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Governor Eric J. Holcomb
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Career Pathways / Programs of Study

Next Level Programs of Study

The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet’s Office of Career and Technical Education is fully launching new secondary career and technical education courses for the 2022-2023 school year. This initiative, called Next Level Programs of Study (NLPS), will improve the consistency, quality, and intentionality of CTE instruction across Indiana. See a quick overview of NLPS in the CTE Career Guide here. Several resources are available on this page to assist with NLPS implementation.

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NLPS Review Document: Full Document

The NLPS Review Document provides a complete overview of each Next Level Program of Study, including each 4-course sequence, course standards and competencies, the postsecondary courses at Ivy Tech and Vincennes each NLPS course has been aligned to, and dual credit course eligibility. The document was most recently updated on 5/1/22 and individuals are encouraged to ensure they are utilizing the latest version. The primary recent update to the document was the inclusion of standards/competencies for programs of study newly available in the 2022-2023 school year. The document also now includes teacher assignment codes, course funding levels, and aligned certifications.

2022-2023 NLPS Planning Guide: Full Document

The Planning Guide is designed to help schools and career centers take full advantage of the benefits available with the newly redesigned CTE structure. Included in the planning guide are the following sections:

  • Page 1 - Comparison chart of current CTE system vs. NLPS on several key factors
  • Page 2 – Overview of the course structure utilized for NLPS and its benefits
  • Page 3-5 – Rubric to assist schools/career centers with determining what pathways to offer
  • Page 6 – Scheduling options for NLPS
  • Pages 7/8 – Additional scheduling options and considerations

Program of Study Adoption and Course Inventory Form: Instructions

Schools and career centers are asked to register their CTE course offerings in InTERS by August 1, 2022. The linked instruction document provides information on how to complete this process. Questions can be shared with your Area CTE Director or with our office at CTE@gov.IN.gov.

Perkins V Pathways w/current courses vs. w/NLPS courses: Master Pathways List

When transitioning to Next Level Programs of Study, schools and career centers will still utilize Perkins V pathways. The Master Pathway List provides a side-by-side comparison of Perkins V pathways with current courses vs. Perkins V pathways with NLPS courses. The document includes all NLPS pathways available during the 2022-2023 school year.

NLPS Frequently Asked Questions: Full Document

The NLPS FAQ provides information regarding many of the common questions the Office of CTE has received regarding the transition to Next Level Programs of Study. The document was most recently updated on 4/1/22 and will continue to be built out as new questions arise. Questions regarding current content or suggestions for future additions can be directed to CTE@gov.IN.gov.

2023-2024 CTE Course Titles and Descriptions: Full Document

Course titles and descriptions for all CTE courses that can be offered in the 2023-2024 school year are available in the above document. Page 2 of the document has key information on what the document contains, how it is organized, and other important notes.

2022-2023 Indiana CTE Career Guide: Online Version

The CTE Career Guide has now been updated for the 2022-2023 school year. The Career Guide is a valuable resource for information about Next Level Programs of Study. It also includes a variety of other information relevant to CTE, including Work-Based Learning, Graduation Pathways, and Career Clusters. The Career Guide is designed to be used by students, parents, and school counselors, but can be helpful to anyone who is involved in CTE. Schools, career centers, and other stakeholders interested in securing print copies can do so here.

Program Categorizations and Funding Levels: 2022-2023 CTE Funding Memo

The 2022-2023 CTE Funding Memo approved by the State Board of Education in December can be found above. All NLPS courses are included in the memo alongside current CTE courses. NLPS funding levels were for the current school year (2021-2022) can be found here.

NLPS Teacher Assignment Codes: 2021-2022 Assignment Codes

This spreadsheet provides teacher assignment codes for all NLPS courses available in the 2021-2022 school year. If modifications have occurred, the modification date is noted in the spreadsheet. Assignment codes for the 2022-2023 school year are now included in the NLPS Review Document as of 4/4/22. A spreadsheet similar to the above version is also being developed for 2022-2023.

NLPS Implementation Workshops: Workshop Link, Workshop Presentation

Throughout December and January of 2020, the Office of CTE held implementation workshops for schools and career centers interested in implementing NLPS courses in the 2021-2022 school year. The content was targeted towards school counselors, administrators, and CTE directors. A recording and a slide deck from one of the implementation workshops is linked above.

NLPS Instructor Webinars: Webinar Link, Webinar Presentation

Office of CTE staff held several workshops for CTE instructors in April of 2021. A recording and a slide deck from one of the instructor workshops is available above.

NLPS Introductory Webinar: Webinar Link, Webinar Presentation

The above webinar took place in November of 2020. The webinar's goal was to provide relevant information to assist schools and career centers with determining whether they planned to opt-in to providing NLPS courses in the 2021-2022 school year.

Questions: Any questions or requests related to Next Level Programs of Study can be sent to CTE@gov.IN.gov.

Other Information: 

The definition of a CTE Concentrator is a student must earn a C average in at least two non-duplicative advanced courses within a particular program or program of study. Though current high school students are grandfathered under the previous CTE Concentrator definition – earning at least 6 high school credits in a career sequence – schools may opt to use this new definition of two courses for their current students.

Use for the Six Credit Definition (Perkins IV)

Use for the Two Advanced Course Completion Definition (Perkins V)

Guidance for Schools Pursuing Perkins IV or Perkins V Concentrator Status

Are your course offerings aligned to Labor Demand?

Here are some great resources to help you along the way.

State CTE Funding

Other Resources