CLNA Strategy Lab™

Your CLNA Deserves More Than a Checkbox.

The CLNA Strategy Lab™ helps you transform your Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment into a clear, prioritized strategic roadmap — not just a compliance report.

 

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How Strategic is Your CLNA?

4,000,000

+

Students Impacted

100

+

School Districts Served

100

%

Perkins V Compliant

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
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A Better Approach to the CLNA

The CLNA Strategy Lab™ is a facilitated workshop that helps districts move through four critical stages:

01

Listen to Stakeholders

Gather authentic input from students, families, educators, administrators, and employers.
02

Diagnose System Barriers

Use data and stakeholder insight to identify the structural conditions affecting access, awareness, and outcomes.
03

Design Potential Solutions

Apply design thinking methods to generate practical strategies and interventions.
04

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.

What Happens During the CLNA Strategy Lab™

The workshop combines proven stakeholder engagement techniques with design-thinking practices used by education leaders across the country.

Activities may include:

Story Circles
Surface lived experiences and perceptions of CTE from diverse stakeholders.
CLNA Strategy Lab workshop attendees
World Café Conversations
Explore what’s working, where improvements are needed, and where programs could expand.
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Gallery Walk Data Dialogue
Engage stakeholders with real district data related to access, awareness, work-based learning, labor market alignment, and program participation.
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Stakeholder Breakouts
Allow specific groups (students, educators, employers, families) to analyze issues from their perspective.
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Design Thinking Lab
Turn challenges into testable solutions using Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype.
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Prioritization Exercises
Identify the strategies most likely to drive meaningful progress.
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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.

"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

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What Districts Walk Away With

Districts that participate in a CLNA Strategy Lab™ receive:

A Structured Stakeholder Engagement Session

A professionally facilitated workshop designed to surface honest insights.

Compliance-Ready Documentation

Artifacts that support Perkins V CLNA reporting requirements.

Clear Strategic Priorities

A prioritized list of initiatives to guide the district’s two-year CTE plan.

A Post-Workshop Summary

A synthesis of stakeholder feedback, key findings, and recommended next steps.

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
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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
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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.

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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.

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