Reducing the CTE Stigma with Matthew A. Fritzius

With career and technical education, students can find pathways and careers that align with their interests and goals. So why does CTE often feel like an aside or extra? Why are we still treating education like a linear journey when we know it’s not? 

In this episode, we were able to discuss the stigma around Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the United States. We were fortunate to have Matthew Fritzius lend us his expertise. Matthew is a CTE Curriculum Supervisor for Broward County Public Schools (BCPS).  He has worked for BCPS for 16 years: 3 years in the CTE Department, 5 years as a high school assistant principal, and 8 years as a high school teacher. Matthew is a passionate educator who champions CTE as an avenue towards community revitalization. He is a Ph.D. student in Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (ELRM) Department. Matthew is a 2023 University Council for Educational Administration Clark Scholar and has been recognized as the FAU ELRM Department’s Outstanding Graduate Student for 2022/23. His research interests include school leaders’ perspectives on the role of CTE in educational equity and their approaches to positioning and leading CTE. 

We talked with Matthew about his Ph.D. research, comparing CTE in the United States and other countries around the world. We discussed the power of CTE, and the impact it can have on the economic future of the U.S. He shares how Florida is working to open new pathways for students, showing them that not all jobs require a four-year degree (in fact, research shows that less than 50% of jobs do). He also offers some valuable advice for how to de-stigmatize CTE in your school, district, and state.  

Matthew recommends staying connected to research and updates regarding career and technical education. Here are some of his favorite resources: 

Association for Career and Technical Education: https://www.acteonline.org/. 

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute: https://fordhaminstitute.org/. 

Perkins Funding: https://cte.ed.gov/legislation/perkins-v. 

Florida DOE’s Career and Adult Education: https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/. 

Ready to connect with your fellow educators for new ideas for your classroom? Join educators like Matthew in the CERTIFIED Educator Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/. 

You can also find new ideas for your class on the Certiport blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

And of course, don’t miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

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