DECA Competitive Events Updates Page

DECA continuously updates and improves its Competitive Events Program from year to year. Information housed on this page is updated regularly to inform stakeholders of forthcoming changes in competitive events and identify issues that are being evaluated during the competitive events review cycle.

Update: April 30, 2013

Information about new competitive events and 2013-2014 event topics was recently shared at a session at the International Career Development Conference. Below are the files used during the session.

• Competitive Events Update Session PowerPoint Slides
• 2013-2014 Draft Guidelines for Business Operations Research Events
• 2013-2014 Draft Guidelines for Professional Selling Events

Update: February 6, 2013

The DECA Competitive Events Taskforce met Feb. 1-3, 2013, in Orlando, Fla., to analyze DECA’s Competitive Events Program and ensure the viability of the most popular high school program. As an integral part of the classroom curriculum, DECA’s industry-validated competitive events are aligned with the National Curriculum Standards in the career clusters of marketing, business management and administration, finance, and hospitality and tourism. More than 150,000 DECA members participate in the competitive events program each year.

This year, the taskforce focused its attention onto reviewing and analyzing the competitive events offered within the Finance Career Cluster. The taskforce will reviewed and made recommendations to improve guidelines and/or event structure for Chapter Team Events, Professional Selling Events and DECA Quiz Bowl. This review process helped to solidify DECA’s position as leaders in assessment among Career and Technical Student Organizations.

The Competitive Events Taskforce review process is guided by four fundamental objectives.

• Ensure that DECA’s Competitive Event Program is firmly aligned with career clusters and pathways. Previous alignment to the Competitive Events Program resulted in modifying and implementing competitive events to better serve students taking courses related to marketing, business management and administration, finance, and hospitality and tourism. It is crucial to maintain and continue this alignment in future review proceedings.

• Ensure that DECA’s competitive events are structured in the best possible ways to assess students’ knowledge and skills. In order to guarantee students’ knowledge and skills will be evaluated properly during competitive events, the taskforce will review the evaluation forms, competitive events guidelines and instructions, competitive events categories, and other competitive events models.

• Ensure that DECA’s Competitive Events Program supports 21^st Century Skills. The taskforce will critically review the Competitive Events Program’s support of 21^st Century Skills by examining the six key elements to this issue: core subjects, 21^st century content, learning and thinking skills, information and communication technology literacy, life skills, and 21^st century assessments.

• Demonstrate the connections between DECA’s Competitive Events Program and the Common Core State Standards Initiative. The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn and are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world. The taskforce will continue to ensure that DECA’s Competitive Events Program supports these initiatives to best help students enhance the knowledge and skills they need for future success.

The 2012-2013 DECA Competitive Events Taskforce includes:

• Betty Sias, Chartered Association Advisor (WV) (Council Chair)
• Jim Brock, President Elect, DECA Board of Directors (AR)
• Heather Bunning, Senior Manager - High School & Community College Initiatives, American Institute of CPAs (NC)
• Joann David-Parrialla, American Institute of CPAs (NC)
• Ed Davis, Executive Director, DECA Inc. (VA)
• Tina Fulks, Chapter Advisor, Desert Oasis High School (NV)
• Jim Gleason, President, MBAResearch (OH)
• Bob Hosier, Chapter Advisor, Cypress Bay High School (FL)
• Keith Jurek, Chapter Advisor, Orono High School (MN)
• Shirlee Kyle, Assistant Executive Director, High School Division, DECA Inc. (CO)
• Kathy Rhodes, Chapter Advisor, Putnam County High School (MO)
• Jackie Schiller, President, DECA Board of Directors (MN)
• Shane Thomas, Director of Competitive Events, DECA Inc. (VA)
• Rick Vine, Chapter Advisor, Great Neck South High School (NY)
• Paul Wardinski, Director, Office of Professional and Life Skills, Fairfax County Public Schools (VA)
• Craig Wilson, Program Chair of Accounting, Minnesota School of Business – Lakeville (MN)
• Christopher Young, Director, High School Division, DECA Inc. (VA)

Competitive Events Taskforce members were appointed by chartered association advisors and confirmed by the Board of Directors. As a group, their recommendations will be presented to the DECA Inc. Board of Directors at its March meeting. Recommendations to be presented to the board of directors include:

1.) To create a new competitive event called "Personal Financial Literacy Event" to begin with the 2014-2015 school year. The event would include 1 role-play with a judge and a comprehensive exam.

2.) To create a new competitive event called "Financial Consulting Event" to begin with the 2014-2015 school year. The event would include a prepared presentation with a judge and a comprehensive exam.

3.) To not reinstate DECA Quiz Bowl as a competitive event.

Update: January 8, 2013

DECA staff and members of the Secondary Advisory Council/Competitive Events Taskforce have created crosswalks to show how DECA's Competitive Events Program support Common Core State Standards, Common Career Technical Core Standards, and 21st Century Skills. Click on the links below to view the crosswalks.

• 21st Century Skills Crosswalk
• Common Career Technical Core Standards Crosswalk
• English Language Arts & Literacy Common Core Standards Crosswalk
• Mathematics Common Core Standards Crosswalk

Update: December 20, 2012

DECA is asking for your input into its Competitive Events Program for the High School Division.

The DECA Board of Directors has approved a framework under which all competitive events and competitive event delivery models will be evaluated between now and 2016.

During the 2012–2013 school year, the Competitive Events Taskforce will review and evaluate competitive event offerings in the finance cluster. Additionally, the taskforce will review and suggest improvements or restructuring of event guidelines of Chapter Team Events and Professional Selling Events, and look at alternatives to DECA Quiz Bowl.

Your responses and comments will assist the taskforce during its February 2013 meeting when developing recommendations to the board. Thank you for your input into one of DECA’s most visible program areas. Complete the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/deca-competitive-events-2012-2013.

Update: September 14, 2012

DECA's office has received several calls from advisors inquiring about the Entrepreneurship-Growing Your Business Event. Information below will help clarify commonly asked questions.

• At least one team member must be the actual owner/operator of the business. A parents' business does not qualify.
• Examples of sufficient documentation of ownership include business licenses, certificates of insurance, tax filings, local business permits.
• Examples of insufficient documentation of ownership include webpages, business cards, promotional materials.