Career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) are vocational organizations primarily based in high schools, colleges and career technology centers.
Often, on the state level, they are integrated into departments of education or incorporated as nonprofit organizations. Many states define CTSOs as "integral parts" of the high school and college education programs. [1] [2] Other higher education institutions have added extracurricular activities that are not sports-related, like CTSOs in order to enhance the college experience.
Some major CTSOs include: [3]
Other CTSOs recognized by some states include Educators Rising (formerly Future Teachers of America) and the International Thespian Society.
The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national student organization created to develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as business education. TSA aims to develop leadership, academic, and business management skills in the workplace among students and leaders within the community. The organization has 250,000 members. The 2019 national conference was held on June 28 - July 2 at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD. The 2020 national conference was scheduled to be held from June 27 - July 1 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, TN, but the conference was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
DECA Inc., formerly Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit career and technical student organization (CTSO) with more than 225,000 members in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, DC; Canada, China, Germany, Poland, Guam, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain. The United States Congress, the United States Department of Education and state, district and international departments of education authorize DECA's programs.
Agricultural Education is the teaching of agriculture, natural resources, and land management. At higher levels, agricultural education is primarily undertaken to prepare students for employment in the agricultural sector. Classes taught in an agricultural education curriculum may include horticulture, land management, turf grass management, agricultural science, small animal care, machine and shop classes, health and nutrition, livestock management, and biology.
SkillsUSA is a United States career and technical student organization serving more than 395,000 high school, college and middle school students and professional members enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations.
Eastern Technical High School (ETHS) is a 1997, 2009, and 2010 Maryland Blue Ribbon High School, a 2010 National Blue Ribbon High School, and a 1999 USDE New American High School located in Essex, Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. Along with their regular classes, students enrolled at this magnet school participate in a career major of their choosing. Academic areas include Allied Health, Business Management and Finance, Construction Management, Culinary Arts, Engineering Careers, Information Technology, Law Related Careers, Interactive Media Production and the Teacher Academy of Maryland. The school features a variety of sports teams for both girls and boys. In addition, the school offers various clubs like the National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, a concert band, yearly drama productions by the Theater Club, and other such organizations.
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education is an agency of the state of Oklahoma located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Tampa Bay Technical High School (TBT) is a public comprehensive magnet high school for grades 9–12 in Florida, United States. It was established in 1969 as Tampa Bay Vocational Technical School. The school mascot is the Titan.
HOSA – Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), is an international career and technical student organization (CTSO) endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Education Division of ACTE. HOSA is composed of middle school, secondary, and post-secondary/collegiate students, along with professional, alumni, and honorary members. It is headquartered in Southlake, Texas, and is the largest student organization that prepares students to enter the healthcare field, with membership in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, China, South Korea, and Mexico.
The Union County Academy for Information Technology (UC-AIT) is a full-time four-year public high school located in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, United States, on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus. The school is part of the Union County Vocational Technical Schools (UCVTS), which serves students in all of Union County. AIT focuses on education in computer science and computer engineering with an emphasis on mathematics and science.
West Muskingum High School is a public high school in Zanesville, Ohio, United States.
Pontotoc Technology Center (PTC) is a public career and technology education center in Ada, Oklahoma. Part of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system, PTC provides students with modern classroom facilities, exceptional equipment, and qualified instructors for a constructive education and training service.
The Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology is a public college in Santa Mesa, Manila in the Philippines. It was named after Eulogio Rodriguez, one of the longest serving senators in the country.
William H. Turner Technical Arts High School, commonly referred to as Turner Tech, is a secondary technical school located at 10151 NW 19th Avenue in West Little River, unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. Turner Tech is located behind Miami Central High School. According to US news, William H. Turner Technical Arts High School is ranked #2574 in the National Rankings and earned a silver medal. As of July 21, 2017, Turner Tech's principal is Uwezo Frasier. The school is ranked as a "B" school and is part of the Miami Dade Public Schools magnet program.
The University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) is a private, open admissions university in Lima, Ohio, founded in 1920. As of 2020, the school has an enrollment of approximately 4,500 students on a 210-acre (85 ha) campus. The university, accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the Higher Learning Commission, offers master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and associate degrees in over 50 programs. The school colors are burgundy and gray and the athletic teams, known as the Racers, compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as members of the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference.
The Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Shelbyville is one of 27 colleges of applied technology in the Tennessee Board of Regents System, one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. This system comprises thirteen community colleges and twenty-seven colleges of applied technology. More than 60 percent of all Tennessee students attending public institutions are enrolled in a Tennessee Board of Regents institution.
The National Professional Agricultural Student Organization, regularly referred to as PAS, is a national organization associated with postsecondary institutions offering baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, diplomas and/or certificates in agriculture/agribusiness and natural resources. PAS is one of the ten career and technical student organizations that has been approved by the United States Department of Education as an integral part of career and technical education also referred to as vocational education. PAS is a member of the Consortium of Collegiate Agricultural Organizations.
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School or Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School District is located on an 80-acre campus in Rochester, Massachusetts, United States, the geographical center of the five-member town school district that includes Acushnet, Carver, Mattapoisett, Rochester and students from Freetown & Lakeville Public Schools. Note that Lakeville is a member town while, Freetown is not and its students served are limited to around 90. Old Colony is affectionately known as OC, Old Colony Regional, Old Colony RVTHS, OCRVTH, & OCRVTHS. Old Colony is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Old Colony is a "Full Time" Vocational-Technical High School. So Old Colony has an academic department.
Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy is an American vocational high school located in Springfield, Massachusetts, next to the Springfield High School of Science and Technology. Led by principal George Johnson and operating under the authority of the Springfield School Committee, Putnam Vocational provides academic and vocational instruction to students in grades nine through twelve throughout the Springfield area. The school is receiving Title I funds from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Union County High School is an American high school located in Lake Butler, Florida, whose history dates to the 1920s after the secession from Bradford County, when it was originally located as the Lake Butler Middle School. Before segregation ended, it was an all-white school and the now elementary school served the county's African-American population. It now serves secondary students within the Union County school district in grades 9-12. The school offers special curricula which include Honors courses, Advanced Placement, and Vo-Tech courses.
Labette County USD 506 is a public unified school district headquartered in Altamont, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Altamont, Angola, Bartlett, Dennis, Edna, Labette, Mound Valley, western and southern Parsons, and nearby rural areas.