2025 SC Education + Business Summit

High school students who participate in CTE programs are more likely to be employed after high school and enroll in two-year colleges. The production of a CTE school report card will provide valuable information about schools offering CTE instruction and help families, students and leaders make better-informed decisions. Participants will learn about the type of data and information that may be included in the report card and may have the opportunity to interact and provide their input and perspective during the session.

Combined, Dana and Bunnie have over 50 years’ experience in education policy. Currently, Dana is the Executive Director of the Education Oversight Committee. Bunnie is the Director of TransformSC, an education and business initiative of the SC Council on Competitiveness.

All CTE centers and schools, whether housed on or off the school campus, must advertise, promote, and communicate their career cluster offerings in easily accessible and conspicuous platforms to boost student participation. After 8 years of experience in training district and school counselors, one vital piece to increasing student success in high school is communicating to students and counselors the CTE course offerings before and during IGP conferences.

The need for training and education has also evolved as the world continues to change. To address the demands of businesses, industries, educational institutions, and the interests of the students we serve, school districts and educators must be prepared to meet these challenges. Every stakeholder plays a vital role in the life of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs within a school district. Having served as a CTE district director for eight years, I have worked to rebrand CTE to better align with the needs of multiple school districts. I have successfully shifted the perspectives of the community, parents, and students, which has led to an increase in enrollment in CTE programs.

This session is very relevant to every CTE cluster as a recruitment strategy and as a placement resource. The exposure provided from this session will prove immensely valuable to students in their postsecondary considerations. The presenter is a 25-year veteran in CTE and has worked in multiple regions of the Palmetto State.

The topic is relevant to CTE and counselors providing awareness to students about different occupations through career exploration. Additionally, it provides a single location where those in the field can access relevant information,
and suggest information to add (FindYourFuture.sc.gov). The presenter is intimately involved in the council and groups creating the tools.

This workshop topic is critical to the CTE field because our future work force needs to not only have technical skills, they must have interpersonal skills. If they don't, although qualified, or they won't be able to keep the job due to their inability to communicate with others.

This session offers participants a unique opportunity to enhance their ability to prepare students for real-world STEM careers by providing access to resources, training, and industry connections. Here’s why educators and school counselors should attend:

Access to Industry-Leading Resources: Participants will learn how to use Discovery Education's STEM career resources available through the SC Department of Education Instruction Hub. These tools are designed to engage students with interactive and multimedia-rich lessons, making career exploration exciting and accessible.

Career Connect Preview: Attendees will get an exclusive look at Career Connect, launching in August 2025. This feature will allow educators to schedule virtual classroom visits with professionals, bringing industry insights directly to students and enriching their understanding of STEM careers.

Hands-On Industry Collaboration: The session highlights the collaboration with NUCOR Steel Mill and the Design Team Project. Educators will gain first-hand knowledge from industry leaders about the skills and career opportunities within manufacturing and other STEM fields. This partnership offers a rare opportunity to develop lessons with professionals to better prepare students for future careers.

Real-World Lesson Development: Participants will learn how to design career-focused lessons, developed in collaboration with industry professionals, that reflect the needs of South Carolina’s local workforce. Educators will walk away with practical, ready-to-implement lesson plans that can inspire students to explore careers in high-demand industries like manufacturing and engineering.

This session is relevant to any educator or employer interested in the building of registered apprenticeship work opportunities for their students. It works for the report card, the student, the company, and the community!

Regional Career Specialists are a direct liaison to the South Carolina Department of Education and are versed in work-based learning data, documentation and connections. They are an asset to your career guidance plans.

SCOIS provides school counselors and career specialists with tools and resources to facilitate career development activities for the students they serve. Participants that are currently using SCOIS or unfamiliar with SCOIS will get the opportunity to learning more about its features along with recent changes. Kevin Staggers is SCOIS Director and has over 10 years of experience in career development field, specializing in working with youth in special populations.

The topic "Resilient CTE Centers: Building and Retaining High-Impact CTE Teams" is highly relevant to the Career and Technology Education (CTE) field because resilient teams are the backbone of thriving CTE programs. As CTE initiatives bridge the gap between education and workforce needs, building a stable, adaptable, and high-performing team is crucial to delivering high-quality instruction and maintaining strong industry partnerships.

For participants, this session offers tangible value by addressing common challenges such as educator burnout, high turnover, and the need for continuous adaptation to evolving labor market demands. Administrators will gain insights into fostering a supportive culture, developing professional growth opportunities, and creating a resilient infrastructure that attracts and retains top CTE talent—ultimately leading to improved student outcomes and stronger community connections.. The presenter has 40 years of education experience working at the elementary, middle, high school, and district level as a teacher, instructional coach, director of federal and accountability programs.

Generative AI can prove beneficial to CTE teachers across all clusters in assisting with lesson and activity planning, communication, real-world and career scenarios, etc.

I am an instructional technology facilitator with Greenville County Schools. I have presented PD and supported secondary teachers with educational technology for the last 12 years.

Topic Relevance: Since COVID, chronic absenteeism in public schools has doubled, rising from 15% in 2019 to 30% (~15 million students) in 2024. Absences lower GPAs, increase dropout risks, and enhance the likelihood of negative post-graduation outcomes such as unemployment, substance abuse, and legal issues. Teachers also face added strain, adjusting curricula to accommodate absent students, disrupting lesson flow. This crisis is particularly severe in economically disadvantaged communities.

Participant Value: Federal attendance programs have been developed and proven to consistently improve student attendance, but require significant resources, limiting accessibility for many schools. Schools attempting independent programs often find them costly, complex, and ineffective due to delayed or inconsistent rewards. This session will highlight a proven, research-backed attendance reward system that is:

• 100% free for schools, students, parents, and teachers
• Seamlessly integrated into existing attendance procedures
• Designed to engage parents in fostering strong attendance habits

By implementing this system, schools can improve attendance, boost student morale and performance, and potentially increase funding opportunities.

Presenter Knowledge & Experience: Having witnessed the long-term consequences of absenteeism among family, friends, and students, I pursued solutions while earning my Ph.D. in Psychology. Over the past five years, my team has developed and refined a data-driven attendance improvement system, collaborating with over 120 administrators, 60 teachers, 500 students, and 75 parents to help design and refine the platform. This extensive engagement ensures our approach is effective, scalable, and ready for implementation in diverse educational settings.

Relevance of topic: Addresses CTE data entered and submitted for accountability purposes.
Value: Provides tools to assist in making data-driven decisions and encourages engagement beyond the collection of data.
Presenter Knowledge: Staff members are both CTE data analysts for SCDE.

Work-based learning is within legislation of Perkins, EEDA Act of 2005, SC State Unified Plan, and is a career ready qualifier of the state's accountability system for report card ratings. Last, it is one of the objectives for the state through the SC Department of Education's Strategic plan.

Everyday value to all CTE stakeholders.

25 years in CTE: 10 as a teachers, 10 as assistant director, and 7 as CTE Director. (2 overlapping as teacher/administrator)