One major trend is that the program enrollment is increasing, from 48 three years ago to 85 this year -- and increase of 77%. This has been very good for overall program health, while making it more difficult to coordinate sharing of the single lab. The average number of students per class is 14, which is close to the system target of 16-student classes.
A second observation, perhaps not a surprising one, is that the Automotive Technology program is overwhelmingly male (95% or more male students in the past four years). In 2009-2010, the program managed to attract 4 female students out of its 85. Efforts are being made to build on this number by making it clear to students that auto repair is not just for males, and that females are welcome in the program.
A third trend is that the proportion of Hispanic students is increasing, from 44% three years ago to 53% this year. This trend is consistent with the overall growth of Hispanic population in the county, but represents a far more concentrated percentage of Hispanics than in the school system as a whole (26.4%). One possible reason for the growth in Hispanic students is that Automotive Technology is perceived as a practical skill that can be learned even while students are learning English. Indeed, 32% of the students this past year were classified as Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
A challenge introduced by greater LEP enrollment is the difficulty of conveying enough vocabulary and curriculum to enable LEP students to pass certifications.
For the past two year, the Automotive Technology program at the Career Center has been participating in a pilot of the CanDo online competency tracking and reporting system. This system enables program instructors to mark competency achievement on a student-by-student basis.
While CanDo imports students with their demographic data, it does not yet produce the reports that allow administrators to disaggregate the competency achievement data. We know that all 21 program completers were competent on 80% or more of the competencies reported, but we do not yet know how many of these students were Economically Disadvantaged (Free and Reduced Lunch) or had an IEP.
In general, the program's struggles with competency teaching and reporting have to do with covering the number of competencies required in the course of the year, particularly given the high percentage of LEP students (32%) in the class.
Analysis of the credentialing data chart shows strong participation and pass rates in the two S/P2 certifications. These certifications are aimed at the foundation of shop and environmental safety, and reflect the program emphasis on these topics.
Very few students are attempting the ASE exam (two in 2008-2009 and three in 2007-2008), although they are passing when they take the exam. ASE is a difficult and expensive certification, and instructors send only those Auto III students who they believe have a strong chance of success. One program goal is to increase the percentage of Auto III students attempting the ASE exam.
The NOCTI exam is new to the progam in 2008-2009, when 9 Auto II program completers took the exam, and four of them passed. This relatively low pass rate is not uncommon in the first year of implementing NOCTI, when program instructors are learning the material covered by the test. A program goal is to widen the utilization of this test with both Auto II and III program completers, because program completion coupled with NOCTI delivers one high school selected verified credit for high school graduation.
Please wait...