Premier Series Courses


These are the courses in the Premier Program Series at this time. Each course is 15 hours and offers 1 ADE credit and can be used to obtain a Standard CTE Teaching Certificate.

Note: ACTEAZ only offers Courses denoted with a *.

Advanced Methods of Teaching CTE

Authorized Entities: Pima JTED, West-MEC

This Course will support teachers’ continuing development as outstanding teachers for CTE programs by examining their personal educational philosophy, instructional design, and methodology. Three major components comprise the course:

1. Examining Beliefs About Learning – developing your own personal philosophy about learning

2. Motivating Adolescent Learners – designing a classroom that is especially effective for high school students

3. Ring of Fire – active participation strategies to use every day in your classroom. Instruction models active participation strategies and major components that are especially effective with adolescents. Each participant will receive their own “Ring of Fire” to utilize in their classroom

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Classroom Management*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC, WAVE

In this course, teachers will enhance classroom management skills by developing procedures and routines that are perfect for YOUR situation. In this course, we will take a deep look at the philosophy of “Discipline with Dignity” and develop classroom rules and consequences. Participants will be empowered to create an atmosphere which is conducive to learning and high expectations. All of this is based on the belief that excellent classroom management is built on the foundation of well-planned, relevant and engaging lessons.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework. (Pima JTED offers this as a two day course with no homework)

CTE Essentials*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

The CTE Delivery Model is THE premier educational system for all students. CTE Essentials will give you an overview of each of the four components of this outstanding model, and allow you time to process how you can incorporate each element into all of your instructional units as you plan your program’s calendar. It will also provide some insight into the many roles a CTE teacher plays in the course of any school day, where to find support to meet those expectations, and how to transition between each of them. CTE Essentials is truly a must have course for the teacher who is looking to build a strong program for students.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

CTSO New Advisor Training*

Authorized Entities: ADE

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) will take your CTE Program to the next level. Teachers that have strong student organizations love the benefits of having students involved in them. Students become leaders, take ownership in their CTE Program, increase their technical knowledge and skill through completion, and make friends.

Skills USA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Future Farmers of America (FFA), Health Occupation Students Association (HOSA), Distribute Education Club of America (DECA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and Educators Rising are the seven approved CTSO’s in Arizona.

Come and learn about the CTSO that YOU will be advising! This is a very practical, hands-on course that provides the information, guidance and time you need to start a chapter and met the requirements for having a chapter. Come ready to work! By the end of the course you will breathe a big sigh of relief as you will feel empowered to get your chapter up and running.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Effective Demonstrations*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

Whether in a welding lab or a bioscience lab, effective demonstrations are crucial. If done correctly every student can successfully perform the new skill with little or no frustration, without wasted materials, and attain proficiency in a way that will ensure the whole class progresses at an appropriate pace. This is a real career extender! When you are successful in the lab, and the students are successful in the lab, teaching can be very rewarding. An added bonus is that students complete the new skill in a safe environment. Come and learn this four-part demonstration method.

Upon successful completion of the course (which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Empowering Students Through Professional Skills

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

This course will explore the nine Professional Skills identified by the Arizona Department of Education in collaboration with industry. Participants will identify them, use created rubrics to assess their use, explore strategies to embed them across their curriculum, and methods to evaluate students.

Upon successful completion of the course (which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Formative Assessments for CTE Programs*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC, WAVE

This class will give you an opportunity to look at the big picture of formative assessments. Topics include the role and types of assessments, the process to develop an objective assessment as well as criteria for crafting quality multiple choice items. You will learn the skills needed to create objective assessment items using a process that mirrors the development of items for the Arizona CTE Technical Skill Assessments. You will develop an understanding of how to assess student skills in relation to standards and Bloom’s Taxonomy levels that require application of concepts and critical thinking. In addition to learning about assessment development, you will create formative assessment items for use with students in your CTE program and others in the CTE community. You will be empowered to implement concepts immediately in your classroom.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Grading and Assessment

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

Assessing and grading are two different actions. Learn a variety of formative and summative assessment techniques. A major focus is how to assess student work using rubrics. This class will help you create a clear grading policy and develop a variety of ways to assess student learning.

How should students in CTE be assessed? How do we set up a fair grading system for both teachers and students? Learn about the wide variety of options that address both of these issues to help you develop both your own philosophy for grading as well as effective strategies for multiple ways to assess student learning and progress. You will also leave with a greater understanding of how to align testing and evaluation to your course outcomes and grading policies that will increase effective feedback for students.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Instructional Best Practices*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC, WAVE

This course is an introduction to the design and use of CTE curriculum. In this highly engaging course teachers will focus on the design and delivery of relevant and engaging lessons. Special emphasis is placed on active participation strategies, a strong introduction to each lesson, clear and appropriate objective(s), a variety of ways to meet the objective(s), and closure to assess learning. These strategies will be woven across the entire workshop. All participants whose districts are members of the AZ CTE Curriculum Consortium and who complete both days of this workshop will receive password-protected access to the Curriculum Connection with its 3500+ bank of outstanding lesson plans for more than 20 CTE programs written by Arizona CTE teachers. This course is excellent for every teacher. Ace your next evaluation!

Upon successful completion of the course participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Lab Safety and Management*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

Are you ready for students in the lab? This workshop is designed to help participants develop a laboratory improvement plan including management, clean-up procedures, safety procedures, and meeting monitoring agency mandates. Join us as we identify a variety of practical steps you can take to ensure that your students are safe in the laboratory and that you are protected. Participants will have the opportunity to evaluate their CTE labs and develop a management system for their CTE labs. You will also be treated to a variety of techniques to enable you to manage your lab effectively and efficiently. Additionally, you will gain new skills needed to utilize a proven methodology of teaching in the lab or shop.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Lesson Plan Writing

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC, WAVE

This class will show you how to build a lesson plan with all the needed components for student success.

Wouldn’t you love to learn to write lessons that allow you to walk into your classroom each day feeling fully prepared? This class will help you with that goal. Each teacher will complete a task analysis for one or more measurement criteria, determine the number of lessons to be written for the unit of instruction and write the first lesson in the unit.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Professional Knowledge Assessment

Authorized Entities: West-MEC

This course provides an overview of standards and material covered on the NES (formerly AEPA) Professional Knowledge Assessment (Secondary). Participants will engage in discussion and application activities in regard to student development and learning, assessment, instruction, the learning environment, and the professional environment.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Program Management*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

What constitutes an “approved program”? Come and learn in depth what is required to ensure that your program is in compliance and eligible to receive Federal, State and JTED funding. You will leave with the skills needed to manage the many facets of running a premier CTE program including: purchasing, collection of data, reports, advisory committees, work-based learning, Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO), end of program assessments, attracting and retaining non-traditional students and more. You will develop a 3-year implementation plan for your own CTE Program to be a premier program!

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Rubrics to Increase Student Success

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

CTE courses are driven by student-created projects. Rubrics are an evaluation tool that can increase the quality of those student projects while simultaneously giving the teacher a quicker, fairer way to assess their quality. Come to this workshop with one or two student projects that you would like to assess more easily, and you will leave with an excellent rubric that you personalized for your classroom and the confidence and skills to create additional rubrics for the other student projects in your curriculum.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

School-Based Enterprises

Authorized Entities: Pima JTED, West-MEC

This course is designed to help participants successfully develop and manage a school-based enterprise. Participants will analyze the key components of school-based enterprises and differentiate such from other forms of work-based learning. Participants will also identify the key elements necessary for planning and implementing a school-based enterprise. Finally, participants will develop a business plan for their proposed enterprise.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Scope & Sequence

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

This class will allow you to prioritize and organize your program’s curriculum for the school year. This is a two-day class.

This class will give you an opportunity to look at the big picture of your program and design it in a way that makes sense. During this class, you will look at all the standards required to prepare your students to enter the field, and begin by deciding the order you will teach each unit of instruction. You will also wrestle with the depth and breadth of instruction for each standard you’ve been tasked with teaching. The final product? A scope and sequence that is custom made by you for you.

Upon successful completion of the course participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Serving Exceptional Students in CTE*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

This one-day course is designed to provide CTE educators and other interested parties with a broad understanding of special education. During the course of this interactive workshop, we will cover a range of topics include special education law, modifications, accommodations, interventions, supports, the special education process, the Response to Intervention process and more. Our goal is to provide you with the tools you need to serve exceptional students enrolled in CTE courses more effectively.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Strategic Planning*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

We all know that truly great CTE programs are the result of stellar planning. Plan for success, enroll in the Strategic Planning course. You’ll learn how leaders develop compelling plans and execute those plans in a way that empowers all involved.

This course is designed to help participants develop a strategic/tactical plan for their CTE program. Participants will learn the strategic planning process and apply that knowledge to the development of a plan for their program.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Technical Reading/Performance Literacy*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

Your CTE classroom truly is the key to meaningful application of the current career and college readiness standards. This course will give you specific examples where Arizona’s Common Core standards for Technical Literacy already exist in your CTE program, it will provide opportunities for you to incorporate additional standards into your lessons, AND it will give you strategies to take back to your classroom to increase your students’ ability to read difficult technical information more effectively. Come find out why CTE really is a powerful driver for creating literate employees for our 21st century workforce.

Upon successful completion of Technical Reading and Performance Literacy participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Technical Skills Assessments

Authorized Entities: Pima JTED, West-MEC, WAVE

Student Success on the Technical Skills Assessment Matters! Your school earns A-F points for students who complete a CTE program and pass the TSA. Our State Legislature now looks to TSA scores to determine if CTE programs should be funded. Successfully passing the TSA builds student’s confidence to enter their chosen profession. Having students successfully pass the TSA will make you a rock star in the eyes of administrators and business partners! Teachers often get to work with peers in same CTE Program as they create all of the materials needed for a fun, intense, competitive 8-15 day test preparation experience to help boost scores on the TSA significantly! We hope to see an increase in test scores of 15-30 percentage point as a result of designing a dynamic, competitive, fun experience for students as they prep for the TSA.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Using Advisory Councils Effectively*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

This interactive workshop is designed to ensure success in the formation and use of industry advisory councils. During this workshop you will learn how to form a committee, how to conduct useful advisory council meetings and how to use advisory council members for continuous program improvement.

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.

Work-Based Learning*

Authorized Entities: ACTEAZ, Pima JTED, West-MEC

Create meaningful work-based learning experiences for your students. This course will provide teachers with a variety of models of work-based learning along with the associated forms, agreements, and guidelines. You will select the model that is most appropriate for your situation and create a plan to implement work-based learning as a part of your premier program!

Upon successful completion of the course which includes submission of homework, participants will receive an ADE certificate for 15 professional development clock hours which equates to one (1) semester hour of coursework.