Program Overview: Description and Objectives

SAE for All was created to provide every student in agricultural education programs with access to invaluable work-based learning opportunities. This innovative delivery method ensures that no student is left behind in gaining practical, hands-on experience. Students can choose between two distinctive types of Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) tailored to their interests and career goals: Foundational SAEs, which build essential skills and knowledge, and Immersion SAEs, which dive deeper into specialized, real-world agricultural experiences.

The SAE for All certifications have truly empowered our teachers by giving them the tools, confidence and credibility to support every student in developing meaningful Supervised Agricultural Experiences. With this certification, our educators feel equipped to guide students not only through their SAE journey but also in preparing them for successful careers in agriculture and beyond.

Bethany Matos, State FFA Executive Secretary, Arizona FFA

Five Primary Objectives Guide the Program

• Provide training to state FFA staff, teacher educators and secondary agriculture educators on SAE for All to increase its implementation across the country.
• Certify state FFA staff, teacher educators and secondary agriculture educators in SAE for All to increase its implementation across the country.
• Provide relevant and up-to-date resources to increase relevancy and program implementation.
• Provide testimonials as evidence of program success to increase awareness of SAE for All and its impact.
• Market SAE for All to agricultural education stakeholders to increase awareness of SAE for All and to create buy-in.

Operational Tasks

Operational tasks ensure SAE for All remains accessible, visible and effectively implemented nationwide: resources, training, newsletters, badging and credentialing, workshops, check-in calls, SAE for All Committee, SAE for All Implementation Guide, evaluation, and visibility and collaboration.

Where We’ve Been: History and Accomplishments

Project-based learning in agricultural education has existed for more than 100 years.¹ Key milestones include:

• 2008: The National Council for Agricultural Education formed a renewal committee to revise SAE for modern agricultural education in response to a decrease in student participation. It was estimated that only 30% of students in agricultural education were engaged in SAEs.
• 2015: SAE for All is launched by the Council. A taskforce releases a statement of Philosophy and Guiding Principles on SAE.
• 2017: The Council releases resources and implementation guides.
• 2019: Regional Train the Trainer workshops took place with the goal of rolling out SAE for All trainings across the nation in 2019 and 2020.
• 2020: COVID-19 put SAE for All trainings on the back burner, leading to varying levels of knowledge and understanding of the framework nationwide.
• 2023-2024: The Council re-rolls out SAE for All. Four Train the Trainer trainings are held, and Breanna Pastir is hired as SAE for All Program Specialist and Senior Educational Consultant to lead all SAE for All efforts.

Showing Our Impact: Train the Trainer and State Implementation

National FFA Train the Trainer trainings and efforts by state FFA associations mean that more than 359 certified trainees are championing SAE for All in their states.²

National FFA Train the Trainer Trainings

National FFA hosted four Train the Trainer trainings from December 2023 to June 2024, empowering 192 attendees from 50 states to train individuals in their states on SAE for All. Attendees responded to a pre- and post-test. Ninety percent of survey respondents indicated the training moderately or extremely prepared states to implement SAE for All.

Largest increases from pre- to post-test:

• I feel proficient in my ability to teach others to create an Integration Plan for Immersion SAEs.
• The quality and amount of resources provided by The Council and National FFA are satisfactory for my state to implement the SAE for All model.
• I feel proficient in my ability to create an Integration Plan for Immersion SAEs.

Lowest rated on post-test:

• I feel confident in my state’s 12-month plan to implement the SAE for All model.
• I feel confident in my state’s three-year plan to implement the SAE for All model.
• I feel proficient in my ability to teach others to create an Integration Plan for Foundational SAEs.

State Implementation Plans

A year after the last Train the Trainer trainings, attendees were surveyed in spring 2025. While trainees had rated their confidence in their state’s plan lower on the post-test, results indicated the majority of state plans are at least somewhat implemented.³

• 65% of respondents across 31 states said their state’s 12-month plan was mostly or fully implemented.
• 90% of respondents across 38 states said their state’s three-year plan was somewhat or mostly implemented.
• 56% of respondents said at least half of their state’s agriculture programs have implemented SAE for All.
• 43% of respondents said less than half of their state’s programs have implemented SAE for All.

State Implementation Grants

Grants for state implementation were offered as a pilot program in 2025. Twenty-two $2,000 grants were awarded, totaling $44,000. Grant applications for 2026 are now open.

State SAE for All Trainings

Survey respondents from 36 states reported their state has hosted SAE for All training. Ninety-five percent of respondents agreed or somewhat agreed that they can accurately explain the differences between the SAE for All model and the traditional SAE structure. The primary barriers to hosting a training include:

• Lack of time to plan or host statewide training (63%, N=47)
• Lack of interest from agriculture teachers (45%, N=34)

Classroom Instruction: National FFA Educator Resources and Support

In partnership with the National FFA Organization, the development and sharing of educational resources around SAEs is part of the overall mission of SAE for All.⁴

National FFA Workshop Feedback

The SAE for All program specialist delivered nine presentations in 2025. Agricultural education stakeholders rated their overall experience at the presentations as 4.87 stars (on a scale from one to five stars).

SAE for All Students: Impact on FFA Members

High-level information about FFA members’ awareness of SAEs, from a 2024 study conducted by National FFA:

• 86% of respondents to the 2024 FFA Student Study reported they knew what an SAE was.
• 75% of those who knew what an SAE was reported having an SAE.

Where We’re Going: Plans for SAE for All

• Revisions of SAE for All guides
• Spanish translations for SAE for All guides
• Train the Trainer event in February 2026
• State Implementation Grants for 2026