Career-Vocational Education Series
California State Personnel Board Specification
Series established January 20, 1971
Scope
This series specification describes four class levels with career-vocational education responsibilities in the Department of Education. These classes are used for positions responsible for promoting, planning, administering, coordinating, and evaluating statewide vocational education programs.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Two types of career-vocational education classes are distinguished: (1) Subject-matter specialists in the areas of Agricultural Education, Business Education, Health Careers Education, Home Economics Education, or Industrial and Technology Education; and (2) career-vocational education nonsubject-matter generalists.
The subject-matter specialists provide statewide career-vocational education program services in their respective areas of specialization. Nonsubject-matter generalists deal with the broad field of career-vocational education including program planning and development; research; dissemination; professional development; curriculum development; occupational testing; and career-vocational education programs such as comprehensive employment and training, career education, and regional occupation programs.
Nonsubject-matter generalist classes encompass all four class levels of the series. Subject-matter specialist classes are found in two levels of the series at the Consultant and Administrator I levels. The Career-Vocational Education Assistant class is the entry level class for either subject-matter specialty classes or general career-vocational education classes.
Definition of Series
Persons in these classes provide leadership in career-vocational education for secondary and adult schools, as well as school regional occupational centers and programs. They are responsible for providing leadership in planning, developing, promoting, organizing, and directing the subject-matter programs (Agricultural, Business, Health Careers, Home Economics, and Industrial and Technology), as well as the general career-vocational education programs, and for providing consultation and assistance to local educational agencies and their staffs on new and ongoing programs. They promote and develop new and emerging career-vocational education programs, services, and activities; perform statewide and areawide program planning and development; provide research, coordination, and dissemination of public information; maintain liaison with representatives of business, organized labor, industry, prime sponsors, and agriculture; coordinate their programs and activities between the local and Federal education agencies; and provide leadership and sponsorship of career-vocational education student organizations. They are responsible for the field contact segment of the program pertinent to assuring local educational agency (LEA) compliance with State and Federal regulations; the allocation of State and Federal funds; review of all required career-vocational statistical and fiscal reports to assure accuracy of data and compliance with existing regulations; LEA compliance with regulations applicable to special career-vocational education funding requirements; and the preparation of fiscal and statistical reports.
Factors Affecting Position Allocation
The scope and level of responsibilities assigned; the complexity of work; the independence and consequence of action; the level and scope of responsibility for program and policy development and evaluation; the impact of decisions on statewide programs; the extent of involvement in the legislative and administrative decision-making process; and the degree and scope of supervisory and managerial responsibility.
Definition of Levels
Career-Vocational Education Assistant
This is the entry and first journey level in the series. This class is used as a permanent level for lesser skilled functions and as a training level for the higher professional levels in the series. The Assistant works under the general supervision of an Administrator in performing career-vocational education assignments and consultative services to local districts in such areas as reviewing applications for program funds; obtaining documentation needed to bring funding applications to approvable condition; interpreting statutes, guidelines, and regulations; reviewing requests for budget transfers and amendments; reviewing projects and programs for conformance to minimum standards; securing and compiling information about career-vocational education programs and conducting research in career-vocational education. Incumbents at the journey level carry out program administrative assignments, provide consultation and assistance to local administrators of career-vocational education programs in less complex or sensitive phases of the program; plan, develop, organize, and conduct training courses; assist in reviewing career-vocational education and local agency special program proposals, and evaluate the effectiveness of the program; advise on career-vocational education programs; and promote, organize, and report on classes and supervisory services that meet the standards for reimbursement for Federal and State funds. Incumbents may be assigned a geographical region, or may be assigned a specific area of program responsibility to be carried out independently or in cooperation with a Consultant, or may work under the lead of a Consultant.
Agricultural Education Consultant
Business Education Consultant
Health Careers Education Consultant
Home Economics Education Consultant
Industrial and Technology Education Consultant
These classes are the full journey level in this series responsible for the more complex nonsupervisory assignments. Under direction from a position normally at the Administrator I or higher level, Consultants typically perform difficult, sensitive, and complex analytical duties in planning, developing, administering, and evaluating career-vocational education programs. Incumbents are assigned as subject-matter experts. They work directly with prime sponsors, school administrators, and teachers of career-vocational subjects and with students in career-vocational youth groups. Consultants may also provide leadership and training.
Career-Vocational Education Administrator I
Agricultural Education Administrator I
Business Education Administrator I
Health Careers Education Administrator I
Home Economics Education Administrator I
Industrial and Technology Education Administrator I
This is the first supervisory level in the series over qualified professionals at the Consultant and Assistant levels. Incumbents normally report to a higher level Assistant Superintendent in the field of career-vocational education. Under direction, an Administrator I typically plans, organizes, and directs the work of a program unit or may assist a higher level Assistant Superintendent in directing the development, administration, and evaluation of programs of a major unit with major program administrative or functional responsibilities. Incumbents in subject-matter specialty Administrator I classes plan, develop, and direct a statewide program in their respective areas of specialization.
Nonsupervisory positions may occasionally be allocated to these classes to perform high level administrative, coordinative, and consultative studies and projects for programs that are multiunit or multidivisional in scope. Incumbents functioning in this capacity typically report to an Assistant Superintendent or higher level position.
Career-Vocational Education Administrator II
This is the first managerial level class in this series. Under general direction from an Assistant Superintendent or higher level position, incumbents are responsible for directing either a major program unit with leadership responsibilities or multiple programs. Incumbents direct the work of a staff of professional educators which typically includes subordinate administrators and additional support and technical staff. A very limited number of staff positions may be allocated to this class based on program development, program monitoring, and coordinative and functional supervisory responsibilities equivalent in level to administrative positions in the class. Such positions normally report to an Assistant Superintendent or higher level position.
Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction Director of Career-Vocational
Education, CEA
This level is responsible for promoting, planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating the statewide career-vocational education program in the Department of Education. Under administrative direction, an incumbent has primary leadership responsibility for the career-vocational education program, including program and policy development, implementation, and management; for coordinating this program with other segments of the total education program; and for serving as a member of a variety of significant educational commissions, councils, and committees. The position typically reports to a higher level executive and, as assigned, represents the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education with the Executive and Legislative Branches of the Federal and State Government, local educational agencies, the public, and the media.
Minimum Qualifications
Credential Requirements
All Levels:
All classes in this series require the possession of a valid credential authorizing public school service in California as specified below. (Applicants who do not meet the credential requirement will be admitted to the examination, but must secure the credential requirement before they will be considered eligible for appointment.)
Possession of an earned master's or doctorate degree may be substituted for the required credential.
Career-Vocational Education Assistant
Possession of a teaching credential or designated subjects credential with authorization to teach career-vocational education subjects or credential or life diploma of equivalent authorization.
All Other Classes in This Series
Possession of an administrative credential or credential or life diploma of equivalent authorization. (One year of experience in the California Department of Education performing the duties of a professional education class at a level equivalent to the class of Career-Vocational Education Assistant, Range B, or higher may be substituted for the required credential. Experience used in this manner to meet the credential requirement must be in addition to that used to meet the general experience requirement.)
Experience Requirements
All Levels:
1. Experience applicable to one of the following patterns may be combined on a proportional basis with experience applicable to the other to meet the total experience requirement.
2. Experience in California state service applied toward the general experience pattern must include the same number of years of qualifying experience as required in the promotional pattern performing the duties of a class with a level of responsibility equivalent to that described in the promotional experience pattern.
Career-Vocational Education Assistant
Either I
Two years of teaching experience in career-vocational education.
Or II
One year of administrative, supervisory, or equivalent level experience in career-vocational education. (Experience as a teacher trainer in career-vocational education subjects in a college or university may be substituted for the required administrative experience on a year-for-year basis.)
Agricultural Education Consultant
Business Education Consultant
Health Careers Education Consultant
Home Economics Education Consultant
Industrial and Technology Education Consultant
Either I
One year of experience in the California state service performing career- vocational education duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that obtained in the class of Career-Vocational Education Assistant, Range B.
Or II
Two years of administrative, supervisory, or equivalent level experience in career-vocational education. (Experience as a teacher trainer in career-vocational education subjects in a college or university may be substituted for the required administrative experience on a year-for-year basis.)
(For subject-matter Consultant classes, experience applied to either pattern must be in the appropriate area of specialization.)
Career-Vocational Education Administrator I
Agricultural Education Administrator I
Business Education Administrator I
Health Careers Education Administrator I
Home Economics Education Administrator I
Industrial and Technology Education Administrator I
Either I
One year of experience in the California state service performing career- vocational education duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that obtained in the class of Agricultural Education Consultant, Business Education Consultant, Health Careers Education Consultant, Home Economics Education Consultant, or Industrial and Technology Education Consultant.
Or II
Two years of experience in the California state service performing career- vocational education duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that obtained in the class of Career-Vocational Education Assistant, Range B.
Or III
Three years of administrative, supervisory, or equivalent level experience in career-vocational education. (Experience as a teacher trainer in career-vocational education subjects in a college or university may be substituted for a maximum of two years of this experience on a year-for-year basis.)
(For subject-matter Administrator I classes, experience applied to any pattern must be in the appropriate area of specialization.)
Career-Vocational Education Administrator II
Either I
One year of experience in the California state service performing career vocational education duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that obtained in the class of Career-Vocational Education Administrator I.
Or II
Two years of experience in the California state service performing career vocational education duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that obtained in the class of Career-Vocational Education Consultant.
Or III
Four years of administrative, supervisory, or equivalent level experience, in a career-vocational education. (Experience as a teacher trainer in career-vocational education subjects in a college or university may be substituted for a maximum of two years of this experience on a year-for-year basis.)
Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction Director of Career-Vocational
Education, CEA
Either I
Two years of experience in the California state service performing career- vocational education duties at a level of responsibility equivalent to that obtained in the class of Career-Vocational Education Administrator I.
Or II
Five years of administrative, supervisory, or equivalent level experience including one year in a managerial or high level supervisory capacity. (Experience as a teacher trainer in career-vocational education subjects in a college or university may be substituted for a maximum of two years of this experience on a year-for-year basis.)
Knowledge and Abilities
Career-Vocational Education Assistant
Knowledge of: Philosophy, principles, practices, and trends of career-vocational education, with particular reference to the appropriate area of specialization; philosophy, principles, practices, and trends of education; career-vocational education curriculum development and instructional methods; program planning techniques; teacher-training methods and techniques; career-vocational occupations; research, statistics, and educational testing and measurement as applied to career-vocational education; type and length of training needed to prepare persons for career-vocational occupations; Federal and State laws and administrative policies pertaining to career-vocational education and subject-matter specialty (if appropriate); and philosophy, organization, and operation of career-vocational education youth groups.
Ability to: Develop leadership ability through a process of advice, consultation, and cooperation with others; exercise creativity in the formulation and development of education programs; apply educational policy; communicate effectively; analyze situations accurately and take appropriate action; plan, organize, and coordinate a variety of activities; develop and prepare instructional materials; establish effective working relations with all persons; exercise tact, resourcefulness, and prudent judgment; conduct successful classes, workshops, and institutes; and do complex research and analytical studies.
Agricultural Education Consultant
Business Education Consultant
Health Careers Education Consultant
Home Economics Education Consultant
Industrial and Technology Education Consultant
Knowledge of: All of the above, and career-vocational education in California's public and private school systems; school administrative practices; the functions of schools, districts, and county offices of education; and the Department of Education's functions, rules, and regulations, especially as related to career-vocational education and subject-matter specialty (if appropriate).
Ability to: All of the above, and assume leadership and exercise creativity in the administration and evaluation of career-vocational education programs; interpret educational policy; and develop well-informed policy recommendations.
Career-Vocational Education Administrator I
Agricultural Education Administrator I
Business Education Administrator I
Health Careers Education Administrator I
Home Economics Education Administrator I
Industrial and Technology Education Administrator I
Knowledge of: All of the above, and the organization of the California Department of Education; principles of employee development, training, and supervision; the Department of Education's mission, goals, programs, and policies; community organizations and resources relating to career-vocational education; the Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives; and a manager's/supervisor's responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion, and for maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.
Ability to: All of the above, and assume innovative leadership in formulating, promoting, and directing a statewide program; maintain liaison with officials of educational, governmental, and private organizations and groups; effectively and efficiently manage a staff and program within the resources provided; review and edit written documents; establish and maintain project and departmental priorities; work effectively with administrative personnel in the Department and other governmental agencies; supervise subordinate staff; and effectively promote equal opportunity in employment and maintain a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.
Career-Vocational Education Administrator II
Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction Director of Career-Vocational
Education, CEA
Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles of public administration, budgeting, and personnel management.
Ability to: All of the above, and assume innovative leadership and direction in promoting and directing the statewide program of career-vocational education; and advise and work effectively with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, and other top management staff in the Department and other governmental agencies.
Additional Desirable Qualifications
In appraising experience, preference will be given to demonstrated program leadership in the fields of career-vocational education as demonstrated by participation in school or district committees, professional education associations, the development of major curricula or programs, or related activities.
Special Personal Requirement
All Levels:
Willingness to travel throughout the State.
Class History
