agricultural education

13 school-based agriculture educators received a classroom enhancement grant in 2023. The 2023 recipients of the classroom enhancement grants had between one and three full-time agriculture teachers in their agriculture programs. 2023 grant recipients serve students in grades 7-12. 2023 grant recipients serve an average of 164 agricultural education students each. When asked about their chapter, 2023 grant recipients reported that: 31% of their students are economically disadvantaged. 13% of their students have disabilities/IEPs. 9% of their students are racial or ethnic minorities. 1.5% of their students are English Language Learners. Grant recipients applied their funds to these classroom enhancements: Purchasing equipment Upgrading equipment Purchasing curriculum My students learn best with hands-on instruction, but my shop and classroom are very sparsely equipped so I have to do more online curriculum. This makes it harder for [students who are English Language Learners] to understand. 2023 FFA Advisor Needs Assessment

Professional Development in Agricultural Education Nearly one in four respondents (22%) to the 2023 FFA Advisor Needs Assessment somewhat or strongly disagreed with the statement, “I have access to a variety of valuable professional development opportunities.” Almost half (47%) of respondents to the 2023 FFA Advisor Needs Assessment said budget/cost constraints have a great deal of influence on their decision to participate in professional development opportunities. 25 school-based agriculture educators received a Teacher Professional Development Grant from National FFA in 2023. 22 recipients are licensed educators, while one recipient is alternatively certified and two are special grant/permission or emergency certified educators. The 2023 recipients of the Teacher Professional Development Grants serve students in grades 6-12. The 2023 recipients of the Teacher Professional Development Grants serve student populations from 180 students to 2,012 students. The 2023 recipients of the Teacher Professional Development Grants serve 42 to 355 agricultural education students. From my experience, I now make a more concentrated effort to give my ELL students better-translated materials whenever possible. I also try my best to use phrases [...]

Motivation and active engagement remain relevant topics when studying FFA members and FFA advisors, especially since COVID-19. This report includes results from 419 FFA members we surveyed in early 2024. It specifically highlights survey questions centered around motivation and active engagement. Findings reveal that FFA members and agriculture teachers/FFA advisors seem to be out of sync when it comes to the perception of student motivation levels. Agriculture educators should take members’ feedback found throughout this report and use it to help bridge the gap in perceived motivation and engagement levels between FFA members and agriculture teachers/FFA advisors. Lasting impact? The perceived effect of COVID-19 on members’ motivation levels varies. 1 in 3 FFA advisors (N=2,002) identified lack of student motivation as their biggest challenge in a 2023 survey.1 Over half of the FFA members surveyed in 2024 (59%, N=246) said that COVID-19 had no effect on their motivation to do well in school. Be an active participant: FFA members report high levels of motivation and active engagement in their FFA chapters. A series of validated scales [...]

Keeping agriculture educators at the frontline of innovation in today’s classrooms In order to stay up-to-date with today’s teachers, National FFA seeks feedback from agriculture educators in two main ways: consulting with the National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA and conducting a formal advisor needs assessment survey every two years. Growing professionally as National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA present educational sessions on FFA educator resources and are overall representatives of the National FFA Organization. We asked 54 National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA (serving 2020-21) how the ambassador program enhanced their ability to grow professionally. Ambassadors told us that gaining knowledge on FFA resources most enhanced their ability to grow professionally. Gaining knowledge on FFA resources – 98% Networking/meeting other agriculture teachers – 90% Becoming a resource for other teachers/serving teachers – 90% Connecting with National FFA staff – 87% For the second year in a row, the majority of 2020-21 ambassadors (89%) said that providing information and resources to other teachers was their greatest impact of their role. Where are they? Locations [...]

The first-ever Horizon Conference, focusing on futures in production agriculture, took place virtually in January of 2021. 190 attendees participated in the conference. Students Engaged With Industry Professionals, and With Each Other The Horizon Conference offered a total of 33 sessions: 19 educational sessions, 4 virtual tours and 10 networking sessions. Participants chose from one of three “tracks”, which pre-populated suggested sessions to their schedule. Participants could attend sessions which interested them most. An average of 29 attendees participated in each session. There were 187 posts on the message board—with topics ranging from home state pride to conference takeaways. 64% attended the virtual expo, with 47% attending during live hours to directly engage with industry experts. Attendees Feel More Prepared for a Career in Production Agriculture Eighty-nine percent of respondents of a post-conference survey agreed that they feel more prepared for a career in production agriculture after attending the Horizon Conference. All respondents in the “Future of Agriculture” track agreed that they are excited about a career in production agriculture. All respondents in the “Entrepreneurial Skills” [...]

What Is FFA? FFA is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. FFA develops members’ potential and helps them discover their talent through hands-on experiences, which give members the tools to achieve real-world success. The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America. These letters are a part of our history and heritage that will never change. Today, FFA members are future farmers, chemists, veterinarians, government officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, international business leaders, teachers and premier professionals in many career fields. What Is National FFA Week? Each year, FFA chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week. It’s a time to share what FFA is and its impact on members. The week features designated days celebrating agriculture and FFA, including National Days of Service, Ag Teacher Appreciation Day and National Wear Blue Day. The first National FFA Week took place in 1948 when the National FFA Board of Directors designated a weeklong celebration from Saturday to Sunday. The week always encompasses George Washington’s birthday (Feb. 22) in recognition of his legacy as an [...]

FFA advisors and members across the country rely on FFA Alumni and Supporters to help support their chapters through the gifts of time, talent, and resources. How did FFA Alumni and Supporters’ experiences in FFA make them want to give back to the organization? The following findings are from a survey conducted in Spring 2023 through the Forever Blue Network. Alumni and Supporters attribute skills learned in FFA to their career success. Respondents identified the top five skills extremely influenced by their FFA experiences: Developing leadership skills, 63% Public speaking, 59% Building relationships, 53% Social skills, 49% Career preparation, 43% Did you know? 93% of surveyed FFA Alumni and Supporters report that FFA positively affected their career. 84% have worked in agriculture. Nearly 60% of those surveyed reported they are currently in a senior-level position or higher at work.1 What FFA Alumni and Supporters Say About FFA “FFA has been the sole powerhouse behind my lifelong commitment to personal and professional growth and has granted me a life full of happiness and love I would have [...]

This report includes results from a group of FFA members surveyed in early 2024. It focuses on supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs) and members’ reported career plans. SAEs allow students to apply agricultural skills and knowledge taught in the classroom to real-world experiences. FFA members’ involvement with SAEs lays the foundation for future career success 68% (N=283) of surveyed members told us that they have an SAE. This aligns with nationwide labor trends: 37% of 16-19-year-olds are employed or seeking employment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 After-high-school plans and career ambitions vary for members with SAEs Of the 283 members who told us they have an SAE: 44% say they plan to pursue a career or college/vocational program in the same study area as their SAE. 2 in 3 say they plan to attend a four-year university, while 16% say they plan to attend a two-year college/technical program. 30% say the Animal Systems Career Pathway best describes their career ambitions. 11% say the Agribusiness Systems Career Pathway best describes their career ambitions. Goal setting: [...]

The National FFA Agriscience Fair recognizes students who gain real-world, hands-on experience in agricultural enterprises. Students use scientific principles and emerging technologies to solve complex agriculture, food, and natural resources problems. The agriscience fair is for middle and high school students. Participation begins at the local level and progresses to state and national levels. Number of Participants Continues to Grow Participation in the Agriscience Fair has grown steadily over time — except for the 2020 virtual event. 2016—593 participants 2017—724 participants 2018—759 participants 2019—778 participants 2020—637 participants (virtual) It pays to compete. $121,500 in total cash payouts was awarded to 162 winners recognized at the 2020 National FFA Convention & Expo. Outcomes for FFA Members We asked FFA members who competed in the National FFA Agriscience Fair in 2020 about their experience. After participating, at least 85% of FFA members1 told us that they… now have a better understanding of the scientific method have learned something about agriculture that they did not know prior to their project are more interested in studying in a scientific field [...]

Program Overview: Description and Objectives The National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA are a group of agriculture educators currently in the classroom. They are trained to answer questions and provide training related to the various educational resources and experiences the National FFA Organization offers. A group of qualified teachers is selected each Spring to serve in the program from June to June. Additionally, to continue professional development, the program has grown to include mentor National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA. Through this added layer, support and professional development can be amplified to meet the needs of the program. Four Primary Objectives Guide the Program Answer questions from agriculture educators and provide them with training and regular communications related to the various educational resources and experiences National FFA offers. Provide relevant feedback from the educational field to National FFA. Serve as an advocate of the organization to teachers within home states and others across the country. Advance teacher ambassadors’ and other teachers’ professional growth. Teacher Ambassadors Benefit From Professional Growth Opportunities All ambassadors attend an in-person training to learn [...]

Program Description Serving as a National Teacher Ambassador is one of the best parts of my job. I love sharing resources with teachers to help ease the burden of implementing new content in our classrooms. I also love the connections I’ve been able to make with teachers in my state, as well as across the country. Emma Huber, Wisconsin, National Teacher Ambassador for FFA The National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA (teacher ambassadors) is a group of agriculture educators currently in the classroom. They are trained to answer questions and provide training related to the various educational resources and experiences the National FFA Organization offers. A group of qualified teachers is selected each spring and serve in the program from June to June. Four Primary Objectives Guide the Program Answer questions from agriculture educators and provide them with training and regular communications related to the various educational resources and experiences National FFA offers. Provide relevant feedback from the educational field to National FFA. Serve as an advocate of the organization to teachers within home states and others [...]

Program Description Serving as a National Teacher Ambassador is one of the best parts of my job. I love sharing resources with teachers to help ease the burden of implementing new content in our classrooms. I also love the connections I’ve been able to make with teachers in my state, as well as across the country. Emma Huber, Wisconsin, National Teacher Ambassador for FFA The National Teacher Ambassadors for FFA (teacher ambassadors) is a group of agriculture educators currently in the classroom. They are trained to answer questions and provide training related to the various educational resources and experiences the National FFA Organization offers. A group of qualified teachers is selected each spring and serve in the program from June to June. Four Primary Objectives Guide the Program Answer questions from agriculture educators and provide them with training and regular communications related to the various educational resources and experiences National FFA offers. Provide relevant feedback from the educational field to National FFA. Serve as an advocate of the organization to teachers within home states and others [...]