Great programs begin with prepared teachers!
New to the classroom? Start here.
Law and public safety instructors often enter education with valuable professional experience but limited teacher preparation. Others are experienced educators teaching law and public safety for the first time.
The LAPSEN New Teacher Orientation can introduce instructors to:
- The role of a career and technical education teacher
- Classroom planning and organization
- Lesson-plan fundamentals
- Student engagement and classroom management
- Lab and activity safety
- Advisory committees and industry partnerships
- Career pathways within law and public safety
- Professional expectations and educator responsibilities
- LAPSEN resources and where to find them
Great programs are built around strong courses
Your experience provides the foundation. LAPSEN can help you strengthen it.
LAPSEN is not a curriculum company. Your school, district, or state determines the curriculum and standards for your courses. LAPSEN provides unit plans, teacher lesson plans, classroom activities, instructional ideas, and links to outside resources that educators can use to supplement and strengthen their courses.
Great programs use credentials with a clear purpose
Choose credentials that benefit your students
LAPSEN is not a testing company. We do not exist to sell tests or require schools to use a particular credential. We identify credentialing and testing options, provide links to credential providers, and help educators consider which credentials are most appropriate for their students and programs.
As a new Law and Public Safety educator, LAPSEN has been one of the most valuable professional resources I have encountered. LAPSEN has provided far more than resources. It has connected me to an incredible network of experienced educators, law enforcement professionals, and industry partners who are passionate about preparing the next generation of public safety leaders. The impact on my teaching and my students’ success has been extraordinary, and I am proud to be part of the LAPSEN community.
Michael Wells, Cambridge High School Law and Public Safety Instructor.
Great teachers remain connected to their profession
LAPSEN is your educational nonprofit. Being a member gives you access to resources, lessons and so much more. With 32 state members – most likely your dues are already covered by your state.
ACTE is our national professional group. No one does more to advocate for our programs, secure funding and provide support in CTE. Your membership if crucial. Monthly dues are an option.
Professional Liability Insurance
It is highly recommended our instructors have professional insurance. It is often available from teacher unions, state professional organizations (i.e. PAGE in Georgia) and through ACTE Some state ACTEs offer it with state membership or it is available in a discount program through ACTE.
Great programs pursue excellence
Don’t settle for simply offering a course. Build a program of excellence.
Excellent law and public safety programs do more than introduce students to careers. They combine relevant instruction, hands-on learning, professional expectations, industry partnerships, and opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do.
Strong programs continually ask:
- Are our courses preparing students for their next step?
- Are students developing knowledge, technical skills, and professional behaviors?
- Do our lessons reflect current industry practices?
- Are employers, public safety agencies, and community partners involved?
- Do students have opportunities for career exploration, work-based learning, and appropriate credentials?
- Are we regularly evaluating and improving the program?
LAPSEN’s Industry-Recognized Program of Excellence gives schools a framework for examining these important elements, recognizing what is working well, and identifying opportunities for continued growth.
The goal is not simply to receive recognition. The goal is to build a respected, sustainable program that serves students, schools, communities, and the public safety profession.
Ready to see how your program measures up?
Great teachers continue learning
Stay current in education and public safety
Law and public safety are constantly evolving—and effective teaching evolves with them. Changes in technology, laws, professional practices, student needs, and workforce expectations make continued learning essential for every educator.
Professional learning helps teachers strengthen their instructional skills, refresh their industry knowledge, discover new classroom strategies, and connect course content to today’s public safety careers.
LAPSEN helps educators find opportunities to:
- Participate in conferences, workshops, and webinars
- Strengthen teaching and classroom-management skills
- Explore new lesson ideas and instructional practices
- Stay informed about changes in law and public safety
- Learn from experienced educators and industry professionals
- Connect with other law and public safety teachers
- Bring relevant, current practices back to their students
Whether you are beginning your teaching career or have led a program for years, continued learning helps keep your instruction relevant, engaging, and connected to the professions your students may enter.
Keep learning. Stay connected. Strengthen your program.