CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

The Impact and Promise of CLNA: Stakeholder Engagement

This second blog post in our CLNA series digs into one of the key challenges that CTE leaders shared with us for Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation: The Impact and Promise of the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment, our new report co-published with Advance CTE – the authentic engagement of a full range of stakeholders during the first CLNAs.

Stakeholder engagement was noted by both state and local CTE leaders as an area for improvement in the first CLNAs. Several of the states interviewed could not speak with certainty about whether all stakeholders were substantively engaged, particularly learners and families. Local CTE leaders similarly shared that stakeholder engagement was not always as robust as desired, in part because COVID 19 required some local recipients to switch their engagement plans mid-stream.

Where local recipients were able to engage in intensive stakeholder engagement for the first CLNA, positive transformation was possible. In Mitchell County, North Carolina, a small rural district, CTE educators hosted 14 focus groups in fall 2019, each with cross-stakeholder participation that included learners, and followed each focus group with leadership team meetings, during which they reviewed and discussed the feedback received. This robust engagement led the district to develop several new courses and new professional development opportunities.

For this 2021-22 CLNA process, states are acting to help local leaders improve stakeholder engagement and local leaders are working to diversify consultation methods and do more in-depth engagement. For instance, the College of DuPage in Illinois planned to survey learners to find out if they identify as a member of a special population, what they know about existing supports and what other supports they need, as well as conduct focus groups for more of a deep dive.

Stay tuned for the next entry in this series, which will look at the role of data in the first CLNAs, and revisit our first post.

ACTE Key Legislation Blog Series: JOBS Act

Key Legislation 

In March 2021, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH), and Reps. Andy Levin (D-MI) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) reintroduced S. 864/H.R. 2037, known as the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2021, or the JOBS Act, to expand federal Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term job training programs at public postsecondary institutions. This bill is one of ACTE’s top legislative priorities, and it will be a key focus of our federal advocacy efforts in 2022. 

Background 

Currently, Federal Pell Grants are not available to postsecondary CTE students in short-term certificate programs that provide industry-based credentials and ultimately employment in high-wage, high-skill industry sectors or careers. As a result, many students across the country do not have access to high-quality, short-term CTE programs that culminate in credentials that are proven to increase earning potentials and employment opportunities, especially in several high-need careers within health care, manufacturing and construction. This bipartisan bill aims to amend the Higher Education Act (HEA) to make high-quality programs that are at least 150 clock hours and 8 weeks in length Pell-eligible. ACTE, along with other education organizations and employers, has been actively promoting a solution for short-term Pell for a number of years, including in this Congress. For example, we sent a letter to congressional leadership in 2021 expressing strong support for the JOBS Act and asking for its immediate passage.  

In June 2021, a version of the JOBS Act was close to passing as Sens. Kaine and Portman introduced an amendment to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), S. 1260, that would expand Pell Grants to short-term CTE programs. This amendment was accepted into a larger package of amendments that was closely negotiated between party leadership. Unfortunately, the package that included the short-term Pell amendment was not included when Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) made procedural objections to the amendment package and the bill moved on to final passage. The JOBS Act was also briefly considered as a potential amendment to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law by President Biden this past November, but ultimately was not included there either.  

Next Steps 

Currently, there are 48 cosponsors in the Senate and 34 in the House of Representatives for the JOBS Act. ACTE’s public policy team is actively recruiting new cosponsors of the JOBS Act and urging Members of Congress to champion the bill. While a full reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which would provide a prime opportunity to debate Pell grants for shorter-term programs, is unlikely to move forward, there are other avenues for the JOBS Act. It is still possible that the JOBS Act could be passed as part of a different large legislative package, or it could gain traction as a standalone bill. For example, during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and FY 2023 appropriations processes, there may be opportunities to advocate for the JOBS Act to be included in appropriations packages. There is also a chance that the USICA, which has yet to be passed by the House, could be amended in that chamber to include the JOBS Act, or that other “must pass” legislation emerges to provide a vehicle for a short-term Pell solution.  

Momentum and support for the policy change continue to grow, and ACTE will continue to advocate for the JOBS Act, whether it is passed as a standalone bill or included as part of a separate legislative package. Please continue to monitor ACTE’s Policy Watch blog for more information as this proposal continues to make its way through Congress!

Secretary Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) Highlight Connecticut Manufacturing Programs

On January 14, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) visited Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School and Thames River Magnet Elementary School in Groton, Connecticut, to highlight each school’s manufacturing programs. The programs are helping to meet workforce needs in eastern Connecticut and develop the next generation of highly-skilled workers across the state. In addition, the two policymakers reiterated the need for federal CTE and workforce development funding to train workers to do the in-demand jobs of the future. 

“Career [and] technical education is a priority for this administration. It's a priority for me,” Cardona told New London, CT’s The Day newspaper. 

At Grasso High School, 50% of students attending the manufacturing program have jobs lined up after they graduate, including one student who recalled being able to help their family replace a water heater on their own, saving time and money. Groton has expanded access to STEM courses across its public schools, as the district was recently awarded a Defense Education Activity grant from the Department of Defense to expand career pathways in STEM fields and health care. The school is also launching a co-op with nearby Fitch High School to send Fitch students to Grasso for after-school classes to earn credit. 

During the visit to Grasso, Rep. Courtney added to the conversation by explaining to students that their career paths and fields of study align with current and future workforce needs being seen across the country. Courtney cited the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law in November as just one example of a bill that will create jobs to be filled with skilled workers in in-demand fields, including electric vehicle technology, building technology and climate change. 

Grasso also hosts the Three Rivers Community College Manufacturing Apprenticeship Center, which provides training for secondary and adult learners. Students may take courses in machining, welding, electrical, mechanical, shipfitting, pipefitting, maintenance, design engineering, or in any customizable program that is designed to fit a local employer’s needs. 

Sec. Cardona and Rep. Courtney also noted that American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are supporting programs like those at Grasso and at Thames River, helping Connecticut to serve as a model for the nation. Connecticut plans to spend $70 million in ARP funds on workforce development programs across the state.

DC Digest: January 10-16

The House and Senate were both in session this week, with congressional action on voting rights holding most of the focus in Washington. Action on CTE-related measures was rather minimal. The Senate has canceled a planned recess scheduled for next week, citing weather challenges and additional work on voting rights. After voting rights discussion, the Senate could return to debate on the Build Back Better Act, where there is still no agreement between Democratic congressional leaders, President Biden and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). You can still contact your senators – especially Democratic senators – and ask them to maintain the $700 million investment in Perkins, $5 billion for community college and industry partnership grants and the overall $40 billion allocation for workforce development included in the House-passed version of the bill. In the meantime, here is the most important news from Washington: 

• Secretary of Education Visits Connecticut Technical High School: On January 14, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) visited Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School to tour the school’s manufacturing programs and discuss how CTE can help meet workforce needs in Connecticut, as well as the importance of federal workforce development funding.  
   
• Congressional Appropriations Leaders Meet to Discuss FY 2022 Appropriations: On January 12, the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate appropriations committees – Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Richard Shelby (R-AL), and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Kay Granger (R-TX) – met for the first time since November about the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations process. While these members have not yet scheduled another time to meet, reports indicated the meeting was constructive. Government funding will expire on February 18 without final bills being passed or an extension through another continuing resolution (CR). 
   
• Department of Education Adds CTE to Three Department Discretionary Grant Priorities: As a result of comments submitted to the Federal Register on the Department of Education’s competitive grant priorities for this year, the Department has added career and technical education programs to additional parts of the document. These priorities include Priority 2—Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources, Opportunities, and Welcoming Environments; Priority 3—Supporting a Diverse Educator Workforce and Professional Growth to Strengthen Student Learning; and Priority 4—Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and Academic Needs. These final priorities and definitions may be used across the Department of Education discretionary grant programs.

• State of the Union Scheduled: The White House and Congress have scheduled President Biden's first official State of the Union address on March 1. It is also likely that the President's FY 2023 budget request to Congress will not be submitted until after this date, or even later, depending on when Congress is able to complete work on FY 2022 bills.  
   
• Administration Announces New Developments in COVID-19 Testing for Schools: On January 12, the Administration released a fact sheet outlining new initiatives to increase the availability of COVID-19 tests for schools, including new test distribution. More details will be sent to school leaders directly from the Department of Education.

Research Roundup: Dual Enrollment Data & Equity

Dual Enrollment in California: The Public Policy Institute of California released a report examining access, equity and success in dual enrollment programs in California. Researchers studied 3,000 high schools and nearly 440,000 dual enrollment students. The following summarizes a few key findings from the report:

• The percentage of high schools that offered dual enrollment increased from 10% in 2016-17 year to 36% in 2018-19. Participation in dual enrollment also increased from about 72,000 participants in the 2015-16 graduating class to 112,000 in the 2019-20 class.
• While participation for all major racial/ethnic groups increased over time, Black and Latino students were still underrepresented, had lower dual enrollment GPAs, and earned fewer units than Asian and white students.
• Approximately 81% of all dual enrollment students enrolled in a postsecondary institution within one year of graduation, 19 percentage points higher than the statewide rate for all graduates. College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) participants were more likely to enroll in two-year institutions.
• Roughly 20% of all dual enrollment courses and 29% of CCAP courses focused on career and technical education.

Benefits of Early College Programs: A report by JFF shows how early college programs are improving student outcomes at Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The early college program was introduced at the high school in 2017, allowing students who apply and meet assessment standards to complete courses in high-demand career fields for credit at local community and four-year colleges. By 2020, the school’s overall graduation rate improved from 71% to 80% and recent early college student cohorts were twice as likely to enroll in a postsecondary institution after graduation. The high school plans to expand the program to all students within five years.

Equity Gaps in Dual Enrollment: While dual enrollment has proven benefits for student outcomes, according to a data tool by the Community College Research Center, not all learners have equitable access to these programs. Using the 2017-18 Civil Rights Data Collection, the tool identifies nationwide representation and accessibility gaps in dual enrollment and AP coursework for different student demographic groups. The following are a few key findings on dual enrollment:

• The biggest representation gap existed for students with disabilities, who make up 13% of the overall school population, but accounted for 4% of dual enrollment students.
• English language learners and Black and Hispanic students, especially males within these groups, were underrepresented while white students were overrepresented in dual enrollment courses.
• Many schools that offer dual enrollment opportunities have no underrepresented students participating. For instance, 27% of schools attended by Black students offer dual enrollment courses but did not enroll any Black students in these courses.

In response to equity gaps in dual enrollment programs, the College in High School Alliance released a guide designed to help states collect, report and use dual enrollment access and success data to improve equity. The resource highlights examples of states engaging in this work and outlines a framework for state policymakers to utilize when developing dual enrollment data reporting systems.

Improving Pathways Data: As states develop policies to improve the school-to-workforce pipeline, K-12 leaders need access to data on the postsecondary and workforce outcomes of former students. In response, Chiefs for Change created a brief discussing obstacles and steps to improving pathways data. Informed by interviews with state education and local agency leaders, the following are four strategies the brief outlines that state leaders can use to increase access to pathways data:

• Build a cross-agency data governance body that is aligned with K-12 leaders’ needs and follows privacy and security best practices.
• Ensure data systems are modernized and updated regularly by advocating the value of pathways data, securing state funding support and creating interstate data-sharing compacts.
• Create user-friendly data by identifying local leaders’ needs, ensuring existing linked data is accessible to districts and schools, and utilizing federal funding to build and modernize tools.
• Increase capacity for pathways data analysis and use by disseminating best practices among districts and coordinating statewide data conferences.

The Impact and Promise of Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment

The comprehensive local needs assessment (CLNA) was an exciting and innovative change under Perkins V introduced to support data-driven decision-making and more closely align planning, spending and accountability activities. As the second CLNA process ramps up, Advance CTE and ACTE interviewed state and local CTE leaders to identify what worked during the first CLNAs and what can be improved. Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation: The Impact and Promise of the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment describes state perspectives on CLNA successes – including stronger alignment between local needs and funding decisions, more collaboration among local recipients, improved data capacity and literacy, and better informed state-level programs and processes – as well as state perspectives on areas for improvement and examples of CLNAs driving transformation on the local and regional levels.

Local CTE leaders that we interviewed reported similar benefits from the first CLNAs as state leaders: increased collaboration, enhanced use and understanding of data, and improved alignment and prioritization of needs and budgets. For instance, CTE leaders at Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Colorado shared how CLNA encouraged more collaboration and sharing of best practices; helped level the playing field across larger and smaller entities within regional CTE consortia; and led the district to take a more strategic approach to Perkins investments and aligning those investments with state and local CTE goals and funding.

This improved alignment of CTE programs to learner and labor market needs — including the development of new programs and the closure of programs that do not prepare students for high-skill, high-wage or in-demand careers — is one of the major ways in which the CLNA effects change. In Rhode Island at the William M. Davies, Jr. Career and Technical High School, input from stakeholders and data analysis led the school to develop its own education program to encourage its largely minority learner population to enter the field of teaching. The program began in January 2022 and takes place in a converted building on campus, part of which hosts a satellite YMCA preschool and part of which has classrooms for the high school education and training program. The goal is for learners to experience teaching across the PK-12 spectrum, so they will not only observe and do clinicals with preschool staff but also shadow Davies CTE and academic high school instructors to learn about different subjects they could teach.

Stay tuned for more blog posts unpacking lessons learned from the first CLNA and explore how you can use ACTE’s high-quality CTE framework to support CLNA.

DC Digest: January 3-9

The Senate returned to Washington last week, while the House is scheduled to return at the beginning of this week. Congressional action was minimal, with weather delays and funerals for former Members of Congress impacting the schedule. Congress also marked the one-year anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. As Congress reconvenes, there is significant attention on the potential timing of a vote on the Build Back Better Act, pending any agreement between Democratic congressional leaders, the Biden Administration and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). You can still contact your senators – especially Democratic senators – and ask them to maintain the $700 million investment in Perkins, $5 billion for community college and industry partnership grants and the overall $40 billion allocation for workforce development included in the House-passed version of the bill. Here is the latest news from snowy Washington: 

• Department of Labor Announces Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge: The Department of Labor has announced the 90-Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge to promote the apprenticeship model as a solution to get more well-trained drivers on the road. The Challenge, which kicked off on December 16, asks employers who are ready to step up to commit to accelerating the development of new apprenticeship programs and help expand existing ones through new employer and labor partnerships to support recruitment, retention and return on investment in the trucking industry. You can learn more about the challenge here. 
   
• Department of Labor Accepting Applications for Apprenticeship Ambassador Program: The Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative seeks to create a national network of employers, labor organizations, industry associations, program sponsors, educators, workforce intermediaries, minority serving organizations, community-based organizations and other stakeholders to serve as champions for expanding and diversifying registered apprenticeship programs. You can learn more and apply for the program here. 
   
• Senate HELP Committee Set to Reapprove Dr. Amy Loyd to Lead OCTAE: The White House has re-sent the nomination of Amy Loyd to serve as Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education at the Department of Education to the Senate. Her nomination expired at the end of the 1st Session of the 117th Congress after originally advancing out of Committee on a voice vote, requiring President Biden to renominate Dr. Loyd for the position. A full Senate confirmation vote will be forthcoming, but has not been scheduled. 

• Department of Education Releases Updated Guidance on COVID-19 Mitigation: The Department of Education has released updated guidance on COVID-19 mitigation strategies for K-12 schools. 
   
• Department of Education Approves Additional ARP-ESSER Funds: The Department of Education announced that it has approved ARP-ESSER plans for Mississippi, Vermont and Florida. ARP-ESSER funds are used to support schools and students as they reopen for in-person learning, and to help sustain the safe operation of schools. With the approval of Florida’s plan, all state plans for the usage of ESSER funds have now been approved by the Department of Education.

DC Digest: December 13-January 2

As January kicks off, Congress returns to Washington this week with several items still unresolved, including funding the government to avoid a government shutdown on February 18 and continuing negotiations in the Senate on the Build Back Better Act. Senate leadership is now aiming to bring the Build Back Better Act to the floor for a vote in January if an agreement can be reached between Democratic congressional leaders, the Biden Administration and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). To this end, you can still contact your senators – especially Democratic senators – and ask them to maintain the $700 million investment in Perkins, $5 billion for community college and industry partnership grants and the overall $40 billion allocation for workforce development included in the House-passed version of the bill. In the meantime, here is the latest news from Washington to catch up on for the new year:

• Biden Administration Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause: On December 22, the Biden Administration announced a 90-day extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest and collections through May 1, 2022 as COVID-19 continues to impact the nation.
  
  
• Department of Labor Awards Funding to Expand Registered Apprenticeships: The Department of Labor has announced more than $8 million in contract investments to industry intermediaries to expand registered apprenticeships in sectors affected by the pandemic. These sectors include the nation’s care economy that serves individuals, families, elderly and persons with disabilities to provide community food and housing, vocational rehabilitation services and childcare services; electric power generation, transmission and distribution; supply chains including semi-conductors, advanced batteries, critical minerals and strategic materials; pharmaceuticals and active ingredients and transportation equipment manufacturing; and transportation and logistics operations for supply chain distribution including air, rail, water and support activities.
  
  
• Department of Education Approves Additional ARP-ESSER Funds: The Department of Education announced that it has approved ARP-ESSER plans for Mississippi and Vermont. ARP-ESSER funds are used to support schools and students as they reopen for in-person learning, and to help sustain the safe operation of schools.
  
  
• Department of Education Releases Draft Guidance for Resuming K-12 Accountability: On December 17, the Department released draft FAQs and additional guidance to help states resume full testing and accountability.
  
  
• Congressional Calendars for 2022 Available: Both the House and Senate have announced their tentative schedules for the year, including time in session, Committee work weeks, and state and district work periods where policymakers are not in DC. You can view a compilation of the calendars from CQ Roll Call here.
  

Research Roundup: Career Planning and Exploration

Career Exploration in Middle Grades: Stride Learning Solutions released a brief discussing the importance of career exploration in the middle grades. It highlights how career exploration in middle school can engage students during a transition period in their lives and help them learn about careers and about themselves. The brief also outlines four key elements to a successful middle school exploration program: offering a wide range of career options, incorporating project-based learning, providing opportunities to learn and practice 21st-century skills, and offering extended learning experiences such as job shadowing and career technical student organizations. The publication references ACTE’s report, Career Exploration in Middle School: Setting Students on the Path to Success.

 

Impacts of Education and Career Planning: The Institute of Education Sciences recently released a report about the effect of education and career planning on high school students’ postsecondary-going behaviors, such as submitting the FAFSA or enrolling in a postsecondary institution. Using longitudinal survey data from the National Center for Education Statistics, researchers concluded the following:

• Most public high schools required students to develop an education and/or career plan (ECP). About 56% required a combined education and career plan, 21% required an education plan only and 6% required a career plan only.
• Schools that required ECPs were more likely to be rural, have a higher percentage of Black students and have a higher percentage of students facing economic barriers.
• Most students created an ECP in the fall of grade 9, but only 44% of students received adult support to develop their plan and only 22% reviewed their plan annually with an adult.
• Students that developed an ECP with adult support and reviewed their plan annually were more likely to display postsecondary-going behaviors.

Implementing ICAPs: Advance CTE published a brief highlighting best practices for implementing individual career and academic plans (ICAPs) at the state and local levels by drawing on examples from states like Colorado, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin. When implemented equitably and collaboratively, ICAPs can connect education with a student’s career and life goals. Below are Advance CTE’s recommendations for states to implement effective ICAPs:

• Implement ICAPs systematically by incorporating ICAPs into graduation requirements and curriculum and by involving multiple stakeholders, such as employers and community partners.
• Introduce ICAPs in middle school and support technology that allows students to transfer their ICAPs from high school to postsecondary and the workforce.
• To ensure ICAPs are high quality and equitable, create data-driven accountability systems and provide targeted supports and interventions to students who face additional barriers.
• Use state levers to build local capacity by investing in advising professionals and cross-system data and reporting systems, disseminating best practices and providing training to districts and schools.

Helping Young Adults Build Careers: Disruptions to schooling and employment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could have lasting impacts on young adults due to lost career development opportunities. Recently, JFF released a report discussing how community-based talent development organizations can assist young adults in gaining high-wage jobs and embarking on successful careers while the U.S. economy recovers. The following are four strategies for organizations to implement outlined by the report:

• Use recent labor market data to identify high-wage, high-growth jobs and incorporate those occupations into career advising and workforce development opportunities.
• Create career pathways based on transferable skills that allow young adults to enter better paying jobs with opportunities to advance internally or move into different career areas.
• Establish wide-reaching and strong employer partnerships through cross-sector collaboration and understanding employer needs.
• Advocate for policies supporting young adults’ economic advancement such as short-term Pell grants, work-based learning and investments to programs serving underrepresented adults.

Learn more about the benefits of expanding Pell grants to short-term CTE programs.

New Resource: “Pell Grants & Short-term Programs: Unlocking Careers and Educational Opportunities”

Today, ACTE released a new fact sheet on expanding access to high-quality short-term postsecondary CTE programs. High-quality short-term postsecondary programs can help individuals earn credentials at an affordable cost and enter the workforce in high-wage, high-demand CTE industries.

Since 2010, the number of certificates awarded by public colleges has increased by nearly 30%. While the prevalence of short-term education programs is growing, Title IV of the Higher Education Act limits Pell grant eligibility to postsecondary programs that are at least 600 hours of instruction over 15 weeks, excluding students enrolled in some programs leading to valuable credentials from receiving federal aid.

This fact sheet advocates for the expansion of Pell grants to include high-quality short-term postsecondary programs by defining the issue and providing evidence about how these programs, paired with financial assistance, can lead to higher enrollment and completion rates, continued education, workforce opportunities and wage gains. Additionally, the sheet also features state-level examples from Iowa’s Gap Tuition Assistance Program and Virginia’s New Economy Workforce Credentials Grant.

We encourage you to share this fact sheet with federal, state and local education and workforce development leaders, policymakers and the media to advocate for expanding Pell grants to high-quality short-term postsecondary CTE programs!