CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Perkins V Officially in Effect!

On July 1, 2019, changes made to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act by the reauthorization bill passed last summer, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, officially went into effect. The Department of Education marked the occasion with a Perkins “Happy New Year” video message and a press release describing early implementation efforts.

As part of kicking off the new plan year, the Department also announced that every state’s one-year transition plan to cover the start of Perkins V had been approved. To mark the occasion, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said, "Our team is so encouraged by the way states have embraced the spirit of this new law and are rethinking career and technical education on behalf of their students. The work is just beginning though. As states begin to think about their long-term career and technical education strategies, I would encourage them to continue to act boldly and break down the silos that exist between education and industry so that all students are prepared for the in-demand, high-paying jobs of today's economy and tomorrow's."

States are now moving full-steam ahead with work on their full four-year Perkins V implementation plans, which are due to the Department of Education next spring. During the transition year, most states are making minimal operational changes to their CTE system, but focusing on planning and stakeholder engagement around the new Perkins V requirements, like the local needs assessment. A few changes states are making in their transition plans were highlighted in the Department’s release, including shifting funding allocations, encouraging more regional collaboration between secondary and postsecondary institutions, and focusing on quality CTE program elements, including a specific mention of those in ACTE’s Quality Program of Study Framework. You can read more about our Framework at https://www.acteonline.org/professional-development/high-quality-cte-tools/ and find Perkins implementation resources at https://www.acteonline.org/perkins-implementation/.

New Department of Labor Rule Seeks to Create New Apprenticeship Model

Last week, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the proposal of a new rule aimed to “address America's skills gap and expand the apprenticeship model to new industries.” The proposed rule would establish a process for recognizing Standards Recognition Entities (SRE) and Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs).

Under the proposed rule, a SRE would establish the standards for training, structure, and curricula for the IRAPs in certain industries. Organizations that could qualify to become a SRE include educational institutions, non-profits, unions, local government entities, and trade, industry and employer groups or associations. DOL would certify each SRE to ensure they have the capacity to actively monitor each IRAPs’ program quality and that they meet all legal requirements. According to the proposed rule, to start, DOL would limit the industries IRAPs can be created in to those that do not already have a “robust” apprenticeship program presence, thus eliminating the military and construction fields.

The Department believes these industry-led, market-driven programs will provide flexibility to scale the apprenticeship model and help address America’s skills gap. The new rule suggests that in order to ensure a high-quality standard, IRAPs include paid work, work-based learning, mentorship, education and instruction, industry-recognized credentials, and safety, supervision, and EEO requirements. However, many policymakers have raised concerns about whether these standards and the enforcement by SREs are sufficient to ensure quality and student protections. To review and comment on the proposed rules, please click here. Comments are due by August 26, 2019.

ED Rescinds Gainful Employment Rule Beginning July 2020

On July 1, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced its final regulation to officially rescind the 2014 Gainful Employment (GE) Rule beginning on July 1, 2020.

Federal law requires that certain educational programs offered at some postsecondary institutions, including for-profit institutions, community and technical colleges, and area CTE centers, must provide training programs that prepare students for “gainful employment in a recognized occupation” in order to participate in federal financial aid programs. Nearly all educational programs at for-profit higher education institutions, as well as non-degree programs at public and private nonprofit institutions, like community colleges and area CTE centers are subject to these rules.

The Obama-era regulation outlined how the department will evaluate a program’s effectiveness in preparing students for gainful employment after program completion, including through metrics like debt-to-earnings ratios and student loan cohort default rates. Moreover, it set requirements for programs to make certain performance and outcomes data, including program costs, earnings information and completion rates, available to the public.

Critics of the regulation, including Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and House Ed & Labor Committee Ranking Member Virginia Foxx (R-NC), believe that the rule discriminates against programs based on their tax status. The overwhelming majority of programs covered under this rule are located at for-profit institutions, but it also includes certificate programs offered at private non-profit and public institutions. The PROSPER Act, the 2017 House Republican Higher Education Act alternative, would have not only repealed the rule, but would have prohibited future ED Secretaries from enforcing GE regulations.

Proponents of the regulation, including HELP Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Ed & Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), argue that the rule is necessary to ensure students are protected from predatory programs and fully understand their educational options before taking on student loan debt.

ACTE believes that the Department should enforce rules to appropriately hold programs accountable, while acknowledging that high-quality postsecondary CTE programs are an affordable option for many students and should not be unduly burdened, as was a concern under gainful employment regulations.

Senate CTE Caucus Hosts Briefing on Middle School CTE Exploration

Last Tuesday, the Senate CTE Caucus, in conjunction with the Afterschool Alliance, hosted a briefing titled: “Making the Most of Middle School Career Exploration in CTE.” The panelists began by discussing the work community stakeholders are already doing to expose students to different career pathways, develop soft skills necessary to be successful in the workforce, and provide other benefits to students outside of traditional school hours to help them become college and career ready.

The conversation then shifted to the new community stakeholder involvement provisions added to Perkins V, like the requirement to involve stakeholders in the local needs assessment and the public comment and review period for performance targets, among others. They spoke at length about the importance of state and local agencies fostering stronger relationships with community stakeholders to ensure there is cohesion between what students are learning in school and in afterschool programs, and how to effectively provide students with more holistic, high-quality middle school CTE exploration opportunities.

The Panelists included:

• Regina Sidney-Brown, Director, Delaware Afterschool Network, United Way of Delaware
• Luke Rhine, Director, Career and Technical Education and STEM Initiatives, Delaware Department of Education
• Daniela Grigioni, Executive Director, After-School All-Stars, Washington, DC
• Andrew Coy, Executive Director, Digital Harbor Foundation, Baltimore, MD
• Jacob, Student, Digital Harbor Foundation, Baltimore, MD

In 2018, ACTE put out a report titled, “Career Exploration in Middle School: Setting Students on the Path to Success.” Click here to view the report and learn more about the benefits, and potential barriers, to having programs that allow students to explore career opportunities in middle school.

To view the briefing in its entirety, click here.

Short Term Pell Bill Introduced in House

While the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, S. 839, was introduced in the Senate earlier this year, a companion bill was just introduced in the House. Representatives Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) and Cedric Richmond (D-LA) have introduced H.R. 3497, which extends Pell Grant eligibility to short term job training programs.

Currently, Federal Pell Grants are not available to postsecondary CTE students in short-term certificate programs that provide the education and skills necessary for many in-demand careers. Pell Grant eligibility is limited based on a program's clock hours and/or length. As a result, students across the country do not have access to many short-term CTE programs that culminate in meaningful credentials that are proven to increase earning potentials and employment opportunities. That's why ACTE, along with other education organizations, employers, and community and technical colleges, strongly supports H.R. 3497, the JOBS Act, which would change Pell eligibility requirements to allow funding for high-quality short-term programs.

Along with Reps. Gonzalez and Richmond, Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Andy Levin (D-MI), John Katko (D-NY) and Steven Horsford (D-NV) are also signed on to the JOBS Act.

ACTE is urging CTE advocates to click here to ask your Representative to co-sponsor the JOBS Act. Thank you for your CTE advocacy!

House Education Committee Holds Final Scheduled HEA Reauthorization Hearing

On June 19, the House Education and Labor Committee held its fifth bipartisan hearing of this Congress on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). This was the last of a series of hearings that was announced early this year. This hearing focused on the role of innovation in improving student outcomes and advancing equity. In his opening statement, Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) stated that out of all the jobs created since the recession, 95% of them went to workers with at least some college education and that he expects this trend to continue. Further, he added, “Our higher education system must give every student the opportunity to be on the right side of this trend. But, this is not the case today.”

This message set the tone for the hearing, which focused on the importance of prioritizing and increasing investments into our community college systems and financial aid system, rethinking what services institutions should provide to support students, and the expansion of dual enrollment-style programs and competency-based education as ways to increase postsecondary attainment while driving down the cost for students and families.

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

House Passes Labor/H Funding Bill; Senate Stalls in Hopes of Budget Deal

On Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 2740, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2020, by a party-line vote of 226-203. This legislation provides funding for the Department of Education (ED), among other agencies, for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Overall, it provides a significant increase, $11.7 billion, to ED, with the majority of programs in the department seeing an increase in funding.

Most important to the CTE community, the Perkins Basic State Grant program received an increase of $47 million over its FY2019 enacted level, bringing the total proposed funding for FY2020 to $1.31 billion. Although this falls short of our request that would ensure funding keeps pace with demand, we are encouraged by the House of Representatives acknowledgement of the important role CTE plays in preparing learners for education and career success, particularly as labor market shortages impact virtually every sector of today's economy.

Another important issue to the CTE community, teacher preparation and development programs, was prominently addressed in H.R. 2740. Title II-A, the only federal funding source that is solely reserved for teacher preparation and training programs, received a $500 million increase, bringing its new total for FY2020 to $2.6 billion. A 2017 Pew study revealed that 2/3rds of all State CTE Directors reported having a CTE teacher shortage in one or more career clusters. In the current environment surrounding the recruitment and retention of quality CTE educators, these additional funds are critical to ensuring that school districts are able to continue to produce high-quality CTE programs for their students. You can find more info on funding for other programs related to CTE in our recent blog here.

What’s next?

Now action will need to take place in the Senate before the two chambers can “go to conference,” and reach a final agreement to send to the President for his signature. Complicating the introduction and passage in the Senate are the statutory budget caps currently in place on discretionary spending—both for defense and nondefense programs. If Congress does not come up with an agreement to raise the budget caps, they go into effect October 1 and will trigger across the board cuts, or sequestration, totaling roughly $120 trillion.

Congressional leaders and the White House are currently in the process of negotiating an increase in these caps, which will be necessary to avoid the steep cuts previously mentioned and to provide any of the increases suggested by the House. The exact cap agreement will have tremendous influence on the final funding numbers for education programs like Perkins, WIOA and Title II-A and other critical programs in ESSA.

Think Tank Identifies Innovative CTE Programs

The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) recently identified more than 30 programs that are reinventing secondary CTE, including programs delivered by public schools as well as by charter schools and nonprofit organizations.

CRPE, a nonpartisan research and policy analysis center at the University of Washington Bothell, identified 32 programs, schools and districts that are leading the way in reimagining CTE by:

• connecting students to high-demand, living-wage careers;
• preparing students for postsecondary success;
• delivering a relevant learning experience;
• focusing on equity; and
• using community resources.

These innovative programs and institutions include Worcester Technical High School in Massachusetts; Wheeling High School in Illinois; Wheat Ridge High School in Colorado; West-MEC in Arizona; STEM School Chattanooga in Tennessee; the marketing program at Southwest Early College High School in Pharr, Texas; Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School in Nashville; Iowa BIG; and Genesee Career Institute in Michigan.

CRPE analysts used nominations, web searches and reports to identify 200 programs, districts and schools, which were then evaluated against a set of criteria that included enrollment data, program elements, labor market alignment and state performance data. Federal performance data was not a selection criterion.

While ACTE values increased recognition for CTE programs, the selection process used did result in a non-representative sample of programs, schools and districts, as acknowledged by CRPE analysts. This process likely missed some excellent CTE programs, particularly those that engage in less promotion and marketing.

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.