LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – A Michigan high school CTE program is being recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The Future Proud Michigan Educator (FPME) LAUNCH program has been added to the Best Practices Clearinghouse.
There are over 80 centers around the state that offer high school students the FPME LAUNCH program. LAUNCH works through Early Middle College and Career and Technical Education centers to allow students to get education credentials while earning their diplomas.
Candace Vinson is an Education Consultant in the Office of Career and Technical Education with the Michigan Department of Education. She is also a former teacher of the course and said the program is for students who want to be teachers or want to work with kids but haven’t narrowed it down to a specific concentration.
The program is one of 3 submissions from a group of over 50 applicants to be added to the U.S. Department of Education’s best practices clearinghouse, a digital resource that stores information and interactive resources to share best practices across the country and aid in classroom recovery after the pandemic.
“Our students are working towards one of a variety of credentials,” Vinson said. “Students graduate at 18 and immediately step back into the classroom in positions that are very hard to fill such as paraprofessional, out-of-school time, and early childhood.”
In two years, students can earn credentials to work in infants through preschool childcare programs, and after-school or summer programs.
LAUNCH started in 2002, but prior to 2020 wasn’t available for students in the Upper Peninsula…
In the past 5 years, it’s expanded to include 7 centers where students in the U.P. can start their careers as educators earning college credits, an associate’s, or a certification to go directly into the workforce.
“That was our our first big goal was to make sure every student in the upper peninsula had access to the program,” Vinson said. “The Ishpeming one was the very first one to come on board and then the rest just came like clockwork in the Upper Peninsula, the unity and the working together with the community and working together with other school districts, it’s impressive.”
Michigan’s superintendent said the program is an important one to highlight because it also calls attention to state goals that aim to have 60% of working-age Michiganders having earned a certificate or college degree by 2030.
