Instructional Branch

This branch is responsible for providing leadership, coordination, and technical expertise, including program development and improvement activities, to local leaders of career and technology education. In addition to assuring excellence in the CTE system; the branch provides leadership to Career Connections; middle and high school reform initiatives, including High Schools That Work and Making Middle Grades Work; academy programs, career development; blended instruction, school improvement institutes and conferences, Family and Consumer Sciences, Technology Education, and Tech Prep. The branch provides products and services to support the seamless progression of students from school-to-careers and further education.

Student and Assessment Services Branch

This branch collects, analyzes and reports outcome data on career and technology education programs.  Data are analyzed so students can make informed enrollment decisions and local school systems and community colleges can continuously improve their programs.

Further, this branch provides state-level leadership and coordinates statewide conferences and competitions for student organizations, including:

Ø       DECA, an association of marketing students

Ø       FBLA, Future Business Leaders of America

Ø       FFA, an association of agriculture education students

Ø       HOSA, Health Occupations Students of America

Ø       SkillsUSA-VICA, an association of students enrolled in technical, skilled and service oriented programs

Systems Branch

This branch is responsible for providing leadership, coordination, and technical assistance to 24 local school systems and 16 community colleges to improve the systems for state and local planning, program development, improvement, evaluation and monitoring, facility planning, performance standards and measures, and budgeting and reporting. The branch provides leadership in the development of the Maryland Career and Technology Education State Plan and oversight for its implementation. In addition, this branch has coordination responsibilities with the Local Labor Market Teams for Career Connections. The branch provides oversight for state and federal laws and regulations regarding CTE and educational initiatives. It serves as the conduit for all legislation issues for the division.