Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE)

The Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program involves practical agricultural activities performed by students outside of scheduled classroom and laboratory time. SAEs provide a method in agricultural education for students to receive real-world career experiences in an area of agriculture that they are most interested in. Supervised Agricultural Experiences are an important component of agricultural education and are a required element of all Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) courses as explained by the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 130, Subchapter A.

The National Council for Agricultural Education (The Council) revised the SAE descriptors in 2017. For clear understanding and expectations, the Council now defines SAE as a student-led, instructor-supervised, work-based learning experience that results in measurable outcomes within a predefined, agreed upon set of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Technical Standards and Career Ready Practices aligned to your Career Plan of study. All SAEs should be graded aspects of agricultural education courses.  

SAE Categories

1. Placement/Internship SAE:  The student is in an employment setting (paid or unpaid).  This experience must provide opportunity for development and advancement of skills and abilities aligned to the AFNR Technical Standards and Career Ready Practices.
2. Ownership/Entrepreneurship SAE:  The student operates an individual business which provides goods and/or services to the marketplace in the ownership aspect.  The student transitions to an entrepreneurship SAE once the ownership SAE is enhanced to contain or meet additional criteria. *Raising and selling animals of any species is production agriculture and does not fit the agribusiness category.*
3. Research: Experimental, Analysis or Invention SAE:  The student will be involved in an investigation of materials, processes and information to establish new knowledge or the validation of previous research. 
4. School-Based Enterprise SAE:  A group of two or more students will work cooperatively outside of normal class time to create a business enterprise that provides goods and services.  They operate their enterprise from the school campus utilizing facilities, equipment and other resources provided by the AFNR program or the school.  
5. Service Learning SAE:  Conducted by one or more students in which they plan, conduct and evaluate a project designed to provide a service to a school, public entity or the community.  It must provide benefits to another organization, group or individuals other than the FFA chapter. 

Additional Information

Supervised Agricultural Experiences Manual - PDF
LED-75 Form - PDF
LED-31 Form - PDF