| (a) Implementation. The provisions of this section
shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2023-2024
school year.
(b) General requirements. This course is recommended
for students in Grades 7 and 8.
(c) Introduction.
(1) Career and technical education (CTE) instruction
provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant
technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education
and succeed in current or emerging professions.
(2) Career development is a lifelong pursuit of answers
to the questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What am I meant to do with
my life? Will my desired career path provide a self-sufficient wage?
What occupations are in the highest demand that align to my values
and interests? It is vital that students have a clear sense of direction
for their career choice. Education and career planning is a critical
step and is essential to success.
(3) The career development process is unique to every
person and evolves throughout one's life. In Flight Plans, students
use decision-making and problem-solving skills for individual career
and academic planning. Students explore valid, reliable educational
and career information to learn more about themselves and their interests
and abilities. Students integrate skills from academic subjects, information
technology, and interpersonal communication to make informed decisions.
This course is designed to guide students through the process of investigating
and developing a college and career readiness flight plan. Students
use aptitude and interest inventory assessments, software, or other
tools available to explore college and career areas of personal interest.
Students use this information to explore a variety of career paths,
especially those in demand, and begin mapping their anticipated secondary
coursework and potential postsecondary experiences that are in alignment
with their goals.
(4) The goal of this course is to help students build
career awareness and engage in deep exploration and study of the Texas
CTE career clusters to create a foundation for success in high school,
possible postsecondary studies, and careers. Students research labor
market information, learn job-seeking skills, and create documents
required for employment.
(5) Students are encouraged to explore and participate
in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student
organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.
(6) Statements that contain the word "including" reference
content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such
as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(d) Knowledge and skills.
(1) The student takes one or more career interest surveys,
aptitude tests, or career assessments and explores various college
and career options. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze and discuss the initial results of the
assessments;
(B) explore and describe the CTE career clusters;
(C) identify various career opportunities within one
or more career clusters; and
(D) research and evaluate emerging occupations related
to career interest areas.
(2) The student investigates educational and training
requirements for career and education pathways in one or more of the
career clusters. The student is expected to:
(A) research and describe applicable academic, technical,
certification, and training requirements for one or more of the careers
in an identified career cluster; and
(B) use available resources to research and evaluate
educational and training options for one or more of the careers in
an identified career cluster.
(3) The student analyzes educational and career opportunities.
The student is expected to:
(A) describe academic requirements for transitioning
from middle school to high school and from high school to career or
postsecondary education;
(B) explore and list opportunities for earning college
credit in high school such as Advanced Placement examinations, International
Baccalaureate examinations, dual credit courses, and local and statewide
articulated credit courses;
(C) investigate and describe various methods available
to pay for college and other postsecondary training, including financial
aid, scholarships, college savings, employee benefits, and other sources
of income;
(D) discuss the impact of effective college and career
planning;
(E) identify how performance on assessments such as
the PSAT/NMSQT®, SAT®, ACT®, ASVAB®, and Texas Success
Initiative (TSI®) impact personal academic and career goals;
(F) investigate and describe the importance of co-curricular,
extracurricular, career preparation, and extended learning experiences
in developing college applications or resumes;
(G) investigate and report on the steps required to
participate or enroll in a variety of career and educational opportunities,
including entry-level employment, military service, apprenticeships,
community and technical colleges, and universities, as applicable
to the career;
(H) identify professional associations affiliated with
a particular career pathway; and
(I) define entrepreneurship and identify entrepreneurial
opportunities within a field of personal interest.
(4) The student develops skills for personal success.
The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate effective time-management and goal-setting
strategies;
(B) identify skills that can be transferable among
a variety of careers;
(C) give oral professional presentations on a topic
related to career and college exploration using appropriate technology;
(D) apply core academic skills to meet personal, academic,
and career goals;
(E) explain the value of community service and volunteerism;
and
(F) define and identify examples in the workplace of
characteristics required for personal and professional success such
as work ethic, integrity, dedication, and perseverance.
(5) The student investigates labor market information
and recognizes the impact of college and career choices on personal
lifestyle. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze labor market trends related to a career
of interest;
(B) classify evidence of high-skill, high-wage, or
high-demand occupations based on analysis of labor market information;
(C) analyze the effects of changing employment trends,
societal needs, and economic conditions on career choices;
(D) prepare a personal budget reflecting the student's
desired lifestyle; and
(E) use resources to compare salaries of at least three
careers in the student's interest area.
(6) The student investigates job-seeking skills. The
student is expected to:
(A) identify the steps of an effective job search;
(B) describe appropriate appearance for an interview;
and
(C) participate in a mock interview.
(7) The student creates professional documents required
for employment. The student is expected to:
(A) write a resume;
(B) write appropriate business correspondence such
as a cover letter and a thank you letter;
(C) complete sample job applications; and
(D) explain protocol for selecting and using references.
(8) The student creates an individual career and academic
plan. The student is expected to:
(A) select a career pathway in a desired field, such
as military service, entrepreneurship, or industry;
(B) document high school courses and postsecondary
educational requirements for that career pathway; and
(C) write a plan for starting one's career after the
completion of high school and any post-secondary education.
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