CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

High-quality CTE Series Continues with Brief on Student Career Development

ACTE is continuing its series exploring in detail each of ACTE's 12 elements of high-quality CTE with Defining Quality: Student Career Development.

Student Career Development is one of 12 elements in the ACTE Quality CTE Program of Study Framework, a comprehensive, evidence-based set of quality standards for CTE programs. Criteria within this element address strategies that help students gain career knowledge and engage in education and career planning and decision-making, including comprehensive and coordinated career development across learner levels; individual academic and career plans; information about educational opportunities and workforce trends that students (and families, when appropriate) need to make informed decisions; job search information and placement services as students near the end of the program of study; and professional development for career guidance and advising professionals.

Defining Quality: Student Career Development describes the criteria within the Student Career Development element, recommends types of evidence that programs can consider when assessing their performance against these quality criteria, and shares case studies of school districts and institutions doing exemplary work to provide students with career exploration, guidance and planning services. This publication was generously supported by Xello.

Eventually, the series will include 12 briefs, one for each of ACTE’s 12 elements of high-quality CTE. In addition, we will be sharing a series of micro-webinars presenting short case studies on success within each element.

You can access all our High-quality CTE Initiative tools and resources at www.acteonline.org/high-quality-CTE.

House Education Hearing on Critical Role Community Colleges Play in Student Success

On May 22, the House Committee on Education and Labor’s subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment held a hearing on the critical role community colleges and minority-serving institutions play in preparing students for success.

In his opening statement, Ranking Member Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) discussed the need to ensure that any “restructuring and innovation in our higher education system provides all students equal access to opportunities that offer pathways to success – both inside and outside of the conventional classroom.” This sentiment was generally shared and highlighted throughout the hearing by members on both sides of the aisle.

Members spoke of the need to better align our postsecondary educational programs with current and future labor market demands, and to better prepare students for success and our economy for long-term growth. Further, there was widespread recognition that not all family-sustaining careers require a four-year degree and that the country cannot continue to overlook the value of these programs; especially at a time when the U.S. economy has more jobs unfilled than people qualified to fill them.

When discussing the value of community colleges, Virginia Community College System Chancellor Glenn DuBois, who testified at the hearing, spoke extensively on the need to extend Pell to high-quality, non-credit workforce training programs. He continued, “Should Pell Grants be extended to these students, I would suggest you do so with a solid system of accountability that includes program completion data and income gains for program graduates.”

Expanding Pell to short-term job training programs and making student level data publicly available are two major priorities for ACTE during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. There are two legislative proposals, which ACTE has publicly endorsed, that would achieve these goals. S. 800, the College Transparency Act, would reverse the ban on a federal student-level data system, and S. 839, the JOBS Act, would expand Pell Grant eligibility to short-term job training programs.

Another topic importance to ACTE that was discussed during the hearing was the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program, in terms of aligning the job opportunities offered to students more closely to their programs of study. Other topics raised during the hearing were accessibility and affordability of receiving a postsecondary education, the Pell Grant program, mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and addressing the unique needs of students who typically enroll at these institutions.

If you wish to watch the hearing in its entirety, click here.

Updated: Brief History of CTE Timeline

ACTE recently updated its timeline of major events in CTE history to include the passage of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V).

This one-pager highlights important moments in federal CTE policy, starting with the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 and continuing with short descriptions of each version of federal legislation, ending with Perkins V. It also describes the most recent federal appropriations for CTE.

This infographic can be a useful tool for CTE teacher educators and advocates interested in how federal legislation has changed over the past century. For a more in-depth look at the evolution of federal CTE policy, read CTE Policy Past, Present, and Future: Driving Forces Behind the Evolution of Federal Priorities by myself and ACTE’s Alisha Hyslop, published in the Peabody Journal of Education (fee required).

Senate Caucus Briefing on Swiss Apprenticeship Model in the United States

On Tuesday, the Senate CTE Caucus, in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland, hosted a briefing discussing the recent initiatives and developments in the United States related to Swiss-inspired apprenticeships models.

In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Martin Dahinden highlighted the priority the Swiss place on apprenticeships and their benefits for the economy. On an annual basis, Switzerland spends just over 1% of its GDP on apprenticeship initiatives. To put that amount in context, if the United States invested at the same level, it would equate to almost $200 billion annually. The Ambassador further explained that apprenticeship’s success, training two out of every three students, is owed to the fact that over 40% of all businesses participate.

After Ambassador Dahinden spoke, CTE Caucus Co-Chairs Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) gave brief remarks highlighting their steadfast commitment to ensuring that all students are college and career ready when they graduate high school. Specifically, Sen. Kaine mentioned his legislation, S. 839, the JOBS Act, and how it would make students pursuing short-term job training programs eligible to receive Pell Grants. ACTE publicly supports the JOBS Act.

The other presenters included an executive at an advanced manufacturing firm that is participating, a current apprentice in the program and the Program Director at CareerWise Colorado, the non-profit intermediary administering the apprenticeship system throughout Colorado. The presenters, representing different factions that make up the system, all had a similar message: Apprenticeships offer real credentials and career pathways into middle skill jobs, present a realistic, affordable option for securing postsecondary credentials, and provide employers with a skilled, productive pipeline.

As background, the Swiss vocational and professional education and training (VPET) system is a public-private partnership that includes the professional organizations, cantons (state government), and the Swiss Confederation (federal government) to jointly define curricula, skill sets and standards for occupations throughout the country. At the end of students’ compulsory education, they have a choice between continuing their studies (postsecondary) or opting for vocational education training (VET). VET combines school with practical, on-the-job experience. The basic in-company apprenticeship involves spending three or four days in the workplace, then moving to the classroom at a vocational school for the remainder of the week. The training, during which the apprentice is paid by the employer, lasts between two and four years, at the end of which the apprentice receives a Federal VET Diploma or Federal VET Certificate. The former apprentice can then go straight into the labor market or enter higher education.

For a more detailed look into Switzerland's Vocational and Professional Education and Training System, please visit their website.

CTE Creates the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce

Manufacturing employs almost 13 million people—nearly 9 percent of the labor force—and much of industry growth has been occurring in high-tech sub-sectors like automotive and aerospace manufacturing. Learn how CTE prepares the workforce in advanced manufacturing with ACTE’s updated Sector Sheet. This brief has been revised with the latest on job demand, talent shortages and exemplary CTE programs.  

Manufacturing is well known for paying a family-sustaining wage, even for workers with less than a college degree. The average manufacturing employee in 2017 earned almost $85,000, including benefits, and wages can be higher in sub-sectors such as aerospace, motor vehicle parts and plastics manufacturing. However, 89 percent of manufacturers are experiencing talent shortages, with 60 percent reporting a high or very high impact on productivity. If these talent shortages continue, 2.4 million positions may go unfilled.

To engage and prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing, the award-winning mechatronics program at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, incorporates rigorous academic and technical coursework, industry certifications and dual credit. Students also graduate with Siemens entry-level mechatronics certification. The program developed from an education-industry partnership, and business and industry leaders help market the program to students and parents, which has encouraged the enrollment of female, low-income and minority students.

On the postsecondary level, Hudson Valley Community College in New York has developed a program in semiconductor manufacturing as part of its state-of-the-art TEC-SMART (Training and Education Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies) facility. Students can earn an associate of applied science degree in semiconductor manufacturing technology, and be prepared to work in capacity field service, testing and manufacturing in the Hudson Valley area, which is a leading region for semiconduc­tor manufacturing.

ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously supported by Pearson.

New System for Sharing Wage Data Across States Now Available

In May, a data-sharing agreement for the State Wage Interchange System (SWIS) was sent to relevant state education and workforce agency heads. States that sign the agreement will be able to exchange quarterly wage records with other states in the SWIS program.

The wage data available through SWIS includes employer and employee names, Social Security numbers, federal and state identification numbers, wage information and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. This individual-level data can be used by education and workforce programs, including CTE, to satisfy performance reporting requirements and for authorized evaluation and research purposes.

The SWIS program replaces the Wage Record Interchange System (WRIS and WRIS2). You can find the agreement and learn more at www.doleta.gov/performance/swis.cfm. Please encourage your state education and workforce leaders to sign on!

Secretary DeVos Launches New Higher Education Experimental Site Focusing on Federal-Work Study Program

On May 20, Secretary DeVos unveiled that the focus of the first higher education experimental sites initiative of her tenure would be expanding the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program in an effort to promote better aligned job opportunities for students within their programs of study.

Sec. DeVos’ proposal makes a variety of changes to the current program, aimed at providing institutions with increased flexibilities that will enable students to earn work-study benefits while participating in apprenticeships, internships and work-based learning programs, as well as earn work-study wages while completing required clinical rotations, externships and student teaching. .

Among the proposed changes, the experiment plans to reduce many of the barriers that adversely affect schools’ abilities to partner with private-sector employers in hopes of allowing students the opportunity to gain work experience in their field of study. Specifically, it will lift limits on the amount of work-study funds that can be allocated to private-sector employers, remove some other requirements related to community service opportunities, and lower the wage share for some private sector employers, such as small businesses. Further, it will increase the amount of Job Location and Development (JLD) funds available to schools in order to help foster long-term partnerships with employers. This increase includes allowing these funds to be used to retain apprenticeship intermediaries, which would help increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities for students.

The FWS program is a federally-funded program that allows qualified students to earn money that can be used toward their education expenses by providing part-time jobs. Students must qualify, reserving participation for those that have a demonstrated financial need. According to the department’s press release, almost 92% of all funds spent in this program currently go to on-campus employment opportunities for students Students may also work for certain non-profits or governmental agencies, as long as the work they are performing is in the public interest.

The Experimental Sites Initiative (ESI) is an authority given to the Secretary through the Higher Education Act (HEA) to be able to test out new policy ideas on a smaller scale, before deciding whether to implement it nation-wide or not. The ESI gives the Secretary the authority to waive certain federal student aid statutory or regulatory requirements in order to test the alternative methods of administering student aid programs at a narrow number of institutions. For more information about current and former initiatives, please visit experimentalsites.ed.gov.

ACTE will continue to work with policymakers to ensure the FWS program is updated to encourage collaboration among institutional and community stakeholders, including local employers, in identifying and developing FWS employment opportunities that are more closely aligned to the program of study the student is currently enrolled in.

Changes to College Scorecard Announced

On May 21, Secretary DeVos announced that improvements have been made to the College Scorecard, the Department of Education’s consumer-facing postsecondary outcome research tool. Among the improvements is more comprehensive information about student graduation rates, now including part-time and transfer students in some calculations. In the past, graduation rates were only provided for first-time, full-time students, who make up only a small percentage of students at some postsecondary institutions, like community and technical colleges.

New information has also been added for approximately 2,100 non-degree-granting institutions that participate in federal financial aid programs, including many area CTE centers. About 3,700 degree-granting institutions were included previously. And finally, the Department is releasing preliminary information on student loan debt by postsecondary program (previous information on loan debt was only available at the institution level). Researchers have been cautioned that this information is still under review by colleges though, and could be adjusted.

In announcing these chance, Sec. DeVos said, "We committed to students that we would continually improve the College Scorecard so that they could access relevant, accurate and actionable data as they make decisions about their education after high school. The updates released today are another step in fulfilling that promise. We look forward to seeing how students, parents, institutions and researchers utilize this important information."

Unfortunately, much of the most valuable information in the Scorecard as it relates to CTE is limited—with only institution-level data or only information on students participating in federal financial aid. ACTE will continue to work with policymakers to increase the amount of robust, valid data that is available on CTE student outcomes.

Senate Caucus Briefing Explores CTE Data

The U.S. Senate CTE Caucus hosted a briefing this week that addressed the wide universe of data relevant to CTE program quality and improvement.

ACTE Research Manager Catherine Imperatore moderated the briefing. Panelists from national organizations and a state department of education addressed the opportunities for improved data alignment and quality provided by Perkins V, through the law’s enhanced connections to WIOA and ESSA and through its focus on data-driven decision-making. They also discussed challenges, such as difficulty aligning state secondary, postsecondary and workforce data systems and difficulty in accessing administrative data, particularly for post-school placement.

In addition, panelists shared best practices from states in accessing unique sources of data to improve systems alignment, such as Department of Motor Vehicle records, and in working to access data directly from industry certification providers. Nicassia Belton from Maryland described how the state shares data with stakeholders through interactive dashboards and how it disaggregates data to help CTE programs identify and address equity gaps.

The panelists were:

• Dr. Nicassia Belton, Program Manager and Methods of Administration Coordinator for CTE Student and Assessment Services at the Maryland State Department of Education
• Austin Estes, Senior Policy Associate at Advance CTE
• Dr. Bryan Wilson, Director of the Workforce Data Quality Campaign, a project of the National Skills Coalition

Legislation to Expand STEM Exposure for Young Children Passes Committee

During the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee mark up last week, legislation aimed at expanding STEM opportunities was reported favorably out of committee and is poised to be considered on the Senate floor.

The Building Blocks of STEM Act, S. 737, introduced by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), would create and expand upon STEM education initiatives at the National Science Foundation (NSF) for young children, according to the lawmaker. More specifically, it would direct NSF to award research grants to increase understanding of the factors that contribute to the participation of females in STEM activities at younger ages and to develop interventions in pre-K and elementary school classrooms to increase the participation of females in computer science.

Identical legislation has also been introduced in the House by Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN) – who are the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology. ACTE will continue working with Members of Congress in both parties to address workforce shortages in a variety of industries that transcend the American economy.