Pennsylvania Programs of Study (POS)

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 required the development and implementation of career and technical programs of study (POS). Programs of Study incorporate secondary education and postsecondary education elements; and, include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant career and technical content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses that align secondary education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare students to succeed in postsecondary education. This includes the opportunity for secondary education students to earn postsecondary education credits through articulation agreements with participating postsecondary institutions, which could lead to an industry recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level or an associate or baccalaureate degree. To review the POS template, and the components and definitions of POS, please go to the following phrase: POS Template and Components and Definitions of POS .

The development of statewide POS satisfies the requirements of the 2006-2013 Perkins IV Act related to the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Codes that align to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry High Priority Occupations list. Currently, 42 POS have been developed by the Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE) and are available for access below. Each local recipient of funds under the Perkins IV Act will be required to offer the relevant courses of all POS.

For each POS, a committee was established which included statewide representation from business and industry, instructors and administrators from secondary and postsecondary education, and other interested parties. A blended competency list was developed from submissions of competency lists from career and technical education programs across the state. Then national competencies were included from sources such as Career and Technical Education Consortium of States (VTECS), Multistate Academic Vocational Curriculum Consortium (MAVCC) and Occupational Information Network(O*NET). The POS committee validated and aligned these materials to an end of program assessment.

The POS were aligned to high priority occupations, as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. As POS were being developed, it became necessary to organize them into groups, called phases. Five phases were defined, each containing a specific number of POS. The initial organizational framework of each POS task list was labeled as version A, and encompassed a three year graduation period for secondary school students. Version B will continue to represent a three year graduation period for secondary school students.

Click the link below to view the Program of Study task list.
POS Task List