Strong CTE Programs Start With Teacher Leadership

Over the past two decades, DeSoto Parish Schools has transformed student outcomes. Since 2008, it has climbed from 45th to 2nd in statewide student achievement and increased its graduation rate from 67% to 97%. The district’s teacher leadership model is a major factor in its success and has strengthened its instructional support for Career and Technical Education teachers. 

Career and technical education teachers play a key role in setting up students for success beyond the classroom, but they demand unique support when compared to other subject areas. While CTE teachers bring highly valuable experience and knowledge, they often have less preparation in classroom instruction. 

During a recent session at the 2026 ISTE+ASCD Annual Conference, DeSoto Parish Schools Superintendent Clay Corley joined National Institute for Excellence in Teaching CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett to share how the district refined its instructional support system - based on NIET’s teacher leadership model - to improve CTE learning and strengthen student outcomes.

"We were finding that CTE teachers' needs were not being fully met," said Superintendent Corley during a recent presentation at the conference. "We realized that we needed to adjust focus and increase CTE teacher knowledge of Industry-Based Credentials."

Although the support needed to be different, Superintendent Corley said, the district’s teacher leadership model approach, which has guided instructional improvement since 2008, was the same. By refining existing structures to better support CTE educators, DeSoto Parish Schools has strengthened instruction, expanded teacher ownership, and improved student outcomes. These key actions have guided their work:

Specialized Professional Learning for CTE Teachers

Strengthening professional learning for CTE teachers began with DeSoto Parish Schools creating specific weekly learning team meetings (known as “Clusters”) for educators to focus on student data, graduation pathways, ACT WorkKeys strategies, and industry-based credentials. These groups, known as Meaningful Diploma Clusters, include CTE teachers, elective teachers, and counselors working together to identify the most meaningful diploma options for every student. This reinforced its mission to have a qualified teacher at the front of every classroom in the district.

Connecting CTE Teachers to the Schoolwide Vision

When CTE teachers engage in specialized learning, they start to see the impact they are having on students beyond their own classroom. A major part of building this connection to the schoolwide vision was ensuring CTE teachers understood how their instruction connected to broader student experiences in school. Once DeSoto Parish Schools could establish that bridge from CTE to schoolwide success, CTE teachers were able to leverage their relationships with students to better support their individual success.

Teacher Leadership Drives Results for Students in all Pathways

DeSoto Parish Schools students directly benefit from targeted professional learning for CTE teachers. Seniors who graduated with Advanced Industry-Based Certifications grew from 3.2% in 2018-19 to 61% in 2025-26, and the district’s graduation rate has risen 30% since 2008, when the district first began investing in teacher leadership. 

“Graduating all students prepared for college, career, and military pathways is a top district goal,” Superintendent Corley said. “We have not strayed from the model, expectations, and practices that were put in place in 2008 when we began our journey, and the investments we made in teacher leadership as a core part of that model. We continue to refine and grow our practices while staying true to the model.”

Teacher leadership continues to be the foundation of success in DeSoto Parish Schools, driving higher student achievement and graduation rates through intentionally designed support for specific educators, including CTE educators. CTE teachers have moved into Mentor Teacher positions themselves, strengthening the system of teacher leadership that develops educators and improves outcomes for students in all pathways.