To receive federal funding for Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs (also known as the Perkins V Grant), CTE programs must abide by federal guidelines that were created to protect students’ rights. MSDE’s Methods of Administration (MOA) program ensures that all students, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability, have equal access to high-quality CTE programs. We do this by supporting the LEAs, Community colleges, and State-operated facilities that participate in our state-approved CTE programs in understanding students’ rights, conducting targeted compliance reviews, implementing corrective action when civil rights violations are found, and periodically reporting civil rights activities and findings to the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.
Overview of MOA
Maryland's MOA program ensures that all students, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability, have equal access to high-quality CTE programs. We do this by supporting the LEAs, community colleges, and state-operated facilities that participate in our state-approved CTE programs in:
- Understanding students’ rights, conducting targeted compliance reviews;
- Implementing corrective action when civil rights violations are found;
- Reporting civil rights activities and findings to the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.
The United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights requires the Maryland State Department of Education, as the state agency responsible for administering Career and Technical Education (CTE), to conduct a Civil Rights compliance program review. The intent is to identify, remedy, and prevent discrimination in CTE programs operated by education agencies receiving federal financial assistance. LEAs, community colleges, and state-operated facilities are selected for on-site review according to CTE enrollment data, school demographics and location, established review cycle, requests for technical assistance, or procedural information. The purpose of monitoring reviews is to comprehensively assess the selected local education agencies, community colleges, or state-operated facilities, as well as all facilities housing CTE programs or used by CTE-enrolled students, to ensure compliance with several federal Civil Rights authorities and regulations.
MOA State Plan
This slide show provides an overview of the MOA review process. Please reference the deck, which defines key MOA terms. The MOA review process, from beginning to end, is further detailed in the MOA State Plan.
MOA Sample Review Materials:
Five Best Practices for Support
The Legal History Behind Our Work
The Maryland MOA plan is purposefully aligned to the
Maryland CTE Four-Year State Plan, and the
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future to ensure a consistent approach to CTE programs statewide. Maryland state CTE programs are governed by requirements of several federal laws surrounding equity and civil rights.
These laws provide all Maryland students with access to high-quality CTE programs:
A few Maryland state policies also guide the MOA plan:
Contact:
Brice Thomas
Coordinator of Equity and Civil Rights for Career Programs
Office: (410) 767-4178
brice.thomas@maryland.gov