Goal of SOAR
SOAR is the career and technical educational plan that aligns, through articulation agreements, the secondary career and technical programs to a postsecondary diploma, credential or associate degree. SOAR programs lead students into a career pathway that is in high demand by employers, have higher skill needs, and are most likely to provide family sustaining wages.
Benefits of SOAR
- Provide a nonduplicative sequence of coursework leading to technical skill proficiency at the postsecondary level
- Decrease the cost of a postsecondary diploma, certificate or degree
- Enter workforce sooner, prepared for in-demand occupations
SOAR STATEWIDE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS are possible when secondary schools and postsecondary institutions offering SOAR programs agree to the terms and conditions stated in the Perkins Statewide Articulation Agreement (PDF). This document outlines the general agreement conditions between secondary and postsecondary institutions and student qualification measures allowing for the student to acquire postsecondary education credits leading to additional industry-recognized credentials, diploma, certificate or associate degree at the postsecondary level. Statewide agreements award 9 or more technical credits in the aligned or related POS.
Student Documentation
SOAR Components
Secondary
- Competency Task Lists (Information about approved Programs of Study)
- Alignment to PA Academic Standards
- Articulation to Postsecondary Institutions
- PDE/BCTE Career and Technical Education Program Approval
- End of Program Assessment
- Alignment to Industry-Recognized Certification, if appropriate
Postsecondary
- Identify college programs that align or are closely related to CTE Programs of Study
- Articulation of postsecondary and adult CTE coursework to secondary CTE Programs of Study
- Award credit to matriculated student
- POS Articulated Credit Reported 2010-2021 (PDF)
Resources
- SOAR Bulletin (PDF)
- Spanish SOAR Bulletin (PDF)
- SOAR Statewide Articulation Agreements (PowerPoint)
- SOAR - Statewide Articulation Agreements for CTE Teachers (YouTube)