How Career Academies of Decatur Redefined High School: Building a CTE-Focused Model for Every Student

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What happens when a school flips the script — and lets career and technical education lead the way?

In this episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, SREB’s Daniel Rock and Debra Cullen talk with Ressa Chittam, director of the new Career Academies of Decatur in Alabama, and assistant director Tyler Stevenson. Together, they share how this innovative school became a full-time high school that blends academic courses with career pathways, giving students more time for hands-on learning, early graduation, and real-world readiness.

You’ll hear how the school:

• Built a full-time high school within a CTE center — so students learn academics and technical skills in one place
• Partnered with SREB and local industry to align teaching with workforce needs
• Helped academic and CTE teachers learn to “speak each other’s language” through business visits and collaboration
• Created five core career-readiness pillars that guide all instruction
• Designed authentic, project-based learning experiences — including a year-end student showcase that impressed local employers

Career Academies of Decatur is showing what’s possible when educators, businesses, and communities work together to make learning relevant — and to help every student find their purpose.

The Southern Regional Education Board is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with states and schools to improve education at every level, from early childhood through doctoral education and the workforce.

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