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    Career and Technical Education

    SOAR (Students Occupationally and Academically Ready)

    SOAR is the career and technical educational plan that aligns the Secondary career and technical programs to a Postsecondary certificate, diploma, or associate degree through articulation agreements. An articulation agreement is a formal contract between two academic institutions that guarantees your credits and coursework will transfer seamlessly from your CTC to a Postsecondary Institution.

     

    SOAR programs lead students into a career pathway that is in high demand by employers, have higher skill needs, and are most likely to provide family sustaining wages.

    Benefits of SOAR

    • Provide a step-by-step learning path that builds on your skills to confidently and accurately use the tools and technology to perform a job.
    • Decrease the cost of a Postsecondary education and save students money.
    • Enter the workforce sooner by not having to repeat coursework.
    • Prepare for in-demand occupations.

    Programs that qualify for SOAR

    All of the CIP codes and their titles listed in the first column on the Programs of Study Framework page qualify for SOAR articulation agreements.

    Secondary Schools/CTCs that qualify for SOAR

    All of the secondary schools/CTCs listed on the map of Career and Technical Education Centers in Pennsylvania qualify for SOAR credits.

    Students and Parents

    Students will be able to show their college preparedness by completing the Secondary CTC coursework and task list completion of the approved PDE Program of Study. Students who do not pass the required entrance or placement tests may have to take a developmental or remedial class through the Postsecondary Institution. This must happen before being accepted into the Postsecondary Institution’s Program of Study. Any developmental or remedial coursework will not count toward the required coursework for the Postsecondary program or SOAR credits.

    A student has up to 16 months after graduation to utilize any credits or equivalent clock hours earned through SOAR. This allows for 1 gap year between high school and furthering your education at a postsecondary institution.

    A student will earn at least 9 or more technical credits and/or clock hours to the Postsecondary Institutions’ Program of Study.

    A student can earn a Diploma, Certificate, or Associate Degree while utilizing SOAR credits.

    • Copy of High School Diploma
    • Official Student Transcript showing technical coursework minimum 2.75 GPA on 4.0 scale
    • 100% Completed Secondary Competency Task List signed by the technical program instructor
    • Copy of PA Certificate of Competency or PA Skills Certificate in technical program area (Must have earned competent or advanced score)
    • Copy of industry credential(s) earned certificate(s)
    • Printout of Details Page for the postsecondary program where the student wishes to apply, found on collegetransfer.net
    • Provide all documentation necessary to the Postsecondary Institution. All documents should be student specific and verify that the student meets all Secondary requirements of the approved PDE Program of Study.

    • Students must apply through the Postsecondary Institution’s standard admissions process. They also must meet any prerequisites at the Postsecondary Institution where they enroll.
    • Student must request, in writing, assistance from their School Counselor to complete the Student Documentation Form and any necessary supporting records.

    Colleges that accept SOAR credits can be found on CollegeTransfer.net.

    How to search for SOAR opportunities to find agreements through Perkins Postsecondary Institutions

    Go to CollegeTransfer.net

    Select > Search

    Select > Search for Course Equivalencies

    In Transfer from College - Select > PA Bureau of Career and Technical Education

    In Transfer to College - Select > the specific name of the Postsecondary Institution you are interested in

    Select > Search

    How to find SOAR agreements by CIP code

    Go to CollegeTransfer.net

    Select > Search

    Select > PA Bureau of CTE SOAR Programs

    In Search Criteria – Choose Your Program of Study from the drop down menu

    Select > A Program of Study

    Select > Your Graduation Year

    Select > Search

    Secondary Teachers/School Counselors

    • The Secondary School and Postsecondary Institution will communicate with and advise students of the steps needed for completion of Postsecondary credits or clock hours.
    • Advise students that the awarding of Postsecondary credit or clock hours will be determined and awarded by the Postsecondary Institution. Students must understand that the work reflected on the Secondary transcript may or may not be accepted by the Postsecondary Institution. 
    • Secondary and Postsecondary Perkins recipients have technical programs that are aligned. The alignment is accomplished through PDE’s Statewide Articulation Agreements. The Secondary School and Postsecondary Institution will maintain at least one valid agreement in at least three (3) different program areas, or clusters, in order to be eligible to participate in Perkins.
    • The Secondary School and Postsecondary Institution will make the approved PDE Program of Study and Postsecondary Institution Program of Study accessible to all students.

    • Implement the approved PDE Program(s) of Study.
    • Provide assessment of student competencies based upon performance standards.
    • Provide documentation necessary to the Postsecondary Institution at a student’s written request.

    Postsecondary Institutions

    • Identify college programs that align or are closely related to CTE Programs of Study
    • The Secondary School and Postsecondary Institution will communicate with and advise students of the steps needed for completion of Postsecondary credits or clock hours.
    • Advise students that the awarding of Postsecondary credit or clock hours will be determined and awarded by the Postsecondary Institution. Students must understand that the work reflected on the Secondary transcript may or may not be accepted by the Postsecondary Institution. 
    • Secondary and Postsecondary Perkins recipients have technical programs that are aligned. The alignment is accomplished through PDE’s Statewide Articulation Agreements. The Secondary School and Postsecondary Institution will maintain at least one valid agreement in at least three (3) different program areas, or clusters, in order to be eligible to participate in Perkins.
    • The Secondary School and Postsecondary Institution will make the approved PDE Program of Study and Postsecondary Institution Program of Study accessible to all students.
    • Award credit to matriculated students.

    • Identify course equivalency(s) to the approved PDE Program of Study competencies.
    • A student must earn at least 9 or more technical credits and/or clock hours to the Postsecondary Institutions’ Program of Study.
    • Implement reasonable and definitive policies and procedures for acceptance of learning experiences and coursework successfully completed at the Secondary School.
    • Collect and submit data annually to PDE and submit student-level data using the PA secure ID and the PDE Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS).

    • Perkins Statewide Articulation Agreement
    • A statewide articulation agreement allows eligible CTC students from Secondary Schools across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to be able to attend your Postsecondary Institution and receive at least 9 or more technical credits from their program of study without repeating coursework. This differs from a Local Agreement where the Postsecondary Institution has 1 agreement with 1 CTC.
    • SOAR Statewide Articulation Agreements expire after 3 years; whereas a Local Agreement expires after 1 year.
    • All SOAR Statewide Articulation Agreements approved by PDE are housed on CollegeTransfer.net.