During February’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is highlighting its CTE programming, which for more than 20 years has provided opportunities for hands-on learning. CTE comprises a core part of MMSD’s middle and high school course offerings, touching traditional areas (like automotive, woods/construction, and culinary) and emerging ones (such as software development, digital media, early childhood education, and health care).
MMSD’s graduation rate for students who complete multiple CTE courses and/or follow a specific CTE-related pathway is 95%. In addition, data for the 2023–24 school year shows that 3,890 MMSD high school students enrolled in at least one CTE course. Of that cohort, 44% were female and 56% were male, evenly dispersed across grade levels and schools.
CTE was a focus in the renovations of MMSD’s comprehensive high schools. Across each building, spaces like auto shops, engineering labs, and certified nursing assistant classrooms were either added or renovated to support and encourage engagement in CTE courses. Middle schools slated for work associated with the passage of the 2024 facilities referendum will incorporate similar space types in their designs.
As of the 2025–26 school year, CTE courses will be offered at 10 of the district’s 12 middle schools. MMSD’s long-term goal is to ensure that every middle school has an information technology and computer science program, along with options for engineering and career exploration labs.
Last summer, the district offered a free CTE exploration and skill development series for rising sixth- through eighth-graders. The CTE Summer Discovery Program was created and facilitated by licensed CTE teachers and will be offered again in the summer of 2025.
