DESE Delivers Executive Report on Career and Technical Education to Governor’s Office

The report makes suggestions on methods to enhance profession and technical schooling in Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo — The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) offered the Governor’s Office with suggestions to enhance profession and technical schooling (CTE) supply techniques in Missouri. Executive Order 25-16, issued by Governor Kehoe on January 28, 2025, charged DESE — with DHEWD as a principal associate — with participating key stakeholders to replace and enhance CTE supply techniques in Missouri, specializing in enhancements to CTE ability attainment and growing program participation.

The Executive Order report describes how DESE and DHEWD engaged stakeholders all through an in-depth, four-month assessment course of. Complementing the suggestions have been knowledge from a CTE perceptions survey which included 5,650 responses from college students, mother and father, educators, and enterprise leaders. The general precedence areas embrace:

• Strengthen Work-Based Learning, Employer Engagement, and Workforce Development
• Expand Early Career Exploration, School Counseling, and Advising Systems
• Strategic Communication and Marketing to Promote CTE

“This work will result in a significant step forward, so that all students have a chance to find their path to success,” stated Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between secondary programs and the workforce. These recommendations will lead to growth in Missouri’s economy by closing critical workforce gaps and creating a talented pipeline of skilled workers.”

DESE will submit an annual progress report back to the Governor’s Office by means of 2028, summarizing efforts which were made throughout the earlier yr, progress in direction of the overarching targets of the Executive Order, suggestions from exterior stakeholders, and coverage suggestions.