professional learning, and a passion for sharing best practices that empower educators and ultimately lead to student success.

College and Career Exploration teachers meet monthly to review district documents (pacing, Know and Show, UFDs, Exemplars, plan lessons, review data (this year pre/post assessment assessments for inclusion & preparation for the next cohort application in the spring), engage in training, receive important updates, and prepare for course planning for fall and spring.

Essentially, these meetings serve as a districtwide PLC that mirrors the valuable work done on campuses. This is a very valuable opportunity to ensure continuity as students move throughout the district and they remain successful.

• March 12 - Killeen ISD Multicultural Festival 5 PM - 7 PM at Killeen ISD Career Center
• March 13 - Regular School Day
• March 13 - Complete CCMR High School Visits with Assessment & Accountability
• March 16-20 - Spring Break
• March 23 - MS CTE PD at KCC from 8 AM - 11 AM
• March 23 - HS CTE PD at KCC from 1 PM - 4 PM
• March 25 - CTE Lottery Run
• March 24 - UPDATE: Paying for College - @ KCC - 6PM - Karen Denney (Presentation series below)
• March 25 - Killeen ISD Virtual Meet and Greet
• March 31 - Central Texas Scholarship Lady - Career Search at Killeen ISD Career Center 6 PM
• April 3 - Student and Staff Holiday
• April 24 - Deadline for submission of CTE data from Industry Certifications for Seniors for ceremony recognition. All remaining students by May 12, 2026.
• May 7 - CTE Cording Ceremony for Completers. Invitation only!
• Spring CTE Advisory Board meetings should be concluded by May 15th.

You will find the finalized schedule for 7th graders to visit the KISD Career Center.

A few important reminders:

• Tours are scheduled from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.

• Bus requests must be submitted by the middle school POC (email was sent by Alisia Smith, KCC CTE Program Advisor to principals and counselors).

• Please use the following budget code when submitting this transportation request (for Middle Schools): 163-11-6494-00-003-22-00

We are excited to welcome students to explore the programs at the Career Center and begin considering their future pathways. More detailed logistics will be shared as each tour date approaches.

Thank you again for your support in making this opportunity possible for our students.

We are temporarily located at Dr. Jimmie Don Aycock in room 812.

CTE/Advanced Academics Secretary, judith.roldan@killeenisd.org, 336-1740

CTE Coordinator, charlotte.heinze@killeenisd.org, 336-0272

CTE Director, patrice.robinson@killeenisd.org, 254-336-1757

We hope this newsletter inspires and informs you as we continue to be a model of excellence in Career and Technical Education as a District of Distinction. Together, we are shaping the future of our students and industries.

August 2025 CTE Connect

September 2025 CTE Connect

October 2025 CTE Connect

December '25/January 2026

February 2026