Anonymous
03/11/2026 05:56
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
My education was similar although we were exposed at even younger ages. We had wood shop in elementary school. We had home economics, typing, and art required in middle school. I also grew up in an area with an amazing vocational program. FCPS is seriously lacking here.
Those courses are available for those interested in taking them and I’m quite happy FCPS no longer requires boys to take shop (“industrial arts”) and girls to take home economics, as was the case decades ago.
So different now, genuinely curious- Decades could be 20, but you’re not saying in 2006 FCPS required girls to take home ec and boys shop or even 30 years ago in 1996??? You mean stereotypical 1950s right?
I’m an 1996 FCPS grad. Boys were not required to take shop and girls were not required to take home ec during any of my schooling years.
I was in middle school in the late 1980s and high school in the early 1990s. My older brother is a full 10 years older than me, so he was in middle school in the late 1970s and high school in the early 1980s. All in FCPS.
It's been almost 40 years since I was in middle school and over 30 since high school. For my brother, it's been almost 50 years since middle school anf over 40 years since high school. That is definitely "decades ago," but even back then, FCPS did not require home ec ("Teen Living") for girls and Shop for boys. Maybe that was required in the 1950s or 1960s, but it definitely wasn't true for my brother or me.
Anonymous
03/11/2026 00:03
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
My education was similar although we were exposed at even younger ages. We had wood shop in elementary school. We had home economics, typing, and art required in middle school. I also grew up in an area with an amazing vocational program. FCPS is seriously lacking here.
Those courses are available for those interested in taking them and I’m quite happy FCPS no longer requires boys to take shop (“industrial arts”) and girls to take home economics, as was the case decades ago.
So different now, genuinely curious- Decades could be 20, but you’re not saying in 2006 FCPS required girls to take home ec and boys shop or even 30 years ago in 1996??? You mean stereotypical 1950s right?
I’m an 1996 FCPS grad. Boys were not required to take shop and girls were not required to take home ec during any of my schooling years.
Anonymous
03/10/2026 23:16
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
My education was similar although we were exposed at even younger ages. We had wood shop in elementary school. We had home economics, typing, and art required in middle school. I also grew up in an area with an amazing vocational program. FCPS is seriously lacking here.
Those courses are available for those interested in taking them and I’m quite happy FCPS no longer requires boys to take shop (“industrial arts”) and girls to take home economics, as was the case decades ago.
So different now, genuinely curious- Decades could be 20, but you’re not saying in 2006 FCPS required girls to take home ec and boys shop or even 30 years ago in 1996??? You mean stereotypical 1950s right?
Anonymous
03/10/2026 19:38
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
My education was similar although we were exposed at even younger ages. We had wood shop in elementary school. We had home economics, typing, and art required in middle school. I also grew up in an area with an amazing vocational program. FCPS is seriously lacking here.
Those courses are available for those interested in taking them and I’m quite happy FCPS no longer requires boys to take shop (“industrial arts”) and girls to take home economics, as was the case decades ago.
Anonymous
03/10/2026 19:30
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
I am from NY. Music was required through 8 grade. We did not have electives but a wheel period. Each quarter was different (health, shop, art, home economics). PE was required through 12th grade too. I personally think it is awful a kid can decide to never take an arts class past 6th grade. I don’t blame FCPS cause the state makes the requirements.
My education was similar although we were exposed at even younger ages. We had wood shop in elementary school. We had home economics, typing, and art required in middle school. I also grew up in an area with an amazing vocational program. FCPS is seriously lacking here.
Anonymous
03/10/2026 17:57
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
My education was similar although we were exposed at even younger ages. We had wood shop in elementary school. We had home economics, typing, and art required in middle school. I also grew up in an area with an amazing vocational program. FCPS is seriously lacking here.
Anonymous
03/10/2026 15:32
Subject: Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
That is a rumor. It would be amazing if that were possible (engineering courses, IT, and econ/personal finance are considered CTE courses in addition to the typical health professions, business, and skilled trades courses.
The CTE Advisory Committee was able to request that all middle schools offer Career Explorations as a half year option, but even that course isn't mandatory for students to take.
The CTE Advisory Committee was able to request that all middle schools offer Career Explorations as a half year option, but even that course isn't mandatory for students to take.
Anonymous
03/10/2026 06:15
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
My middle school as a kid required every kid take a semester of wood shop, metal shop, home ec cooking, home ec sewing, keyboard, guitar, mechanical drawing, and art. It exposed all the students to some CTE and helped some kids make the choice to apply to the votech school in the region instead of staying at the traditional HS. Everyone else learned how to handle some basic power tools and learn some basic life skills. I thought it was a good idea.
Anonymous
03/09/2026 23:31
Subject: Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Advanced studies diploma has always required one year of fine arts or CTE. Both standard and advanced have always required at least one honors/ap/ib/CTE course
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/advanced-studies-diploma-graduation-requirements
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/standard-diploma-graduation-requirements
I’d be shocked if they are saying it must be CTE now. The art teachers would be out of a job.
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/advanced-studies-diploma-graduation-requirements
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/for-students/graduation/diploma-options/standard-diploma-graduation-requirements
I’d be shocked if they are saying it must be CTE now. The art teachers would be out of a job.
Anonymous
03/09/2026 23:24
Subject: Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
CTE is a broad category, anything from accounting to dental assistant. What does it even mean that all freshmen are required to take a year of it? As far as I know, these are only offered at schools with academies so there is not even the space to let all freshmen in FCPS take it, not to mention it would be a logistical nightmare to get everyone to the academies.
Anonymous
03/09/2026 22:13
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
Anonymous wrote:What is CTE?
Career and Technical Education
Anonymous
03/09/2026 22:10
Subject: Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
What school?
Anonymous
03/09/2026 22:08
Subject: Re:Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
What is CTE?
Anonymous
03/09/2026 21:29
Subject: Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
The answer to your question is no. This is not a thing at all FCPS high schools.
Anonymous
03/09/2026 20:47
Subject: Are all FCPS high schools requiring incoming freshmen to take a year of CTE next year?
I’ve been told by a usually reliable source this is happening at our school next year. However, this news is apparently hush-hush for now.