Lloyd McCabe graduated with a B.S. in Agricultural Education at California State University, Fresno in 1974. He earned two Master Degrees in Agricultural Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1983 and in School Management from the University of La Verne in 1984. He later completed his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California in 1997.
McCabe taught high school agriculture for 14 ½ years. His career included teaching at Palmdale HS (1975-76), Santa Paula HS (1976-77), and the last 12 ½ at Chowchilla Union HS (1977-89).
In 1989, McCabe was hired by the California Department of Education (CDE) as an agricultural consultant stationed in the Southern Region. The Southern Region included high school agriculture programs in the counties of: Imperial, Los Angeles Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, and San Diego. During his tenure in southern California, McCabe transformed this region from one of the smallest in terms of agriculture students and programs into the largest in California.
In 1999, McCabe was transferred to the California Department of Education headquarters in Sacramento. He served in a variety of capacities in agriculture education to include supervising agriculture programs in the North Coast Region, Superior Region, and Central Region.
In 2006, McCabe was promoted to serve as the Senior Policy Consultant to the Director of the Secondary, Postsecondary, and Adult Leadership Division. This Division was responsible for managing high school, college, and adult education programs. McCabe’s assignment included Division wide activities dealing with educational policy, NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Provision, CTE credentials, legislative bill analysis system, state budget monitoring, research efforts, state and federal education projects, and other matters as assigned by the Director. His notable accomplishments while working in the Division Office included: (a) Spearheading UC approval of career technical education courses, (b) Chairing the State Plan for Career Technical Education for 2008-12, and (c) Served as a writer of the Multiple Pathways Report.
In 2011, McCabe was appointed as administrator of the CTE Leadership and Instructional Support Office within the CDE. He was responsible for supervising and coordinating twelve office staff members dealing with various CTE activities that included: 10 CTE Industry Sectors, Apprenticeship and Supplemental Instruction, four State Career Technical Student Organizations, CTE Online, CTE Distinguished Schools Recognition Program, CTE Leadership Institute, Direct Support Professional Program, Model CTE Programs & Practices, UC “a-g” Admission CTE Project, Proposition 1-D Implementation Grants, Regional Occupational Centers and Programs, CalWORKS, Workforce Investment Act, CTE Research, CTE Credentialing, CTE Legislative Proposals, and other CTE efforts as directed by the Director.
In 2014, McCabe was appointed as administrator of the Agriculture Education & Family and Consumer Sciences Office. He is currently responsible for supervising and coordinating twelve staff members dealing with Agriculture Education and Family and Consumer Sciences activities that include 2 Career Technical Student Organizations (FFA & FCCLA), Agriculture Education Incentive Grant Program, CATA and FACS liaison, State FFA Foundation Board of Directors, State FFA Adult Board of Directors, Professional Development, and other CTE efforts as directed by the Director.
Lastly, McCabe is a part-time lecturer at the University of California, Davis for the Agricultural Education major. He has been teaching a class entitled “Vocational Education/Career Technical Education” for the last 15 years.