Kentucky History

The first AVA convention was held in Louisville, and Kentucky also was chartered that year. The first president of KVA (the Kentucky Vocational Association and the forerunner of today’s Kentucky Association for Career and Technical Education) was G. Ivan Barnes, who represented Agriculture and served for two years. The second president, Ethel Lovell, represented Trade and Industrial Education. In 1934-36, Ms. Ata Lee, representing Home Economics, served as president. According to the records, all presidents served two years until 1948. Also, the rotation plan — Agriculture, Trade and Industrial, Home Economics — continued until 1960 when John Maguire, representing Distributive Education, was elected president.

KVA membership as of February 1, 1927, was 205 and ranked eighth in the association, which had a total membership of 3,632. States with a higher membership were California, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

At the national level, divisions were formed based on the federal legislation (i.e., agriculture education, commercial education, home economics education, industrial education, part-time schools, and vocational rehabilitation).

KVA followed this pattern; however, these areas were commonly called service areas (e.g., agriculture, home economics, and industrial education). Later service (program) areas included distributive education, health occupations, business and office, manpower, and special needs. There have been changes subsequently, such as manpower to employment and training.

In addition to the program areas, Kentucky also established KVA regions in 1965. These regions were represented by regional officers, and the regional president served on the KVA Board of Directors. Originally, thee were 10 regions throughout the state. With restructuring in recent years, these were expanded to 15. Regional meetings were held in conjunction with the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) fall district meetings. (Note: The regions were eliminated by bylaw amendment in 2002.)

Annual meetings of the association have been held throughout the years. Most of the meetings were held in Louisville; however, in 1962 the meeting was held in Lexington. These meetings were held in conjunction with the annual meeting of KEA and were usually held at the Kentucky Hotel. There would be at least 250-300 in attendance.

Committee work has been a mainstay in carrying out the program of work.

KVA has been noted for recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the association. According to the Bylaws, a maximum of two individuals may be honored each year with the KVA Honorary Life Membership. Persons nominated do not have to be members of KVA. Current data indicates 42 individuals have been honored by the association.

Kentucky also has been noted for having many KVA life members. As far back as 1978, there were 106 active life members

Student organizations have been an integral part of vocational education since 1928 at the national level.
FFA — November 20, 1928
FBLA — February 3, 1942
FHA — June 11, 1945
DECA — April 19-19, 1947
AIASA — March 1965
HOSA — November 10-13, 1976

The association maintained its commitment to student organizations, most notably in organizing Student Leadership Day in Frankfort, which offers student organization leaders and members a civics learning opportunity. KACTE also sponsors the annual CTE student Entrepreneurial Contest.

In 1999 a task force was created to address the image and awareness of Vocational Education and funding. The result was a paper entitled  Improving Career and Techincal Education in Ky Creating Futures.

In 2000 a Memorandum of understanding between KACTE, OCTE and KCTCS, put the entire logistics management  and budget for summer programming under one TRS tax id # which led to KACTE hiring an assistant director position in 2001 to coordinate the planning.  The salary is paid through profits from the conference. Since 2002, KACTE’s Annual Meeting was incorporated within the Annual Statewide Career and Technical Education Summer Program, and KACTE is the logistic manager for the event. The CTE Summer Program is the largest professional development opportunity for CTE administrators and teachers in Kentucky.

A student-teaching scholarship was established for pre-service teachers to assist with the cost of their first assignment.
A stipend program was created to assist middle school teachers in attending the Summer Program since they are not allowed to use Perkins Act funds for professional development.
The CTE student Entrepreneurial Contest was funded with these monies.
A Professional Development Fund was rejuvenated with guidelines allowing payment for one-time, non-budgeted learning programs presented by agencies or associations.

Finally, dollars were directed to support leadership initiatives, which eventually developed into the KACTE TALENTS (Teachers As Leaders — Empowering New Thinking Skills) Leadership Academy. The Academy debuted in 2012-13.

In 2002, KACTE started Student Organization Leadership Day(SOLD) to provide a citizenship experience for the students and show the General Assembly the quality of CTE students.

In 2007 KACTE created a white paper entitled Leading the Transformation which updated the 1999 paper.

Using funds generated through the Summer Program, in 2009 KACTE created several programs to further CTE in Kentucky.

In 2010, KACTE was challenged to develop a definition of career readiness. The result was a white paper entitled Containing Competitiveness.

Two-thirds of the KACTE recommendation was adopted by the Kentucky State Board of Education and used as part of the state’s College and Career Readiness Accountability System. Several legislative initiatives supported by KACTE passed the Kentucky General Assembly and were signed by the governor. The KACTE executive director is a member of the State Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education.

In 2010 – Student Organization Leadership Day (SOLD) name was changed to Student Leadership Day (SLD) when the association was advised that it should be open to all CTE students.

In 2011- KACTE sponsored the annual CTSO Entrepreneurship Contest by providing $2.500 for the awards:  $1,000 for first, $750 for second, $500 for third, and $250 for fourth. The first contest was promoted and judged by the CTSO state advisers.

In 2011- a major step forward was taken to gain recognition with the Commissioner of Education.  KACTE leaders met with commissioner Holiday and created a Career Readiness Paper which focused on the importance of CTE being incorporated into curriculum development. During the time that the KY Technical system was merged into the Department of Education and KACTE assisted with creating a definition, which was ultimately recognized in the Department of Education and the General Assembly.

2012 KACTE produced a CTSO white paper to emphasize what a great investment CTSO programs are to CTE.

In 2014- The Investment Fund Account was created to maximize the overall net from summer program and was placed in an account to give back to membership and CTE commitment through a foundation for scholarships, grants and stipends.

In 2014 the Student Teaching Scholarship was renamed to the Mike McMillon scholarship in honor of his life long commitment to CTE and KACTE.

In 2014-2015- stragetic planning retreats for the executive board- where developed to be held every other year.

In 2015 –  The white paper Improving Investment To ‘Kentuckys’ Future was written.

In 2015 ACTE Initiatives (for award winners) and CTSO fund were created.

In 2016 – The white paper Industry certification and Opportunities for CTE education was written.

In 2017  the association contracted with McCarthy Solutions as the official Lobbyist for KACTE.

In 2017 the middle school stipend program was renamed to honor Donnalie Stratton for her life long commitment to CTE and ACTE.

In 2020 -The white paper -CTE  Foundation for Transition Readiness was written and a Membership Initiatives fund was created.

In 2021 –  The white paper Relevant Education was written, which focused on bringing in post secondary education to the equation.  This focused on more Quality CTE program which lead to  proposed double funding which led to almost two fold increases to CTE funding and allowed all high quality programs to receive funding regardless of secondary location. As a result more than 300 programs where funded in 2022-2023 from less than 100 programs in 2021-22.

In 2023 Talents was re-branded as Ky Fellows Leadership Program modeled after ACTE.

KACTE maintains an active public awareness and legislative advocacy program. Its presence on behalf of CTE is known both in Washington and Frankfort.

KACTE has a proud legacy of achievement that continues to grow.

1926-27 G. Ivan Barnes, Ag
1927-28 G. Ivan Barnes, Ag
1928-29 Ethel Lovell, T&I
1929-30 Ethel Lovell, T&I
1930-31 M.C. Ford, Ag
1931-32 M.C. Ford, Ag
1932-33 Ralph Woods, Ag
1933-34 Ralph Woods, Ag
1934-35 Ata Lee, HEc
1935-36 Ata Lee, HEc
1936-37 Paul Harris, T&I
1937-38 Paul Harris, T&I
1938-39 C.F. Criley, T&I
1939-40 C.F. Criley, T&I
1940-41 Ronella Spickard, HEc
1941-42 Ronella Spickard, HEc
1942-43 Watson Armstrong, Ag
1943-44 Watson Armstrong, Ag
1944-45 A.H. Meyers, T&I
1945-46 A.H. Meyers, T&I
1946-47 Stephen S. Wilson, Ag
1947-48 Stephen S. Wilson, Ag
1948-49 Fannie Porter, HEd
1949-50 James L. Patton T&I
1950-51 Stanley Wall Ag
1951-52 Maurine Collins HEc
1952-53 Luther Safriet T&I
1953-54 Fred Johnson Ag
1954-55 Virginia Rice HEc
1955-56 Devert Owens T&I
1956-57 C.O. Neal Ag
1957-58 Mable Harrison HEc
1958-59 George Ramey T&I
1959-60 Jewell Colliver Ag
1960-61 John Maguire DE
1961-62 Pauline Adkins HEc
1962-63 Steve Marcum T&I
1963-64 Arthur Corns Ag
1964-65 Marvin Cole Ag
1965-66 Christian Wallace HEc
1966-67 H.C. Mathis T&I
1967-68 James R. Vaughn Ag
1968-69 Doris Schmidt McDowell Health
1969-70 Jean Karsner Bus/Off
1970-71 William Jeffrey DE
1971-72 Peggy Unger HEc
1972-73 Marvin Church T&I
1973-74 Jim Wilds Ag
1974-75 Rebecca Forrest Health
1975-76 Carol Harvey Bus/Off
1976-77 Elizabeth Tate DE
1977-78 Ruth E. Miller HEc
1978-79 Robert Bierman Adm
1979-80 Charles Byers Ag
1980-81 Mildred Winkler Health
1981-82 Kawanna Simpson Bus/Off
1982-83 Evelyn Watson DE
1983-84 James Montgomery Special Needs
1984-85 Phillip L. Rudolph Ag
1985-86 Gerald Sloan Adm
1986-87 Jim L. Couch T&I
1987-88 Gary Coleman T&I
1988-89 Donna McAnelly Shaw Bus/Off
1989-90 Mike McMillen T&I
1990-91 John Lacy Ag
1991-92 Bettye Brown HEc
1992-93 Carole Reed-Mahoney Adm
1993-94 Larry McGregor Adm
1994-95 Doug Roberts T&I
1995-96 Sherry Baber Adm
1996-97 Mary Webb Bus/Off
1997-98 Ron Baldwin T&I
1998-99 Richard Dockery T&I
1999-20 Brenda Oldfield Ag
2000-01 Keith Boarman T&I
2001-02 Gary Shaffer Ag
2002-03 Phyllis Alderdice, Ph.D. Bus/Off
2003-04 Chester Taylor T&I/Adm
2004-05 Sarah Raikes FCS
2005-06 Mary Kleber Health
2006-07 Larry Helphinstine, Ed.D. T&I
2007-08 Cherie Mingus FCS
2008-09 Ahmed Sabie, Ed.D. Adm
2009-10 Dale Winkler, Ed.D. Bus/Adm
2010-11 Ken Talley, Ed.D. Adm
2011-12 Dexter Knight Adm
2012-13 Doris Sikora, PhD. Teach.Ed.
2013-14 Doris Sikora, Ph.D. Teach.Ed.
2014-15 Wayne King T&I/Adm
2015-16 Lee Ann Daugherty Ag
2016-17 Mark Hobbs T&I
2017-18 Laura Spiegelhalter FCS
2018-19 Wayne King T&I/Adm
2019-20 Margo Bruce Ag
2020-21 Kelli Dickson FCS
2021-22 Kelli Norman, FCS
2022-23 J.R. Drummond, Tech
2023-24 Josh Mitcham, Adm
2024-25 Christi Hack, Adm