Artifact 83- Explain how teachers are involved in identifying needs, assessing improvement strategies. 

The Business Education Department at the Lee County Career and Technical Center is a very strong department. All instructors work together for the benefit of the students. There are three full time business education instructors and this year we have received three more instructors who are involved in the business education department teaching the new Economics and Personal Finance class.

There are several strategies and improvements that we as a department incorporate to make our business program stronger. 

The first improvement is that “all” business educators be updated on industry certification. Teachers must have an industry certification to be able to offer our students the option of testing for certification. All three business education teachers are currently updated on the new industry certifications.

 Each year all business teachers must complete 30 hours of professional development. Professional Development is provided to business teachers on updated technology, software, and industry certification each year. The involvement in professional development is used to prepare teachers to better instruct their students. 

All instructors are involved in license recertification every 5 years.  Within this 5 year period, teachers use this time to work on improvements in their personal growth as a teacher. They may enroll in college classes, participate in workshops, or other professional activities that will help them gain updated knowledge to be used in their classroom.

The department, on the average of every 3 years, works and compiles a list of updated technology and software that is being used in the workforce. We then compile an equipment list which we submit to our Career & Technical Director. We have been able to update our technology labs every 3 years. 

It is the responsibility of every business education instructor to work on deficiencies in their industry certification and license requirements.  I can say without hesitation, that the Lee County Career and Technical Center has some of the best updated and educated business instructors in the state. Therefore, we can prepare our students for continuous growth in the business information technology field of study.