Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Lead Applicant must: • Convene, activate and institutionalize a regional/local partnership through formal agreement to consolidate duplicative programs, expand existing and/or develop new CTE programs and initiatives that increase student access to CTE opportunities while increasing program quality and eliminating or consolidating duplicative programs that exist in a limited geographic area. Partnerships include, but are not limited to: regional vocational technical school districts, city vocational/technical high schools, comprehensive high schools, traditional academic high schools, local collaboratives, community colleges, publicly-funded adult education institutions, workforce development boards, businesses, economic development agencies, and community-based organizations that offer publicly funded educational services. Partnerships should result in opportunities to consolidate and sustain CTE programming after the funding for planning and implementation sunsets, and provide a template for similar future consolidation efforts. • Develop an innovative model and an action plan that would lead to an implementation strategy intended to reduce or eliminate duplicative programs within the Hampden County region and nearby areas, while increasing student seats and access to Career Technical Education (CTE) training for jobs which are in demand and aligned with current labor market data. • Serve traditionally underserved and nontraditional population
