--- title: Transform Your CLNA Into a Strategic Roadmap | CLNA Strategy Lab™ by Rhodes Branding description: Transform your CLNA into a strategic roadmap with the CLNA Strategy Lab™, enhancing stakeholder engagement and driving meaningful change in your district. Book your planning call today. image: https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/rhodes-branding/images/rhodes-branding-url-image.png --- [Skip Navigation or Skip to Content](https://rhodesbranding.com/clna#skipToMain) [![rhodes-logo](https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/rhodes-branding/images/rhodes-logo.svg)](https://rhodesbranding.com?hsLang=en) [Book a CLNA Planning Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/dwyar/clna-planning-call) CLNA Strategy Lab™ · In collaboration with ACTE # Your CLNA Deserves More Than a Checkbox. Turn your Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment into a strategic roadmap for CTE — shaped by the students, families, and business partners you serve. We turn what sets you apart into enrollment, workforce, and community support — for school districts, technical and community colleges, and the organizations that serve them. [Book a CLNA Planning Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/dwyar/clna-planning-call) [CLNA Readiness Self-Assessment](https://5jn3v.share.hsforms.com/2qb8yUxxGTgmWe1rZDRdHZg) ![CLNA_Hero_Graphic](https://9314491.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA_Hero_Graphic.png) 0 + Students Impacted 0 + School Districts Served **The CLNA Strategy Lab™ is available to ACTE members through a collaboration with the Association for Career and Technical Education.** As part of this collaboration, ACTE members have access to: **Priority scheduling:** ACTE member districts receive priority placement on the facilitation calendar. **Free CLNA readiness self-assessment:** A short diagnostic tool ACTE can distribute to members that helps CTE Directors evaluate how prepared their district is for the next CLNA cycle — and where a structured engagement process could strengthen their approach. **Educational webinar:** A free, ACTE-hosted webinar led by Rhodes Branding on Sept. 16 at 11:00 a.m. EST on how to run a more strategic CLNA stakeholder engagement process. [**Register here**](https://acte.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_E-9rDTn6QNyspdafPxEGgg#/registration) ![CLNA_ACTE_Graphic](https://9314491.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA_ACTE_Graphic.webp) See It In Action ## A Better Approach to the CLNA ## Why Most CLNAs Fall Short District leaders often tell us the CLNA process feels disconnected from real decision-making. **Common challenges include:** - Stakeholder feedback that is too general to guide strategy - Surveys that surface symptoms rather than root causes - Conversations that generate ideas but not implementation priorities - Documentation that satisfies compliance but doesn't drive change When the process stops there, the CLNA becomes a reporting requirement rather than a planning tool. The CLNA Strategy Lab™ is designed to change that. [Book a CLNA Planning Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/dwyar/clna-planning-call) ![Magnifying1](https://9314491.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Magnifying1.svg) Our Approach ## Four Stages of the CLNA Strategy Lab The CLNA Strategy Lab™ is a facilitated workshop that helps districts move through four critical stages: 01 ![Stakeholders_2-01](https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/Stakeholders_2-01.svg) ### Listen to Stakeholders Gather authentic input from students, families, educators, administrators, and employers. 02 ![Diagnose](https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/Diagnose.svg) ### Diagnose System Barriers Use data and stakeholder insight to identify the structural conditions affecting access, awareness, and outcomes. 03 ![Design Solutions_2-02-02](https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/Design%20Solutions_2-02-02.png) ### Design Potential Solutions Apply design thinking methods to generate practical strategies and interventions. 04 ![Actions](https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/Actions.svg) ### Prioritize Strategic Actions Identify the initiatives that will have the greatest impact over the next two years. Instead of ending with a list of ideas, districts leave with clear priorities and next steps. Inside the Workshop ## What Happens During the CLNA Strategy Lab™ The Lab moves through seven structured exercises. Each one is built to be participatory: there is no back row, and nobody sits and watches. Each one also produces a documented artifact you can carry directly into your CLNA submission. ![Story Circles](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Story%20Circles.webp) ### Story Circles Surface lived experiences and perceptions of CTE from diverse stakeholders. ![Conversations](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Conversation.webp) ### World Café Conversations Explore what's working, where improvements are needed, and where programs could expand. ![Data Dialogue](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Data%20Dialogue.webp) ### Gallery Walk Data Dialogue Engage stakeholders with real district data related to access, awareness, work-based learning, labor market alignment, and program participation. ![Stakeholder Breakouts](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Stakeholder%20Breakout.webp) ### Stakeholder Breakouts Allow specific groups (students, educators, employers, families) to analyze issues from their perspective. ![Design Thinking Lab](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Design%20Thiking%20Lab.webp) ### Design Thinking Lab Turn challenges into testable solutions using Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype. ![Prioritization Exercises](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Exercises.webp) ### Prioritization Exercises Identify the strategies most likely to drive meaningful progress. Proven in the Field ## Built by CTE Leaders. Tested in Real Districts. The CLNA Strategy Lab™ has been shaped by CTE Directors who have personally led the CLNA process in their own districts and refined through real-world facilitation. ![Dr. Russell L. Parker](https://9314491.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/Dr.%20Russell%20L.%20Parker.webp) ["Rhodes Branding provided a highly organized and impactful experience that brought all required stakeholders together in alignment with Perkins V. They made complex concepts accessible to participants without a deep CTE background, which significantly strengthened our discussions and outcomes. The data they collected and analyzed has been instrumental — equipping us to confidently complete our Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment for the 2026–2028 cycle." Dr. Russell L. Parker Career & Technical Education Director Gaston County Schools](https://rhodesbranding.com/our-work?hsLang=en) Deliverables ## What Districts Walk Away With Districts that participate in a CLNA Strategy Lab™ receive: ![Structured Stakeholder](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Structured%20Stakeholder.webp) ### A Structured Stakeholder Engagement Session A professionally facilitated workshop designed to surface honest insights. ![Compliance](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Compliance.webp) ### Compliance-Ready Documentation Artifacts that support Perkins V CLNA reporting requirements. ![Strategic Priorities](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Strategic%20Priorities.webp) ### Clear Strategic Priorities A prioritized list of initiatives to guide the district's two-year CTE plan. ![Post-Workshop Summary](/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA%20Page/Post-Workshop%20Summary.webp) ### A Post-Workshop Summary A synthesis of stakeholder feedback, key findings, and recommended next steps. Fit Check ## Is This Right for You? The CLNA Strategy Lab™ is designed for districts that want their CLNA process to do more than check a box. ### Typical participants include: - CTE students and families - CTE Directors - District Leadership Teams - Career Development Coordinators - Secondary Administrators - Workforce and Industry Partners ### It is especially valuable for districts seeking to: - Increase access to CTE programs - Expand work-based learning opportunities - Strengthen labor market alignment - Improve communication with students and families ## Why Districts Partner With Rhodes Branding Rhodes Branding is a strategic branding and marketing firm that works exclusively with organizations in the K–12 education space. Our work focuses on helping districts strengthen enrollment, workforce pathways, and community understanding of education programs. The CLNA Strategy Lab™ builds on years of experience working alongside CTE leaders across the country to improve how districts engage stakeholders and communicate the value of career pathways. ![CLNA_ACTE_Graphic](https://9314491.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9314491/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/CLNA_ACTE_Graphic.webp) Get Started ## Ready to Rethink Your CLNA? If your next CLNA cycle is approaching, now is the time to plan for meaningful engagement — not just compliance. Let's talk about how the CLNA Strategy Lab™ could support your district's planning process. [Book a CLNA Planning Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/dwyar/clna-planning-call) ![Magnifying2](https://rhodesbranding.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Rhodes%20Branding%202026/Images/Magnifying2.webp?width=1156&height=800&name=Magnifying2.webp) [![rhodes-logo-white](https://rhodesbranding.com/hubfs/rhodes-branding/images/rhodes-logo-white.svg)](https://rhodesbranding.com/?hsLang=en) ###### Location [Rhodes Branding 2628 Millwood Avenue Columbia, SC 29205](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ktBdqcbjCuLeKTvz9) ###### Contact Us [hello@rhodesbranding.com](mailto:hello@rhodesbranding.com) [888-659-9333](tel:+18886599333) © 2026, Rhodes Branding | All Rights Reserved ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "caption" : { "@type" : "MediaObject", "contentUrl" : "https://rhodesbranding.com/media-transcripts/219794471942/en.vtt", "inLanguage" : "en", "name" : "en Captions" }, "contentUrl" : "https://9314491.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9314491/video_assets/219794471942/inherited/web_optimized.mp4", "dateModified" : "2026-08-19T04:53:54.490Z", "duration" : "PT2M40S", "height" : 2160, "name" : "The_CLNA_Strategy_Lab_16x9_V4_Captions", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://api-na1.hubspot.com/filemanager/api/v3/files/thumbnail-redirect/219794471942?portalId=9314491&size=medium", "uploadDate" : "2026-08-19T04:53:35.205Z", "width" : 3840 } ```