Funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in Texas relies heavily on precise coding practices. Accurate course coding is essential to ensure your district receives the funding it’s entitled to. Over the years, CareerCraft has partnered with school districts across Texas to review and optimize their CTE coding, ensuring clients receive the maximum funding possible. This guide walks you through the steps to conduct your own CTE coding desk audit.
Step 1: Download a Current Grade Report or Class Registration Report
Access your district’s Student Information System (SIS) and download a grade report or class registration report as a CSV or Excel file.
Open the file and enable header filters to sort and analyze data more efficiently.
Sort your report by Service ID numbers to help identify CTE courses.
Step 2: Review Service IDs for CTE Courses
Identify CTE Courses: Generally, CTE Service IDs start with 127, 130, N127, or N130. Familiarize yourself with these prefixes to easily recognize CTE courses.
Check Contact Hours: Each CTE course is typically assigned a specific number of contact hours based on credit:
1-credit courses: 1 CTE Contact Hour (V1)
2-credit courses: 2 CTE Contact Hours (V2)
3-credit courses: 3 CTE Contact Hours (V3)
Identify Discrepancies: Check that each course’s credit and contact hours align. For example, a 2-credit course should be coded with 2 contact hours. If any course is mis-coded, your district may be missing out on essential funding.
Step 3: Correct Errors in Your Student Information System
If errors in CTE coding are identified, update them directly in your SIS to ensure accurate funding allocation. Below are common CTE coding errors and how they may impact funding.
Common Examples of CTE Coding Errors
Missing CTE Contact Hours: When a CTE course lacks associated contact hours, the district forfeits CTE-weighted funding.
Undercoded CTE Contact Hours: A 2-credit course with only 1 contact hour reduces funding eligibility. Ensure all credits align with corresponding contact hours.
Outdated Service IDs: Service IDs can change periodically; for example, Career Preparation courses received new IDs for the 2024-2025 school year. Using outdated Service IDs can result in inaccurate funding.
By performing a desk audit of your CTE coding and promptly correcting any discrepancies, your district can optimize funding and maximize support for its CTE programs. Conduct regular audits to stay up-to-date and fully funded.