DESE Delivers Executive Report on Career and Technical Education to Governor’s Office

The report makes recommendations on how to improve career and technical education in Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo — The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) provided the Governor’s Office with recommendations to improve career and technical education (CTE) delivery systems in Missouri. Executive Order 25-16, issued by Governor Kehoe on January 28, 2025, charged DESE — with DHEWD as a principal partner — with engaging key stakeholders to update and improve CTE delivery systems in Missouri, focusing on improvements to CTE skill attainment and increasing program participation.

The Executive Order report describes how DESE and DHEWD engaged stakeholders throughout an in-depth, four-month review process. Complementing the recommendations were data from a CTE perceptions survey which included 5,650 responses from students, parents, educators, and business leaders. The overall priority areas include:

• Strengthen Work-Based Learning, Employer Engagement, and Workforce Development
• Expand Early Career Exploration, School Counseling, and Advising Systems
• Strategic Communication and Marketing to Promote CTE

“This work will result in a significant step forward, so that all students have a chance to find their path to success,” said Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between secondary programs and the workforce. These recommendations will lead to growth in Missouri’s economy by closing critical workforce gaps and creating a talented pipeline of skilled workers.”

DESE will submit an annual progress report to the Governor's Office through 2028, summarizing efforts that have been made during the previous year, progress towards the overarching goals of the Executive Order, feedback from external stakeholders, and policy recommendations.