Ugur Zengince

High-Impact CTE for Every Student: Practical Strategies Any School Can Use to Build an Inclusive STEAM Program

Wednesday, July 22 · 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM · Regent 2

How can schools expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities to every student—without selective admissions, tracking, or specialized enrollment requirements? This session shares the real-world implementation of Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School, Ohio's first STEAM-designated charter school to provide equitable access to CTE for all students, regardless of background, prior achievement, or career interests. Operating under a fully open-enrollment model, our school ensures that every student has access to high-quality CTE coursework, work-based learning experiences, internships, and meaningful career exploration. Despite this inclusive approach, the school has earned a 4.5-star rating on the Ohio School Report Card for two consecutive years, demonstrating that excellence and equitable access can go hand in hand. Participants will learn how we designed and implemented schoolwide CTE pathways aligned with STEAM principles, strong employer partnerships, authentic work-based learning, and student voice. The session will also highlight our collaboration with middle schools within the Concept Schools network to introduce structured career exploration before students enter high school, creating a stronger and more intentional CTE pipeline. Rather than focusing on resources unique to one school, this session emphasizes practical, replicable strategies that schools of any size or setting—urban, suburban, rural, charter, or traditional public—can adapt to strengthen student engagement, career readiness, and postsecondary success. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas, implementation strategies, and planning tools that can be adapted to their own schools to expand equitable access to high-quality CTE while improving student outcomes.