Thank you for your interest and ongoing feedback about the National Career ClustersⓇ Framework (the Framework). Since 2017, Advance CTE has led an initiative to modernize the Framework to be learner-centric and representative of the evolving needs of the economy. The Framework has had no updates since 2012 and no significant, structural changes have occurred since the Framework’s’ inception in 2001.

Our work was guided by Board-approved purpose statement for the Framework to provide structural alignment and a common language to bridge education and work, empowering each learner to explore, decide and prepare for dynamic and evolving careers and the Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education (CTE Without Limits) vision.

Over the past month, we released a first draft of the proposed, revised Framework and received significant input from the field about the importance of the Framework, its value, and its ubiquity. In one survey alone, we received over 3,500 responses and over 10,000 individual comments. Through this modernization effort, we have collected a wealth of feedback and ideas for how we can better design and organize CTE over the last three years.

At this time, we have decided to suspend the initiative to modernize the Framework and instead direct our efforts to leverage the input we received to guide the development of supports and resources that are forward- looking, focused on learner success and address existing limitations to the current Framework.

This decision in no way demonstrates our backing away from our commitments to CTE Without Limits and improving the design and delivery of CTE programs to ensure they are equitable, truly learner- centric and representative of the evolving economy.

Again, thank you for your input. We look forward to our continued conversations about how to best support every learner to explore and access high-quality CTE without limits. If you have any questions, please email us at careerclusters@careertech.org.