TECH PREP IS COLLEGE PREPARATION FOR TECHNICAL CAREERS!

Tech Prep is a way to start a college technical major in high school.  In a Tech Prep Program, you begin your course of study during high school in academic and technical courses and your continue your college courses in a community or technical college.  The result is a certificate or associate degree in a technical career field that can lead to a bachelor's degree.

Students in high school Tech Prep programs can earn college credit through:

• Content-enhanced articulated high school courses of career and technical areas (statewide and local articulation);
• Dual credit or Concurrent enrollment; and/or
• College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses

 Program and Course Articulation

A key component of Tech Prep is program articulation, which is a planned process linking educational institutions and educational experiences to assist students in making a smooth transition from one level of education to another without experiencing delays or duplication in course work.

A program articulation agreement is a signed document that indicates the specific responsibilities of the high school, the postsecondary institution, and the student.  The agreement also includes an outline of a Recommended High School Graduation Plan and a two-year degree, certificate, or apprenticeship program plan.  Together these are called a 6-year or Tech Prep plan.

Pflugerville ISD Career and Technical Education Program includes courses that are articulated for Tech Prep college credit. Courses from several career and technical program areas all follow the Recommended High school Graduation Plan demonstrating that smooth transition into the postsecondary institution.

How do students receive these earned college Tech Prep course work credits?

In order for students to receive the credits, the high school courses have been identified and are recorded on the students Academic Achievement Record (AAR) with an “A” reflecting course articulation.  The “A” is recognizable by all levels of state supported postsecondary institutions referencing that an articulation agreement is in place with a postsecondary institution.

Since Tech Prep programs prepare students for high–demand technical careers offering a focused, sequenced program of high school and postsecondary course work known as 6-year plans, Tech Prep plans my also include provisions for continuing towards a baccalaureate degree and or opportunities to the military.

The high school graduation plan includes two or more career and technology courses totaling three or more high school credits.  One or more of these career and technology courses is eligible for college credit either through course articulation or dual credit. Students who have successfully completed each articulated course with a score of “80” or above is eligible for receipt of Tech Prep articulated credit.  In some instances, a program articulation may require the student to demonstrate their skill level of competency. 

When do students receive Tech Prep college credits?

Students have two years after high school graduation to receive the course credit received through Tech Prep.  In order to receive the Tech Prep articulated credits, students must enroll and take one college level course to have the articulated courses appear on their college transcript.  Students who take college level courses while in high school either through Dual Credit or Concurrent Enrollment will have a college level transcript and upon completion of the Tech Prep articulated course will have the course added to their college transcript.  The key to receive these credits is enrollment in the local community college system either while attending high school or within two years of high school graduation as well as meeting the requirements of the articulated course agreement.

CATEMA System and Registration

The Career and Technology Education Management Application (CATEMA) is a state management system of community colleges for management of Tech Prep information relating to courses, classes, school districts, high schools, teachers, counselors, college registrars, college advisors, and students.

The web application is designed to provide a simple method to enter, update, display and report Tech Prep and Career and Technical Education related information.  The web-based interface allows students, teachers, counselors, and school administrators to establish and maintain their own user accounts.  Teacher recommendations for credit are available to college counselors and registrars.

Students in Career and Technical Education articulated courses are to establish an “account” record, entering their personal information.  Once accounts are established, the student will then apply/register for a “Class” which represents a specific Tech Prep course, taught at a specific high school, by a specific teacher, for a specific semester and school year.

The student’s application remains in “limbo” until “accepted” or “rejected by the class teacher.  This provision allows the system to ignore erroneous entries or “bogus” applications.  Students are to apply for classes during the term for which they are enrolled in the given school year.

Students may log into their account at any time to view their application status, to update their personal information, or to create a new application record for another course.  The system will confirm that a student has not already applied for the same Tech Prep course in the same semester of a school year.  The student will have access to apply for classes for the “current” school year only.

Students are also able to view their entire enrollment history in the Tech-Prep program, and can print the competency/outcome form for each class they have enrolled in.

The links below provide useful tools and resources on Tech Prep