National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1090

For Immediate Release

Webcast Focuses on Using Self-Assessment Tools to Assess the Progress and 
Future Planning of Career and Technical Education

The National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education 
(NDCCTE) will present a webcast entitled "State Career and Technical 
Education (CTE) Self-Assessment" on Monday, March 27, 2006, from 3:00 to 
4:30 p.m. EST. This interactive event, and previous webcasts, can be viewed 
on any computer with Internet access at <http://www.nccte.org>.

The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) of the U.S. Department 
of Education contracted with MPR Associates and MAGI Educational Services, 
Inc., to develop a tool that states can use to help support state CTE 
program improvement efforts. This collaboration has resulted in the State 
Career and Technical Education Self-Assessment Instrument.

The instrument identifies activities, tasks, processes, and collaborations 
that, if they occur, consistently, ensure CTE programs are being 
implemented with a high degree of quality. By using this tool to assess, 
for example, CTE practices and policies, quality outcomes may be 
identified, which should contribute to continuous improvement. Other areas 
the instrument may be used are administration of basic grants, tech-prep 
programs, and accountability data to fund local programs. Additional 
information on the self-assessment tool is available at 
<http://www.edcountability.net/>.

Presenters for the webcast include: Tom Kelsh, Senior Research Associate, 
MAGI Educational Services, Inc. (New York) ; Karen Batchelor, State 
Director for Career and Technology Education (Texas); Kathy Shibley, State 
Director for CareerTechnical and Adult Education (Ohio); Bernie McInerney, 
Tech-Prep Coordinator (New York); and Dan Covington, Director for Physical 
Information Management (Tennessee).

Since joining the Westchester Institute in 1993, Tom Kelsh has directed a 
number of statewide evaluation studies with national significance: the New 
York State Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (19982001), 
the New York State School-to-Work Evaluation Study (19952000), and the New 
York State Title I Evaluation Study (19951999). Findings and products from 
both the School-to-Work and Title I evaluation studies have been shared 
with the U.S. Department of Education and the education departments in the 
50 states. In addition, along with colleagues at Westchester and staff at 
the National School-to-Work Office (NSTWO), he has helped develop the NSTWO 
Local Partnership Self-Assessment and the State Self-Assessment. Currently, 
Kelsh is directing the evaluation of the Student Achievement in Reading 
(STAR) initiative for OVAEa project designed to disseminate and support 
research-based reading practices for adult learners.

Kelsh also has worked for the Research Foundation of the State University 
of New York and the New York State Education Department. He conducted 
program evaluation and survey research studies focused on students with 
disabilities and preservice and inservice teacher education. Kelsh has a 
bachelor's degree in special education from Bloomsburg University (PA); a 
master's degree in special education from the State University of New York 
(Albany); and a doctorate of education in program evaluation from the State 
University of New York (Albany).

Karen Batchelor serves as State Director for Career and Technology 
Education for the Texas Education Agency (TEA). In this role, she provides 
leadership for career and technology education in Texas, serving over 
890,000 students enrolled in CTE courses in over 1,200 school districts and 
charter schools. This includes administration of the Perkins grant and 
coordination of compliance and accountability reporting.

Batchelor came to TEA as the Director for Health Science Technology 
Education in 1996. From 1986 to 1996, she was a health science instructor 
in the Plano (Texas) Independent School District. Batchelor has served as 
the chair of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Competitive 
Events Program, as well as chair of the HOSA, Inc., board of directors. She 
is an active member of the National Consortium on Health Science and 
Technology Education. Batchelor is a registered nurse. She has a master's 
degree in education from Texas A&M UniversityCommerce and a bachelor's 
degree in science from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Kathy Shibley is the Director of the Office of CareerTechnical and Adult 
Education at the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). At ODE, she has 
championed significant initiatives, including: (a) curriculum that includes 
high-level academics, challenging technical content standards, articulation 
with postsecondary, and exit credentialing; (b) technical content standards 
that capture the depth and breadth of career clusters, and include embedded 
academic content standards; and (c) the concept of "technical literacy" 
that erases the dichotomy between academic and technical education by 
calling for students to be able to use academic knowledge and skills to 
demonstrate technical knowledge and skills.

Shibley's previous work experience includes teaching family life education, 
founding and directing two nonprofit educational organizations, giving 
leadership to the education and training career cluster both nationally and 
for the state of Ohio. Shibley has a doctorate in human development with an 
emphasis on adult education and family and consumer sciences education, and 
a bachelor's degree in social welfare from The Ohio State University.

Bernie McInerney is an Associate in Planning and Evaluation, New York State 
Education Department (NYSED). He serves as the TechPrep Education 
Coordinator for the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support. As 
such, he manages New York's TechPrep Education Program which is a federally 
funded grant program supported by the Office of Vocational and Adult 
Education (OVAE), U.S. Department of Education. Tech-Prep Education serves 
as a catalyst for secondary school reform and postsecondary education 
improvement efforts. The program promotes integrated learning and the use 
of work-based learning and new technologies, and encourages partnerships 
with business and labor organizations.

Previously at NYSED, McInerney served on a regional field services team. 
His major responsibility was to provide technical assistance to local 
school districts and regional technical education centers. He also has 
responsibility for Migrant Education, Perkins Vocational and Applied 
Technology Education, Community Schools, School District Shared Decision 
Making (CR 100.11), and Youth-at-Risk. McInerney has teaching 
certifications in business and special education. He has a master's degree 
in educational psychology from The College of St. Rose (Albany, NY); a 
bachelor's degree in business from Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY); and 
an associate's degree in arts and science from SUNY Delhi.

Dan Covington has been Director of Fiscal and Information Management for 
the Tennessee Department of Education (TDE), Division of 
VocationalTechnical Education for the past two years. Previously, he was 
the executive principal of Centennial High Schoola state-of-the-art 
facility that he opened in Franklin, TN. During that period, Centennial 
High School received accreditation status and an incentive award from the 
TDE as an exemplary high school.

Covington was Director of Adult, Vocational, and Community Education in the 
Metropolitan Nashville (TN.) Public Schools for 10 years. Prior to that, he 
directed an exemplary federal project for three years to assess CTE program 
improvement in Metropolitan Nashville (TN) Public Schools. He has taught at 
the elementary, middle, secondary, and community college levels.

Covington has served as president of the Tennessee Directors of Career and 
Technical Education, president of the Tennessee Vocational Association (now 
Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), and as president 
of the National Council of Large City Directors of Vocational Education 
(now an affiliate of the Association for Career and Technical Education). 
Covington also has been recognized as Person of the Year by the National 
Council of Local Administrators of Career and Technical Education.

Viewers of the webcast may ask questions of the panel by signing up (at no 
charge) for a chatroom account at <http://www.nccte.org/re/050418b.asp>. 
The chatroom allows you to submit questions during the presentation. Please 
allow one full day for your account to be validated by e-mail confirmation.

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this e-mail list, please visit this web 
page: <http://www.nccte.org/ctemail/subscription.asp> or send an e-mail to 
<nagy.8 at osu.edu> or contact Barbara Reardon below.


The work reported herein was supported under the National Dissemination 
Center for Career and Technical Education (PR/Award No. VO51A990004) and/or 
under the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education 
(PR/Award No. VO51A990006), as administered by the Office of Vocational and 
Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education. However, the contents do not 
necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Office of Vocational 
and Adult Education or the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not 
assume endorsement by the federal government. The National Dissemination 
Center for Career and Technical Education and the National Research Center 
for Career and Technical Education are funded by the Office of Vocational 
and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education.

For Additional Information Contact:
Barbara Reardon
The Ohio State University
Director of Communications
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1090
Phone: 614-292-2894
Fax: 614-688-3258
Email: <reardon.30 at osu.edu>
Web site: <www.nccte.org>