Equity
and Racial Equity Resources
CLNA Through the Lens of Racial Equity
The Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) process offers you and your stakeholders an opportunity to examine the success of career and technical education (CTE) programs through both equity and the lens of racial equity. In collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), we developed an equity-centered, comprehensive local-needs assessment, which includes seven specific sections with links to recommended resources to assist your campus in the CLNA process.
Additionally, given the race-neutral language of the Perkins V law, we incorporated resources that are specific to racial equity, which community colleges will find useful.
1. Progress Toward Equity and Access
This step is geared toward a critical examination of career and technical education (CTE) programs through an equity lens to assess whether and how equity is systemically embedded in all aspects of CTE program structures, resources, materials, curricula, pedagogy, and practices.
2. Student Performance
This portion helps participants evaluate students' performance on federal, state, and local measures and identifies any equity gaps based on this data.
3. Recruitment, Retention, and Training CTE Educators
This section will assist with evaluating current and future recruitment, retention, and professional development needs with both an equity and culturally responsive lens.
4. Stakeholder Participation and Voice
This portion of the process requires listing the stakeholders who participated in the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment process. Acquire information such as their title, organization, and how they are involved in the CLNA process.
Resources to Help
5. Labor Market Alignment
This section asks participants to consider how their programs align with state, regional, and/or local labor-market needs and demands.
6. Program Size, Scope, and Quality
This section asks participants to refer to the state definitions of size, scope, and quality and assess whether the number of programs of study and courses being offered meet the needs of student populations.
7. Progress Toward Implementing Programs of Study
This area helps participants determine whether and how, according to the Perkins V law, programs of study at the postsecondary level are a coordinated, non-duplicative sequence of academic and technical content.