About FCAE

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Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE) is a state project administered through the Illinois State Board of Education in cooperation with and advisement by the Illinois Committee for Agricultural Education (ICAE). FCAE addresses the aims of Public Act 84-1452 involving the implementation of identified goals for improving education in and about Agriculture in Illinois.

It began operations with staffing April 17, 1989. FCAE is to provide a professional staff who will help with program development services essential to the implementation of a comprehensive statewide plan for the improvement of agricultural education at all levels, pre-kindergarten through adult.

  1. Work within the educational field to improve education in and about agriculture, K-Adult.
  2. Coordinate "agricultural education program improvement pilot projects", K-Adult.
  3. Identify, plan, develop, and conduct in-service activities to improve agricultural education K-Adult.
  4. Assist in the coordination/articulation of curriculum development activities in and about agriculture, K-Adult.
  5. Identify, review, and recommend resource materials appropriate for agricultural education, K-Adult.
  6. Develop cooperative professional relationships within and between agricultural education and the agricultural industry.

Click here for a list of current FCAE Projects

Local Program Support

As a result of funding made available through the Agricultural Education Line Item in the Illinois State Board of Education budget, FCAE Program Advisors are available to assist in every phase of developing and maintaining an agriculture program at the high school level. A yearly grant is available to every high school agricultural program with an average allocation of $3200 per school. Agriculture teachers use the funding made available from the grant to update instructional equipment and enhance the technology within the agricultural classroom.

Curriculum Development Resources

With the recent completion of the Biological & Physical Science Applications in Agriculture (BSAA) CD, teachers now have access to over 600 lesson plans, all of which are linked to the state academic learning standards. The Illinois Agricultural Core Curriculum is distributed to Illinois Agricultural Programs via the internet. This curriculum is divided into the following cluser areas: Central Core (AgriScience), Horticulture, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Mechanics & Technology, Animal, Plant & Soil Science, Environmental Science, and Biological & Physical Science Applications in Agriculture.

Illinois' Core Curriculum for secondary agricultural teachers continues to gain recognition nationwide as the curriculum has been purchased in 42 states by individual agriculture programs with 16 states adopting the curriculum in its entirety. In addition, the curriculum has been utilized in Pakistan for the instruction of adult education courses. Illinois continues to serve as a leader in agricultural education nationwide with innovative curriculum development projects every year.

Professional Development

Professional development opportunities are available to agriculture teachers at several conferences throughout the year. Through partnerships between FCAE, the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT), and agricultural businesses, experts from all aspects of the agriculture industry provide educational workshops for teachers. Agriculture teachers remain up-to-date on the latest agricultural industry techniques as well as new curriculum resources that are available for classroom use. In-service activities are selected by the IAVAT Professional Development Committee with input provided from a survey completed by Illinois agriculture teachers.

FCAE Program Advisors are also available to conduct hands-on workshops utilizing the activities in the mAGic and AgriLearning Kits. County Ag In The Classroom coordinators provide teacher workshops and presentations to elementary classroom students. Both the FCAE Program Advisors and the AITC Coordinators assist non-agriculture teachers in incorporating agricultural instruction and activities into their classrooms.

On-site Technical Assistance

Each year the high school agricultural education programs statewide are visited by a FCAE Program Advisor to assist agriculture teachers in improving and expanding agricultural education. FCAE Program Advisors can provide curriculum revitalization advice, marketing suggestions, program development planning, and professional development as a part of their yearly visit to each agriculture program.