2026 Arkansas CTE Summer Conference

CTSO Update for the 2026-2027 School Year

Learn how Little Rock School District’s Metropolitan Career Technical Center partnered with Baptist Health College of Little Rock, healthcare industry leaders, and community stakeholders to launch one of Central Arkansas’s first high school Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) programs. This session will highlight the strategies used to remove barriers for students, align secondary and postsecondary systems, secure funding, and create authentic healthcare experiences that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage careers.

Participants will explore lessons learned in program development, student recruitment, concurrent credit alignment, clinical experiences, and sustainability planning. Presenters will also share early outcomes from the inaugural cohort of graduates and discuss how cross-sector partnerships can strengthen the future healthcare workforce pipeline while expanding access and opportunity for students.

Project Lead the Way Gateway program for 6-8th grade has many activities in the curriculum. Many times these are dry and not very creative. My session would describe ways the teacher can enhance their instruction with different types of hands-on projects that can be done as a group, pairs or individually.