To Whom It May Concern,

I am the President of the Virginia Association of Career and Technical Education and I am writing in opposition to the proposed engineering endorsement and that it be struck from the Licensure Regulations for School Personnel [8 VAC 20 - 22] and recommend the proposed regulations for engineering programs be stricken from the Regulations Governing the Review and Approval of Education Programs in Virginia [8 VAC 20 - 542]:

 The rationale behind this opposition is due to the following reasons:

1. The engineering endorsement duplicates curriculum and content that is an essential part of technology education.  The technology education program curriculum is revised annually by the Department of Education Office of Career and Technical Education which actively partners with industry and business to provide dynamic and high quality programs to meet current, emerging and projected labor market needs. The technology career cluster and pathways lead to credentials that qualify students for a range of career opportunities from entry to professional level. Furthermore, if Engineers wish to change, improve, modify or add competencies/curriculum and/or skills should collaborate with Department of Education Office of Career and Technical not duplicate a program that is very successful.
2. The proposal will create an individualism approach to STEM education that clearly is against the Senate Joint Resolution 308 passed in 2011 which specified engineering education within Virginia is the shared responsibility of science, technology and mathematics.   

Virginia is and will continue to be a national leader in engineering education.  Our Virginia Technology and Engineering Association members have been involved in the development of Standards for Technology and The National Assessment of Educational Progress Technology and Engineering projects as well as various National Academy of Engineering projects. In addition, our Technology Educators has become and will continually be internationally known for the annual Engineering Conference it host for elementary educators.

Sincerely Yours, Teresa Lindberg