6176

Instruction
Career and Vocational Education

The Board of Education proclaims its total commitment to career and vocational education, beginning in kindergarten and progressing through adult education.

Career education is comprehensive and non-discriminatory in nature. The goal of career education in Hamden is to foster in students progressive planning and decision-making capabilities which relate to their individual life objectives.

The Board furthermore recognizes that vocational education is a major component of career education and should be available for all students as a natural extension of earlier career planning efforts.

Vocational education helps prepare young people for the world of work and provides an excellent background for higher education. It enhances the roles they will play as productive and contributing members of our society.

Vocational education provides job information, skill development, and an awareness of technology and its application in the work place. It helps students to develop attitudes about the personal, psychological, social and economic significance of work.

The Hamden Board of Education pledges its support to the use of all available resources which will enable its students to become familiar with the values of a work-oriented society, and subsequently, to integrate and implement these values into their lives in such a way that work becomes possible, meaningful and satisfying to each individual.

Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes

10-221 Board of education to prescribe rules.
10-265a Definitions.
10-265b State grants for vocational educational equipment.

Policy adopted: September 12, 2000	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
	Hamden, Connecticut

6176(a)

Instruction
Career/Vocational Advisory Committee

Statement of Purpose
The purpose of a Career/Vocational Advisory Committee is to advise and assist relevant educational personnel in the establishment and maintenance of career and vocational education programs in order to meet the needs of students and those of the community and employers for pertinent career and vocational information and training. The committee acts in a consulting capacity and has no administrative functions.

Relationship of Committee to Board of Education
The Board of Education has authorized the establishment of the committee and with the Superintendent has established its size and composition. In authorizing this committee, the Board pledges its cooperation in their work.

Organizational Structure of the Committee
The size of the committee should be determined by the Board and the Superintendent. Members should be drawn from the appropriate school departments and programs, employment and training agencies, parents, representatives of the handicapped and disadvantaged, student and/or community organizations, labor and area business and industry. A majority of the committee should be from the private sector, including persons with backgrounds and knowledge of the local needs of education, labor and industry.

Meetings will be regularly scheduled at least six (6) times each year.

Responsibilities and Duties
The responsibilities and duties of the Career/Vocational Advisory committee are in several areas:

1. Advise on current and long-range occupational information and labor market trends; review and project local work and program needs in occupational fields.
2. Advise on current and long-range career and vocational planning; assist in the development of the local plan for career and vocational education and review it periodically.
3. Serve as a resource to provide community, labor and business expertise to classroom teachers: assist in obtaining effective training stations for vocational students.
4. Promote and disseminate information on the school system’s career and vocational programs to area business and industry and to the community at large; provide public relations activities for the school system at the state and local levels. 
5. Function as the Board of Education's liaison in career and vocational activities with special advisory committees created for a specific project or program grant.

Regulation approved: September 12, 2000	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
	Hamden, Connecticut