APPENDIX A

• Program Abstract
• Program Operation
• A Typical Day in the Life of a CATE Counselor
• Components of Exemplary Career Guidance And Counseling Programs

Program Abstract

The GISD, a nonprofit organization, serves students from the three communities of Garland, Rowlett, and Sachse. The district encompasses some 103 square miles and serves approximately 43,000 students K-12 during the 1994-1995 school year. The district gains 1,500 to 2,000 new students each year.

Career and Technology Education (CATE) programs are offered to students in grades 7-12, on twelve middle school and six high school campuses. There are some 17,000+ students in grades 7-12 in the GISD. During 1993-1994, 115 CATE teachers and 6.5 CATE counselors served 9,235 students, grades 7-l2, in CATE programs. Out of the 9,235 students served, 354 were pregnant and/or parenting teens, 3,219 were nontraditional enrollees, 299 were LEP/Immigrants, 5,687 were disadvantaged, and 679 were students with disabilities.

Considering the diverse needs of the large population served each year, CATE's 6.5 guidance and counseling personnel are challenged to respond to a greater diversity of individuals. This challenge includes the need to provide access to high-quality programs that meet the unique needs of such groups as women, minorities, the poor, immigrants, and those with disabilities. Achieving excellence and equity for each student is a reality for GISD's students due to the leadership of the CATE guidance and counseling staff.

The Career and Technology Education Guidance and Counseling Program has been in existence since the early 1970s. The purpose of the program is to provide guidance and counseling services that include self-knowledge, education and occupational exploration, and career planning in a way that ensures excellence and equity for all GISD's students.

The goal of GISD's Guidance and Counseling Program is to provide ALL students a sequential program, which will result in successful educational, career development/planning, and placement. The Career and Technology Education Guidance and Counseling component has the responsibility to provide a comprehensive career development program to all students. The GISD's CATE Guidance and Counseling Program is an integral part of a comprehensive, integrated educational program designed to provide all students with a well-rounded applicable and relevant education, enabling students to develop skills and knowledge that are transferable to their work and home lives. The program is an organized team effort made up of counselors, teachers, administrators, librarians, parents, private industry, and community organizations. All team members are committed to promoting the career development of all students.

Methods and/or strategies used to achieve this goal include the following: outreach, counseling, assessment, instruction, career information, work experience, consultation, referral, placement, and follow-up activities. Evidence of success of the CATE Guidance and Counseling Program efforts appears in the success of its graduates.

Each year the previous year's graduates, that is, graduating seniors who participated in GISD'S two or three hour pre-employment laboratory or cooperative education components are contacted. Observable outcomes attained by 775 completors during the 1992-1993 school year document that 160 were employed in a field related to their high school training, 395 were pursuing additional education, 120 were employed in other fields, 33 were engaged in full-time military service, 23 were unemployed but seeking employment, 30 were not in the labor force and 14 could not be located. Similarly, in 1993-1994, 645 completors were contacted: 166 were employed in a field related to their high school training, 311 were pursuing additional education, 83 were employed in other fields, 31 were engaged in full-time military service, 25 were not in the labor force, 27 were unemployed but seeking employment, and 2 could not be located.

Providing a program that ensures students access to information and assistance in the development of skills necessary for decisionmaking, problem solving, career and life planning, and personal living that empowers them to achieve their potential and experience success and gratification from whatever they choose to do is the goal of the CATE Guidance and Counseling Program. Year after year, the follow-up data on the previous year's graduates affirm that the program is effectively meeting the needs of GISD's students and is preparing young people to effectively live and work in this period of dramatic change and an ever changing future.

Program Operation

Each of the five high schools is served by one full-time CATE counselor and three of the five also are served by a halftime special populations counselor. In addition, the Evening High School is served by a part-time counselor. Their student population is made up of all students enrolled in co-ops, two-hour labs, and some selected one-hour labs. Their approximate student loads for the 1993-1994 school year were as follows:

*Campuses served by special populations counselor

The CATE counselors provide equivalent services to those provided by a regular counselor and participate in most of the other duties performed by regular counselors. In addition, they coordinate all Career Interest Survey testing; assist in identifying and recruiting for CATE programs; serve on advisory councils; support co-op and lab teachers in the day-to-day operation of their programs; attend and assist with local area and state student contests and activities; disseminate CATE information; coordinate CATE contact hour report for state CATE funding; coordinate CATE data systems report for federal funding; interpret and administer various CATE guidelines as they apply to students; provide personal guidance to CATE students in making career choices and selection of appropriate support courses; provide CATE course information to middle school and high school students; represent the CATE administrators at each annual Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD); provide documentation of all at-risk age appropriate student placements in CATE courses; represent GISD at district, regional, and state CATE conferences; and coordinate special CATE student scholarships.

The special populations counselors serve 100 highly at-risk seniors on each campus they serve. They provide intense attention to student needs by maintaining frequent contact with students, teachers, and parents. They also represent CATE administrators at annual ARDs and serve as liaisons for middle school counselors working with special education students in CATE programs. The regular counselor or the special populations counselor works in conjunction with the diagnostician to review vocational testing of all special education students grades 7 through 12 and writes the summary which is used at the annual ARD.

Outcomes attained are identified by the VEDS report (Federal Funding Systems), which tracks students' employment status one year after graduation. Instructional approaches used by CATE counselors include individual and group guidance. Materials used include DISCOVER program, InterLink correspondence, Career Interest Survey, Boy Scout Career Survey, COPS, Decisions Booklet, student course guide, and student credit profile.

GISD currently has an articulation agreement with Dallas County Community College in the area of Child Development, Electronics, and Computer Assisted Drafting (CAD). Students in second-year Clinical Rotation or Health Occupations Cooperative Training (HOCT) may earn three hours of dual credit in Medical Terminology per an agreement with El Centro Jr. College.

A Typical Day in the Life of a CATE Counselor

Components of Exemplary Career Guidance And Counseling Programs

1. Career Guidance and Counseling Program Plan

   1.1 Assist Students/Clients To Increase Self-Knowledge and Self-Advocacy.

   • Administration of the Ohio Career Interest Survey - The Interest Survey is given to CATE students to help them understand how their interests in certain job activities are related to careers. This understanding contributes to a positive self-concept, aids in developing goals, and facilitates planning for career development. The Career Survey Planning booklet is administered by CATE teachers as a follow-up to the survey. The planning booklet emphasizes the importance of providing continued training and experiences as part of preparation for and growth within their chosen career area.

   • Administration of the Boy Scout Survey - This survey is given to CATE students to give them an opportunity to identify career areas in which they have interest. Identification of compatible career areas complements the Ohio Career Interest Survey, contributes to positive self-concept, and initiates career planning and developing.

   • DISCOVER Computer Assisted Career Assessment Instrument - Each GISD high school campus has DISCOVER available. Students have access to the program as a class, by referral, or simply by using the DISCOVER computer on their own. This career information delivery system contributes to students' positive self-concept by identifying their interests, abilities, experiences, and values, and communicating a relationship of those items and the world of work. This program contributes to the students' knowledge and understanding of the importance of growth and development by assessing their progress, assisting in career planning, and providing direct access to occupational and educational searches and databases.

   • Career Night - Students and parents attend an information fair event at the school campus, meeting and visiting with representatives from different business and industry groups, postsecondary training institutions, and government agencies. Students have the opportunity to develop and demonstrate positive interaction with each other and the adult representatives concerning possible career goals and strategies to attain those goals. This interaction assists students in developing a positive self-concept and demonstrates the effects of a positive self-concept and the necessity for continued growth and development for their desired career goals.

   • College Night - This event is similar in design and operation to the Career Night. Students develop and experience the impact of a positive self-concept through their interactions with college and university representatives. Students have the opportunity to identify a variety of pathways for preparation involving college and see the importance, impact, and correlation of continued growth and development in their career goals.

   • "Decisions" Guidance Booklet - This publication was created by the GISD and distributed to its students. The booklet informs students of the many options available in the district and underscores the need for planning for their educational growth and development with their career goals in mind. The booklet relates the students' high school coursework to career goals and provides literally thousands of options for a coherent sequence of courses that will prepare them for those goals. The publication is complete with a four-year planning worksheet.

   • Student Information Sheets - Students fill out a Student Information Sheet that asks them to describe their extracurricular activities, special academic awards and achievements, and other awards and achievements. This activity helps to develop a positive self-concept by focusing on their successes. The students realize the impact of these activities as the counselors use the information to write recommendation letters. The fact that students formally communicate their assets contributes to their ability to interact positively with others.

   • Student Information Sheets - Students fill out a Student Information Sheet that asks them to describe their extracurricular activities, special academic awards and achievements, and other awards and achievements. This activity helps to develop a positive self-concept by focusing on their successes. The students realize the impact of these activities as the counselors use the information to write recommendation letters. The fact that students formally communicate their assets contributes to their ability to interact positively with others.

   • Classroom Visits - Counselors visit classrooms to discuss career options, postsecondary training, and other issues. The importance of self-concept is emphasized in a variety of ways, including its role in selecting a college, career, and life plan. Students are provided time to interact openly and discuss these issues in a positive and supportive environment. Many students follow up the session by writing reports for class credit on careers or preparation for their career goals.

   • Individual Visits - Many one-on-one sessions are held with counselors and students. Through these sessions, students are often able to develop a positive self-concept and understand its effect on their lives. Many times students are able to find more productive and positive ways of interacting with parents, teachers, employers, and fellow students by working through a problem and/or learning to address an issue in a responsible way. Understanding individual differences, including learning styles and preferences, helps students take the initiative to solve problems independently.

   • Group Sessions - Group sessions are held with students that are identified or referred for specific concerns. There are often advantages of a group session for some issues such as peer/social pressures, improving academic performance, or developing career goals. These sessions emphasize the importance of a positive self-concept and provide a positive interactive environment for students to probe such issues. Students often share positive approaches to issues that have worked for them in the past. Students themselves often express the need for continual growth personally and professionally.

   • Involvement in Student Youth Leadership Organizations - Counselors find a variety of involvement in the various student youth leadership organizations, including encouraging student participation during classroom, group, and individual visits; accompanying students to various activities; participating as judges during competition; assisting with meetings and award assemblies; and so on. The students experience the importance of a positive self-concept through student competitive events and motivational speakers at such events. These student youth leadership activities also provide opportunities to develop skills to interact positively with each other as well as with students and adults from outside their school. By providing an opportunity for students to demonstrate the skills they have developed in a healthy competitive environment, these events often awaken an appreciation for the training and growth they have experienced through their courses and field experiences.

   • Counselor Packets - Packets with a variety of materials are distributed to students. These packets include information addressing such issues as planning for courses, graduation, testing, scholarships, and college applications. The students are given the opportunity to take action for themselves in planning for their future, with the counselors available for assistance if needed. This empowerment contributes to a positive self-concept. Much of the action the students take involves formal interaction with others in a positive way. The focus of most of the material is on the students' growth and development--academically and occupationally--for their future.

   1.2 Assist Students/Clients in Educational and Occupational Exploration.

   CATE counselors meet with each student who has expressed an interest in a CATE program during the spring semester to discuss career options and the academic and CATE courses available to support their tentative choices. The importance of maintaining good grades, a good attendance record, and a good attitude are stressed as criteria for being accepted into the CATE programs.

   Assisting students to set goals and guiding them as they map out their chosen pathway helps the students gain ownership of the career pathway they are pursuing and promotes a positive attitude and enthusiasm for their journey.

   Frequently, students have no idea or only very vague ideas of what might be appropriate career options for them to pursue. In these instances, the CATE counselor reviews the results of their Career Interest Survey with them to help them focus on their strengths and weaknesses and assessed interests. Students searching for information regarding specific careers are referred to the "DISCOVER" system. The students have the options of printing accessed information to take home to discuss with their parents and/or reviewing the information with the counselor.

   The following tools are utilized to assist the students in their educational and occupational exploration:

   • DISCOVER Computerized Data Base System
     • Locate information about a career field in which interest has been expressed.
     • Identify and explore a specific career.
     • Identify schools and institutions which offer programs in their chosen field.
     • Locate information regarding a specific college or career training institution.

   • Ohio Career Interest Survey
     • Provides student with information regarding how their interests relate to the world of work. A booklet provided with survey results suggests course areas that support the career areas selected.
     • Provides guidance counselor with information when assisting students to choose a career pathway graduation plan and selecting appropriate courses to support that career choice.

   • InterLink Documents - Regional Labor Market Information which forecast the labor market through the year 2000 and provides vital labor market information.
     • Information transmitted to students via handouts provided to CATE co-op and lab teachers, posted on bulletin boards, or announced to student body during morning announcements.
     • Information distributed to academic counselors to be used when advising students about careers.

   • "Decisions, Decisions, Decisions" - District publication suggests possible career pathways based on student awareness of interests and strengths. Also, it recommends foundation courses, course sequences, and extracurricular activities that provide experiences, which enhance personal development useful in that pathway.
     • Used by counselor when discussing career choices and choice of subjects for the next school year.
     • Used by parents and students to explore career possibilities.

   • Workforce 2000 - One morning is set aside, campuswide, for each teacher to invite guest speakers from the community to speak to their 1st and 2nd period classes about their careers. Among the many topics discussed are the importance of setting high standards for achievement, the development of self-discipline to meet and exceed expectations, key personal attributes required for success, economic opportunity, tasks performed, the job market, and specific pluses and minuses of their careers.

     Students are given ample opportunity to ask questions to further explore their interest in this field. Students have the option to attend other class presentations if they wish to hear from a speaker in another field on a space available basis.

   1.3 Assist Students/Clients in Career Planning, Preparation, and Transition.

   • Group Sessions - Group sessions are held with students that have common or similar interests or concerns such as course decisions, grades, postsecondary plans, and so on. Individual decisionmaking skills are emphasized. Students often brainstorm and share actions that have worked for them in the past when dealing with similar issues. Students discuss how school and work effect their relationships with friends, family, coworkers, and others. When discussion focuses on career decisions, the changes in male/female roles in traditional occupations are stressed, and students are encouraged to pursue career pathways that agree with their interests, aptitudes, and values. Often priority occupations become a topic of discussion. Information on these occupations from InterLink and the Texas Education Agency is shared with the students.

   • Individual Sessions - Many individual sessions are held between the counselor and student and a variety of topics are addressed. One goal of most of these sessions is to develop the student's skill in making responsible decisions. The student becomes aware of how these decisions (behavior, career, college/trade school, and so on) affect his or her relationships with parents, school, friends, and so on. The student learns to meet his or her needs in nondestructive ways. Common issues include the demand of too many employment hours, neglect of schoolwork, stormy family relations, dislike of school, and no plans or goals for the future. The student often finds that one issue affects many areas of his or her life. When discussion is directed at career pathways and course selection, emphasis is made on the changes in male/female roles, and the student is encouraged to pursue coursework and preparation that is consistent with his or her interests, aptitudes, and values. As in the group sessions, the student is provided with information regarding priority occupations.

   • Classroom Visits - Counselors visit classrooms to present and discuss information on college/trade school enrollment and careers. The students are updated on changing male/female roles and the value of selecting an occupational pathway based on interest, aptitude, and values. The value and impact of a person's career is emphasized. Students are introduced to college and trade school reference texts and the application/enrollment process. Some classroom visits administer the COPS career survey and students follow the survey with a research report on various careers for class credit.

   • Career and Technology Bulletin Board - Counselors maintain a bulletin board that addresses current trends in employment, priority occupations, and changes in male/female roles. Information is shared for sources such as InterLink, Texas Education Agency, and SOICC.

   • Career and Technology Recruitment Video - Students currently enrolled in career and technology courses are filmed as they share the benefits of the programs they have experienced. The videotape is shown to other students during registration to attract those with similar desires to the programs. The video communicates the positive affects of employment and becoming involved in a career program. In addition, the video demonstrates the changing male/female roles in career areas as both males and females are shown enrolled and successful in each of the career area programs.

   • Administration of the Ohio Career Interest Survey - The survey is given to career and technology students to assist them in career planning, preparation, and transition by showing them how their interests are related to careers. This career decision approach contributes to the students' decisionmaking skills and supports the concept that careers should be selected free from sexual stereotyping. The Career Survey Planning Booklet that follows the interest survey helps students develop skills in career planning.

   • Career Night - Students and parents are given the opportunity to meet with representatives from different business and industry groups, postsecondary training institutions, and government agencies to receive information on career areas, employment outlook, and career planning. Representatives with insight into these areas are able to assist students and parents in developing skills in career planning, including accessing community resources. Students are also able to communicate directly with industry representatives and government agencies regarding the continuous changes in male/female roles.

   • College Night - Similar to Career Night, College Night provides students and parents with the opportunity to meet with college representatives. Students develop career planning skills as representatives answer such questions as getting the right degree for the right career, college application, scholarships, and entrance requirements. Students are often able to find out what percentage of their graduates are able to enter certain career fields.

   • DISCOVER Computer Assisted Career Assessment Instrument - The DISCOVER career information delivery system is available to all students on each campus. Students develop understanding and skill in career planning by seeing how their interests, abilities, experiences, and values relate to the world of work and their career selection. DISCOVER assists the decisionmaking process by providing a list of compatible occupations to students, and assists skills in career planning by providing a list of colleges that will provide the kind of training necessary for each of the career areas.

   • "Decisions" Guidance Booklet - The Decisions publication contributes to the development of skill in career planning as well as decisionmaking. The booklet provides the students with a detailed presentation of 36 different graduation plans from which they can design their plans for graduation from high school. Each plan provides a listing of careers associated with the courses included in that plan. Students see the relationships of the courses in which they are and will be enrolled, their role as students, and the career area they have selected.

   • Select-a-College Disk - This IBM compatible disk is available to students to assist them in selecting colleges that are compatible with their career interests and college preferences.

   • Library of Career and College Reference Texts - Counselors maintain a library of career and college reference texts available to students to check out. These texts assist students with the career planning process.

   2. Addressing the Needs of Diverse Student Populations

   Today, young people are being faced with more pressure in their daily lives. Consequences of these pressures are numerous and overwhelming for the students and their parents. Many are at-risk of dropping out of school. Great care and consideration is afforded to all students, but particular attention must be provided to the diverse special populations in our district that are at-risk of dropping out of school. CATE program placement may be based on the students' individual needs at age appropriate levels.

   The New Horizons program, GISD's program for pregnant and parenting teens, offers this fragile population comprehensive services, both academic and social, and support.

   Students with disabilities who are eligible for special education services must have an educational program developed in collaboration with members of the child's Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee. Students may be placed in any of the CATE programs deemed appropriate based on aptitude, interest, and a review of various assessments. A CATE program representative (usually the CATE counselor) is a part of the ARD Committee process when any CATE placement is being deliberated by the ARD Committee. The diagnostician and CATE counselor review the assessment data and cooperatively develop a written recommendation for placement prior to the ARD Committee meeting to assure placement of the student in the least restrictive environment.

   It is the policy of the GISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or handicapping condition in its CATE services and/or activities.

   3. Program Support Services

   Two of the 6.5 CATE counselors in GISD are designated as special populations counselors. They serve the most underserved in our school population or specifically those students who require special attention, nurturing, and encouragement. The special populations counselors focus primarily on the at-risk students (those academically disadvantaged) and students with disabilities.

   At-risk age appropriate placement is designed to provide flexibility in determining the types of academic options as a means of assisting at-risk students toward graduation. The New Horizons program, GISD's program for pregnant and parenting students, provides comprehensive and ongoing case management via a collaborative effort with the North Texas Chapter, March of Dimes Foundation grant, that funds a master's level certified social worker to work with this special population.

   Special needs students, those with disabilities, are afforded an array of services by the CATE special populations counselor. Evaluation of assessment data in collaboration with the special education diagnostician is an essential role of this counselor's position.

2. Collaboration, Articulation, and Communication

   1. Family/Parental Involvement and Support

   The GISD CATE guidance and counseling staff has always involved parents and family members through advisory committees, Career Nights, College Nights, PTSA, principal's coffees, career fairs, subject selection, and general counseling sessions. In addition, parents are involved in the creation of four-year plans, teacher conferences, and special events such as "Freshmen Fairs" during which each club, organization, and sport brings banners, students in uniform, and pamphlets to explain to the parents at a night meeting their requirements and benefits of participation; and "principal's coffees" during which parents are encouraged to come and participate at night in once a month "let me speak to the manager" type meetings with counselors and school administrative personnel. Parents also serve a vital function on the advisory committees. Their input helps the counselors as well as teachers effectively plan for and monitor the CATE classes' guidelines and curriculum.

   2. Faculty/Staff Involvement in Career Guidance and Counseling Program

   Academic and CATE teachers are involved in the guidance and counseling program in a variety of ways. Many of the CATE teachers have career guidance units in the essential elements of their course. These teachers excel in providing the students with the most appropriate assessment tools and career planning. The students are provided field trips to local community colleges. These tours focus on the students' career interests and are valuable learning experiences. The resources in the school library are targeted for information gathering, and the Discovery Program targets the occupational clusters. The entire faculty is involved in the "Elective Preview." The cooperative effort of each academic department contributed to the success of the event. The "Elective Preview" helps to expand the general knowledge of the varied course offerings in the CATE field. The courses are presented in relationship to interest and aptitudes. In addition, the school hosts a "Club Fair." This activity focuses on the clubs offered in the academic and technology areas. Underclassmen are encouraged to participate in clubs which relate to their academic and interest areas. In today's job market, the focus must be on excellence in the classroom. The teachers stress the importance of student achievement. The counselors work to bring informative material through the "Reach for Success" program. The program targets college admissions assessment, career success, and financial aid. All endeavors of the faculty are a cooperative effort to ensure that the GISD students can be informed and prepared for the future.

   3.1 Intra-Agency Collaboration

   • Coordination with Departments (Planning, Research and Evaluation, School Improvement, Special Education, and Special Programs) - This is vital to the success of the guidance program of which CATE is a part.

   • Coordination Activities
     • Assessment of student abilities, aptitudes, needs, and interests
     • Promotion of CATE program areas and courses
     • Appropriate scheduling/placement of students

   • Benefits of Collaboration
     • Alignment of students with pathways, programs, services, and resources palatable with abilities, aptitudes, needs, and interests
     • Increased achievement
     • Preparation to enter the workforce and pursue postsecondary education

   3.2 Interagency Collaboration

   • CATE Counseling Staff
     • Works as an integral part of the campus support team and works with external agencies (BSA, Teach Prep, InterLink, Inc., Region 10 ESC, business/industry, civic organizations, TEA, private counselors/centers, and advisory committees).
     • Works to match needs/desires of students with services, resources, needs, and opportunities available.

   • Benefits of Collaboration
     • Preparation for school to work and postsecondary training
     • Addresses needs of all populations.
     • Builds partnership with parents, community, business, and industry.

   4. Collaboration with Business

   Following the September 20, 1992, announcement in the Garland News of the purchase of land to build GISD's sixth high school, a meeting was called for the District-Wide Advisory Committee to meet on October 1, 1992. Participants in the meeting were GISD CATE administrators and counselors and representatives from the Texas Employment Commission, InterLink, and Chambers of Commerce. InterLink is a regional Quality Work Force Planning Commission whose mission is to bring business, government, and education together to develop a skilled workforce for the future.

   The advisory committee's task was to address the worker of the future and the skills needed to be successful in the areas of projected need. This information was then used to assist in the planning of the CATE programs for the new high school. InterLink's publication, which was prepared for the joint advisory committee/GISD administrators and counselors meeting, addressed priority occupations, and contained information describing job openings, wage rates and duties, and emerging occupations.

3. Institutional Support, Leadership, and Program Evaluation

   1. Institutional Support

   The GISD has employed CATE counselors since the early 1970s. New programs were added, the construction of new buildings began to handle growth, and the position of vocational counselor had its beginning. The role of the CATE counselor has been clearly evident. With comprehensive offerings across the district, administrative staff at the campus and central offices rely heavily on the CATE leader/expert on the high school campus to work with feeder middle schools to provide orientation and assessment for students preparing to enter grades 9-12.

   The CATE counselor serves as a liaison at the campus. The position is key to young people and is a part of the counseling support team. There are no ratios of counselors to student/clients except for the one and one-half counselors serving special populations/at-risk students. Otherwise, the limited counseling staff normally is responsible for students enrolled in two or three period labs and cooperative education programs. Most of these students are juniors and seniors. Students enrolled in single period classes are assigned to members of the regular guidance and counseling team.

   2. Facilities

   GISD has a very strong commitment to CATE instructional facilities. Each high school has a number of CATE lab classes that are unique to that campus. Examples of these are Cosmetology I and II and Industrial Electronics I and II at South Garland High School; Automotive Collision Repair I and II, Building Trades I and II, and Welding I and II at Lakeview Centennial High; and Food Production, Management and Services I and II, VEH General Mechanical Repair I and II, Mill and Cabinetmaker I and II, and Machine Shop I and II at Garland High School. Each of these campuses have facilities and teaching tools that more than match any college level course or private institution. The commitment that GISD has toward CATE facilities starts with the pre-planning stages with the school board before blueprints are considered and continues with the smallest detail of equipment update years after the program starts. The counseling staff has these facilities on each campus where either groups of students or individuals can be counseled and taught. Each CATE counselor also has available the testing rooms, conference rooms, and offices of the regular counseling staff as well as the facilities of the entire school.

   3. Financial Support

   The primary cost of the CATE Guidance and Counseling Program is for staffing. There are 6.5 CATE counselors serving the students in GISD. Selecting and retaining quality personnel to serve our students is essential. GISD's CATE counselors are all well-respected and held in great esteem. All hold a master's degree and two hold an LPC credential. They are all on extended contracts, 202 days. Each counselor has a private office equipped with a computer, peripherals and all required software, telephone, bookshelves, books, periodicals, and an array of assessment materials and funds for in and out of district travel. In summary, annual costs associated with this program include:

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   										Salaries & benefits for 6.5 Career & Technology Education Counselors																																			$292,500
   										Office- furnishings, computer(s), telephone, books, periodicals, Career reference library, videos, testing materials, etc. $7,000 per counselor. (Most of this cost would be incurred during the first year only. Subsequent years require a minimum amount budgeted for testing materials and updating reference materials- at least $500 per year per counselor.)																																			49,000
   										Travel ($600 each)																																			4,200
   										Supplies ($500 each)																																			2,000
   										Staff Development/Professional Training ($500 each)																																			3,250
   																																													$352,950

   Funding sources for this program comes from three sources: local, state, and federal tax dollars.

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   4. Guidance Personnel Qualifications

   The diverse teaching background and work experience of the counselors prior to entering the counseling profession enhances their effectiveness in assisting students with careers and/or college choices. The teaching experiences of the counselors range from elementary teaching to university teaching. Several of the counselors come from the ranks of vocational teaching, thus providing an even greater understanding of the CATE students. Several counselors have been leaders in a disparate range of milieu, that is, talk shows, publications, seminars, high school commencement addresses, and so on. Although many of these activities occurred prior to entering the counseling profession, each encounter has augmented the effectiveness and growth of the participants by providing an array of experiences which has broadened the scope of the counselors.

   5. Professional Development

   Each school year is ushered in by full attendance by all CATE counselors at a three-day Texas Education Agency-sponsored meeting in Austin, Texas. This meeting is always followed by seminars and workshops throughout the year that are carefully chosen to stay abreast with issues affecting serving students. Most active in continued professional development are the special populations counselors and those who maintain credentials as licensed professional counselors. Each counselor also serves on multiple advisory committees--for example, New Horizons, Home Economic Cooperative, Business Professional, International, and so on. While some counselors have led peers in group development activities such as medical and vocational Admission Review Dismissals (ARDs), most professional developmental activities are conducted on a less formal basis as faculty administrators seek the advice of the CATE counselors on an individual basis.

   6. Program Evaluation

   Career and Technology Education is monitored at district and state levels. Evaluation is performed using Results-Based Monitoring for Career and Cosmology Education. This new document will be used in the fall of 1995 as a district self-evaluation. Previously the GISD participated as one of 17 districts using pilot instruments. This instrument monitors (1) Performance Review Indicators and (2) Compliance Review Indicators. Evaluation instruments include an indicator statement, source of information, where to look for support documentation, and how to determine degree of compliance. School districts as well as the Texas Education Agency will have the results of the evaluation/RRM process.

   CATE counselors have a vital role in compliance, which provides the framework upon which quality programs are built. Recent Texas Education Agency compliance and monitoring visits have yielded the GISD excellent results. Those results are due to quality teachers and excellent CATE counselors.

   The annual evaluation instructions for vocational (CATE) counselors is included in the Appendices. Findings of RBM, counselor evaluations, student achievement, enrollment, attendance, dropout rate, and follow-up measure the degree of success for students, departments, and the GISD.

   7. Follow-Up of Program Completors and Noncompletors

   The procedure utilized by program staff to collect follow-up information is guided by the Texas Education Agency. Forms for student follow-up and employer follow-up are provided from the state agency. The CATE counselor(s) coordinate the follow-up efforts on their campus. Data is collected via a database developed by the GISD Computer Services Department in cooperation with the CATE counselors. This follow-up report is the accountability system for program effectiveness. Our goal is to ensure that graduates are prepared for further education and/or work. Our completor/follow-up report is carefully analyzed by our state and federal legislators and most certainly by our local school board and administrators. One year after high school graduation, the majority of graduates are employed in the field for which they trained or are pursuing additional education. The combined totals in these two categories for both years affirm the exceptional work the CATE counselors do in focusing in on students and their needs.

   Follow-up is not conducted on noncompletors.