As teams have explored the Careers in Your Community Challenge, the challenge team has received a few questions ranging from who can participate to how submission works. To make participation as smooth as possible, we’re highlighting the most common questions and their answers below.
For additional information, visit our FAQs page or explore the rest of our website as your team prepares its submission by the November 19 deadline.
What does the team lead do?
The team lead is the primary point of contact for the team and submits the team’s solution through the submission platform. The team lead must be a CTE teacher, CTE coordinator, or CTE director employed by the submitting team’s school and at least 18 years old.
Does my school need to be a CTE center to participate?
No. The challenge is open to high schools eligible to receive funding under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). A school does not need to receive Perkins V funding currently, but it must be eligible to receive it. For complete eligibility requirements, see the Official Rules, Terms, and Conditions.
How many students or teachers can be on a team?
There is no limit. Teams can include any number of teachers and students, including students from different grade levels and subjects.
How do I register my team for the challenge?
Creating an account on the submission platform registers your team for the challenge. Once your team has developed its solution, the team lead can submit it through the same platform.
How do I submit?
For a detailed overview of the submission process, we recently published a submission form guide to help teams prepare their submissions.
What do we need to include in our submission?
The submission form outlines the required information and materials. We also recommend reviewing the sample submission form to see what your team will need to prepare.
Does my administrator need to give permission?
Yes. The Resources page includes an email template you can use to request approval from your administrator.
How will submissions be evaluated?
Submissions will be evaluated against five selection criteria by a panel of judges, who will recommend up to 10 winning teams to the U.S. Department of Education. Each criterion carries equal weight, so we encourage teams to review them carefully as they develop their solutions.
Who receives the prize money if a team wins?
Up to 10 winning teams will split the $50,000 prize pool. Prize money is awarded to the school.
Have a question we didn’t answer? Reach out to [email protected].