CTE and CTSOs

Education directives at the federal and state levels focus on providing avenues for initiatives such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. As a career and technical student organization (CTSO), the Technology Student Association (TSA) helps teachers meet criteria for STEM education goals for students. All TSA high school and middle school competitions are aligned with STEM standards, leadership skills, and the U.S. Department of Education's National Career Clusters Framework®.

What is Career and Technical Education?

Career and technical education (CTE) prepare youth for a wide range of high-skill and high-demand careers. ACTEonline.org reports that high school students involved in CTE are more engaged, perform better, and graduate at higher rates.

  • Taking one CTE class for every two academic classes minimizes the risk of students dropping out of high school.

  • 91 percent of high school graduates who earned two to three CTE credits enrolled in college.

  • The average high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs is 93 percent, compared to an average national freshman graduation rate of 80 percent.

According to careertech.org, about 12.5 million high school and college students are enrolled in CTE nationwide. “CTE prepares these learners for the world of work by introducing them to workplace competencies and makes academic content accessible to students by providing it in a hands-on context.”

What are Career and Technical Student Organizations?

CTSOs enhance student learning through contextual instruction, leadership and personal development, applied learning, and real-world application. They work as an integral component of the classroom curriculum and instruction, building employability and career skills and concepts through hands-on demonstrations and real-life and/or work experiences in a CTE program.

CTSOs help guide students in developing a career path, a program of study, and provide opportunities to gain the skills and abilities needed to be successful in those careers through CTSO activities, programs, and competitive events. In addition, students have opportunities to hold leadership positions at the local, state, and national levels and attend leadership development conferences to network with other students as well as business and industry partners.

National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations

The National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO) is a coalition of national CTSOs serving CTE students and teachers in one or more of the 16 Career Clusters® identified in The National Career Clusters® Framework.

There are nine CTSOs recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture:

Business Professionals of America (BPA), DECA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Future Farmers of America (FFA), HOSA Future Health Professionals, National Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS), SkillsUSA, and the Technology Student Association (TSA).