Who We Are?

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The Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (VACTE) was established in 2001 by approval of the citizens of the Verde Valley and Sedona areas.  VACTE is one of fourteen Career and Technical Education Districts (CTEDs) in Arizona.  Our school district members are Camp Verde, Clarkdale/Jerome, Cottonwood/Oak Creek, Mingus Union, and Sedona Red/Rock.

Career and Technical Education Districts (CTEDs) are specialized school districts designed to deliver career and technical education (CTE) to high school students in cooperation with their member districts by providing a pathway for students to earn industry certification and college credit, as well as experience career-based learning, hands-on instruction, and leadership development through such organizations as FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, and SkillsUSA.  VACTE supports the CTE programs, CTE instructors, and more than 1,500 CTE students at the three local high schools.  These programs include agriculture, automotive, business, coding, culinary arts, digital photography, drafting, film and TV, graphic design, sports medicine, stagecraft, and welding.

VACTE has additionally established 7 CTE programs offered at locations throughout the Verde Valley which provide career training to students from the three high schools, area charter schools, and home schools.  These programs include:  certified nursing assistant, construction, cosmetology, fire science, law enforcement, phlebotomy, and teacher training.

A strong partnership with Yavapai College has been developed in providing dual or concurrent enrollment courses, whereby, high school students are able to earn both high school and college credits for the courses in which they are enrolled.  VACTE pays for the college tuition, textbooks, and uniforms for many of these programs.  VACTE courses also support several industry recognized licenses and certifications which the students may earn upon exit from the programs such as Arizona Board of Nursing Certified Nursing Assistant Licensure, Arizona Board of Barbering/Cosmetology Licensure, and Arizona Firefighter I and II certification.