CEV Multimedia, producer of Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum resources, and Frenship Independent School District (FISD) announce a pilot program that assists the district's preparation for Texas House Bill 5 (HB5). Counselors and educators at FISD will use iCEV, an online platform that produces and delivers comprehensive educational content, to guide students through the new process of choosing endorsement areas of study.
Passed in 2013, HB5 outlines new graduation requirements for high school students in Texas. Beginning with the 2014-15 school year, incoming freshmen will be required to choose one of five specialized endorsement areas: science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); business and industry; public service; arts and humanities; or multidisciplinary. The bill also allows students to receive "performance acknowledgment through industry certification."
"Hopefully we will experience increased graduation rates because students will be better able to tailor their educational experience to meet their interests and proficiencies," said Texas State Senator Robert Duncan. "HB5 also aims to provide pathways to graduation that better integrate academic and technical education, allowing students to both develop specific workforce skills and meet college readiness standards."
Through the iCEV Career Exploration curriculum, FISD's pilot program provides industry information to help eighth grade students choose endorsement areas before entering high school. The iCEV platform offers more than 700 virtual job descriptions, customized career playlists and videos, and projects and activities, designed to assist students in making informed endorsement choices.
Implementation is already underway at FISD's three middle schools, and iCEV is helping eighth grade students choose endorsement areas that align with their interests and prepare them for college and career success. Students are working with teachers, counselors and administrators at the middle schools to select course pathways for when they enter Frenship High School this fall.
"HB5 gives students much more flexibility in their course selections, even allowing them to switch their endorsement area if their interests change," said Kim Spicer, principal at Frenship High School. "iCEV will be invaluable in providing assistance to students, so they will be able to make informed decisions."
