CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Education Secretary Cardona Prioritizes CTE in Major Policy Speech

On January 24, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced a new Education Department initiative called “Raise the Bar: Lead the World” in a what was called a “major address” at the Department’s headquarters.

The new initiative outlines the Secretary’s priorities and direction of the agency for the coming year in three major areas: achieving academic excellence, improving learning conditions and creating pathways for global engagements. The Department emphasized that these were not new priorities, but rather “a call to strengthen our will to transform education for the better, building on approaches that we know work in education.”

CTE was featured prominently in the section of the speech focused on global competitiveness and college and career pathways, and we’ve included the text of that portion of the speech below for reference. It is a positive sign to hear the Secretary speaking specifically about CTE as a key education and economic solution, and over the coming weeks, we will be working closely with the Department on ways to strengthen their work. Stay tuned for more information about this new initiative!

Excerpt from Secretary’s speech:

Currently, our Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 system and college systems are disconnected. 

For too many students, the gaps between the systems are too big to cross. 

For example, the skills for the high paying jobs that will be made available through the CHIPS and Science Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the climate provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act must be better infused into our K-12 education system, especially STEM and Career Technical Education courses, so our students graduate with options for success.

This means that dual enrollment courses for local colleges should start at 11th grade and that ambitious high schoolers can graduate with an associate’s degree or credential without paying a penny.

Already, we’ve secured over a billion dollars in funding for career and technical education through the Perkins Grant program and $25 million for career-connected high schools.  Now is the time to build on that.

To help get there, in November, we launched a new pathways initiative called Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success – together with the First Lady and the Secretaries of Labor and Commerce.  As we roll out this initiative, it will include very specific plans on how our high schools should be evolved to meet the career and college pathways of today and tomorrow.  Look out for our plan:  Better yet, put it to good use. 

It also means that Career Pathways in high schools can lead to micro credentials for the jobs of today and tomorrow.  We have the students for the careers needed to build America. We just have to better align our systems and clear the path for our students.

We must challenge our myopic view that emphasizing the importance of career pathways is about limiting students, or the view that it’s four-year-college or bust. 

Advancing career pathways in high schools is about more options for students, not less. What it does is prepare them for the careers of today with options, and in some cases, their employer will pay for their future education.

If we do this well, our graduates will be able to compete on a global stage. 

It’s my intention to Raise the Bar so we can lead the world in advanced career and technical education. 

ACTE Launches 118th Congress Freshmen Advocacy Guide

Every two years, a new crop of federal policymakers enter Congress for the beginning of the next congressional session. ACTE has developed this resource to help you effectively develop relationships with new Members of Congress and urge them to support policies that will help advance high-quality CTE for all learners. The start of the 118th Congress presents the perfect opportunity to inform them about CTE and encourage their support! 

CTE advocates are in an excellent position to provide these new members with information about their programs and how these programs affect their communities. If you can develop a working relationship with the new Member and his or her staff, they will look to you more often and ask for your input as issues come forward.

Don’t forget to maintain relationships with your returning policymakers! Even lawmakers who have been in office before may shift their focuses and priorities, so reiterate your willingness to serve as a resource for them.

If you have questions about advocacy in the 118th Congress, please contact Jori Houck, Media Relations and Advocacy Associate, at jhouck@acteonline.org or Government Relations Manager, Zach Curtis (zcurtis@acteonline.org). 

Visit the advocacy guide here!

Election Watch: Key House Freshmen of the 118th Congress

As the 118th Congress gets underway, ACTE has created a list of some of the freshmen members in the House of Representatives with established connections to education or education policy, based on publicly available information. Several of these new Members of Congress have discussed CTE-related issues and priorities in their campaigns. Here is a preview of their public statements and/or plans for education as they begin their service.

• Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-6) - Rep. Ciscomani is a first-generation college graduate, and is a supporter of school choice. Previously, he was an advisor to former Arizona governor Doug Ducey.

 

• Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42) - Rep. Garcia is a supporter of tuition-free community college. He has previously served as a professor of public policy and communications at California State University, Long Beach, and as mayor of Long Beach, CA. 

 

• Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) - Rep. Kamlager-Dove previously served in the California State Senate, California State Assembly and as a trustee for the Los Angeles Community College District. 

 

• Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-7) - Rep. Pettersen previously served as a member of the Colorado State Senate and Colorado House of Representatives, representing the 28th district. As a state senator, she chaired the House Education Committee. She plans to work to invest in community colleges to reduce costs for students.

 

• Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-8) - Rep. Caraveo is a first-generation college graduate and pediatrician. She previously represented the 31st district in the Colorado House of Representatives.

 

• Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL-15) - Rep. Lee served as Florida Secretary of State and as a judge in the Florida Thirteenth Circuit Court. Her mother was a public school teacher. 

 

• Rep. Jared Evan Moskowitz (D-FL-23) - Rep. Moskowitz is a school safety and mental health advocate. He has previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and has a background in emergency management. He supports expanding school funding, increasing teacher pay and improving school safety. 

 

• Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI-2) - Rep. Tokuda previously served as a member of the Hawaii Senate, where she chaired the Education Committee. She supports universal access to free public education from early childhood through college, and funding for workforce training. She was co-director of CyberHawaii, which supports workforce development in IT, cyber security and data science.

 

• Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-1) - Rep. Jackson is a former business professor at Chicago State University. He supports workforce training through community and technical colleges.

 

• Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) - Rep. Budzinksi previously served as chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). She plans to work to expand CTE opportunities and skills training. 

 

• Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA-15) - Rep. Nunn previously served in the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives and as a member of the Iowa Air National Guard. His father was a teacher. 

 

• Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-3) - Rep. McGarvey formerly represented Kentucky’s 19th Senate District. He is a supporter of universal pre-K and tuition-free community college. 

 

• Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD-4) - Rep. Ivey has worked on Capitol Hill, primarily serving as a counsel in the Senate. He supports increased federal funding for education. He previously served as the state's attorney for Prince George's County, Maryland. 

 

• Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI-3) - Rep. Scholten was formerly an attorney for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. Her campaign materials note that she will advocate for teacher compensation, early childhood education, college affordability and apprenticeship and skilled trades programs. 

 

• Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) - Rep. Thanedar previously served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. He is a researcher and entrepreneur. He writes ”The skilled workforce is the backbone of our societal infrastructure and should be treated with such respect.  Apprenticeships are often funded, paid, provide hands-on training and experience, don’t result in debt, and provide an actual pathway to employment. That’s why I also support free skills training and vocational schools.” 

 

• Rep. Marie Glusenkamp Perez (D-WA-3) - Rep. Glusenkamp Perez is the owner of a small auto repair business. She campaigned on investing and expanding apprenticeship and skills training programs at high schools, community colleges and vocational schools.

 

• Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT-1) - Rep. Zinke is returning to serve in Congress as Montana’s First Congressional District representative after serving as Interior Secretary under former President Trump and representing Montana‘s formerly at-large Congressional District. He is a supporter of school choice. He notes on his campaign website from the Montana State Senate “We expanded options for rural education and skilled trades, knowing that not every kid learns the same way or excels in the same subjects.”   

 

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) - Rep. Crockett previously represented the 100th District in the Texas House of Representatives. Her father is a teacher. 

 

• Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT-AL) - Rep. Balint last served as a member and majority leader of the Vermont Senate. She is also a former middle school teacher. 

 

• Rep. Gabriel Vasquez (D-NM-2) - Rep. Vasquez previously served as a member of the Las Cruces, NM, City Council. In addition, he worked for Washington, DC-based First Focus as an advocate for children and families.  

 

• Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC-4) - Rep. Foushee is a former school board member. She is also a supporter of universal free pre-K and cancelling student debt. 

 

• Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR-14) - Rep. Hoyle is a first-generation college graduate. She is a supporter of paid apprenticeship programs, cancelling student loan debt and tuition-free community college. She notes in her campaign platform that “As Labor Commissioner, [she] has championed paid apprenticeship programs that provide hands-on workforce training throughout Oregon and expanded apprenticeship opportunities beyond the building and construction trades in partnership with labor unions, employers and community colleges.” 

DC Digest: January 14-22

This week in Washington was a quiet one for CTE-related items. While the House was in recess, lawmakers were focused on announcing their first few committee hearings, determining further committee assignments, and holding conversations about the debt limit and potential environmental and tax legislation. The Senate is also out of session, returning Monday, January 23. We expect its focus to be on assigning senators to committees and announcing the first few hearings of the 118th Congress when it returns. As Washington kicks into high gear during the next few weeks and months, it will be a busy time for CTE advocates, so stay tuned for more news and resources to come! Here are your key updates this week:

• House Determines Committee Balances, Names Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs for the 118th Congress: On January 16, House Republican Steering Committee leaders named their picks to join several top House committees, informally known as “A-list” committees. A list of Members joining the A-list committees can be found here. House Appropriations subcommittee chairs, known as the “cardinals,” were also named. Read more here.

• Department of Education Awards Grants to Support Postsecondary Students: Secretary Cardona has announced 38 grant awards totaling over $30 million to colleges and universities from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), which aims to improve higher education opportunities and outcomes for students from underrepresented communities. The grants will support postsecondary institutions, including many community and technical colleges, in advancing innovative and evidence-based strategies to better support their students, address students' basic needs, launch open textbook programs, improve campus resources for veterans and create opportunities for violence-impacted youth. Read more about the awards here.

• Department of Education Awards Grants to High-Need Communities: The Department of Education has announced awards totaling more than $35 million for the Promise Neighborhoods and Project Prevent grant programs. Promise Neighborhoods grants provide coordinated support services and programs to students from low-income backgrounds at every stage of their education from early childhood through their careers. For fiscal year 2022, four new grants totaling $23 million will focus on the implementation of services in neighborhoods that have not yet received support through the program. Read more about the grants here.

• Department of Education Releases Candidates for 2023 Presidential Scholars: The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program honors some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors, including those chosen as candidates for Presidential Scholar in CTE. View the complete list here.

House Determines Committee Balances, Names Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs for the 118th Congress

On January 16, House Republican Steering Committee leaders named their picks to join several top House committees, informally known as “A-list” committees. These include the House Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services and Ways and Means Committees. The ratios of Democratic to Republican members for each committee were agreed upon by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).

A list of Members joining the A-list committees can be found here.

House Appropriations subcommittee chairs, known as the “cardinals,” were also named.

Most notable for CTE stakeholders, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) was named as the chair of the Labor-Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which has appropriations jurisdiction over education and workforce development programs through the Departments of Education and Labor. Rep. Aderholt replaces Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) as the lead Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee Republican. You can view a full list of appropriations cardinals here.

DC Digest: January 9-13

The first full week of the 118th Congress has wrapped up. With Members of Congress now sworn in, focus is shifting to organizing committees and beginning work on legislation. In particular, there is already a lot of conversation over fiscal year 2024 funding levels and the debt ceiling. The Senate remains out of session until January 23, and the House will return to Washington on Monday, January 16.

ACTE will soon publish a resource on engaging in advocacy with freshmen Members of Congress. As the 118th Congress is getting underway, it is an important time for CTE advocates to begin getting to know these new members and think about developing relationships with them!

• Updated: Investing in CTE Yields Big Returns: ACTE has updated its fact sheet about the economic benefits that CTE programs have for learners and communities across the country. The Investing in CTE map shows just a sampling of CTE's financial impacts across different states and localities. View the graphic here.

• House Republicans Advance Rules, Committee Chairs: After Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was finally elected Speaker of the House early last Saturday morning, the new Republican majority in the House turned to other organizing activities necessary for the 118th Congress. Read more here.

• House Education and Workforce Committee Republicans Begin Oversight: New House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has begun several promised oversight activities. Read her letter to Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona here.

• New Proposed Income-Driven Student Loan Repayment Plan: The Department of Education has released a proposal to reform the existing income-driven student loan repayment plan. The plan would amend the terms of the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) plan to offer $0 monthly payments for any individual borrower who makes less than roughly $30,600 annually and any borrower in a family of four who makes less than about $62,400. The regulations would also cut in half monthly payments on undergraduate loans for borrowers who do not otherwise have a $0 payment in this plan. The proposed regulations would also ensure that borrowers stop seeing their balances grow due to the accumulation of unpaid interest after making their monthly payments.

• Statement from Senate Appropriations Leaders on Appropriations Bills: Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the Senate Appropriations Committee’s new Chair and Ranking Member, issued a joint statement on their bipartisan commitment to funding the government and passing the Senate’s appropriations bills through regular order. Read the full statement here.

• Department of Labor Awards Grants to Support Justice-Involved Young People: The Department of Labor has announced the award of $33 million in Growth Opportunities grants to programs in 11 states. Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the second round of grants will enable 13 organizations to help justice-involved young people develop leadership skills, offer mentorship and provide education, training and paid work experiences.

Bill Passed Promoting Interstate Teacher Mobility for Military Spouses

Prior to the end of the 117th Congress, language similar to the Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act was passed via the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022, H.R. 7939, and signed into law on January 5. The new law will require states and territories to recognize professional licenses, such as teaching licenses, for the spouses of active-duty military personnel who have been relocated to a new base. This is a significant victory for CTE educators, programs and learners near military bases who are impacted by teacher shortages.  

Rather than having to restart the licensure process, which may dissuade a teacher from remaining in the profession, they can now present their existing license and military orders. They must be in good standing with the issuing licensing authority and have actively used the license within the prior two years. In the case that a state or territory already has an interstate licensure compact in place, the teacher must abide by the requirements set by the compact, where applicable.  

This is an important step in ensuring that teachers can remain in the classroom no matter where they move. ACTE also supports a broader effort, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, which aims to have all states and territories recognize out-of-state teacher licenses without placing unnecessary burden on the licensee. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these efforts, please contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Zach Curtis (zcurtis@acteonline.org). 

Updated: Investing in CTE Yields Big Returns

ACTE has updated its fact sheet about the economic benefits that CTE programs have for learners and communities across the country. The Investing in CTE map shows just a sampling of CTE's financial impacts across different states and localities:

• Five years after earning a CTE credential in Ohio, on average, individuals receive a more than 220% return on investment.
• Iowa Community College alumni employed in the Iowa workforce generate $4.8 billion in added income for the state’s economy.
• Secondary CTE concentrators in Massachusetts, on average, make $3,359 more in annual earnings seven years after graduating high school than non-CTE concentrators.

Please share this infographic, along with ACTE's other fact sheets, with fellow CTE advocates, the media, policymakers, and students and families to communicate the many benefits of CTE.

House Republicans Advance Rules, Committee Chairs

After Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was finally elected Speaker of the House early Saturday morning, the new Republican majority in the House turned to other organizing activities necessary for the 118th Congress. First, Republicans approved a rules package that will govern the House of Representatives this Congress. These rules included the concessions that Speaker McCarthy made in order to receive enough votes from conservative Republicans. The rules package, which passed along party lines, makes many significant changes to House procedure, including:  

• A single Member can now call a “motion to vacate,” which calls a vote to oust the Speaker of the House.  
• All bills must be limited to a single subject with tight restrictions on overriding this requirement, which could make it harder to combine bills or attach smaller bills to larger legislation.  

Agreements made by Republicans outside the rules package could threaten education funding, including the Perkins Basic State Grant, in fiscal year (FY) 2024. Speaker McCarthy promised to write FY 2024 appropriations bills at no more than the overall FY 2022 funding level, with most negotiators noting that these cuts will come from non-defense spending rather than defense discretionary funding. If this does occur, this would mean a total of $130 billion, or 8%, would be cut from the federal budget, endangering all education and workforce programs.   

In addition, Republican leaders have also moved forward on selecting committee leaders for the 118th Congress. On January 9, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) was selected by the Republican Steering Committee to lead the now-renamed House Education and Workforce Committee. Foxx, who has served both as ranking member and chair of the committee, was selected over Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), who also formally ran for the position.  

Rep. Foxx says that she will heavily focus on oversight over President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and China’s influence on college campuses. Foxx will also continue her work on reforming the student loan system, as proposed in the REAL Reforms Act which was introduced last year. Further, she has vowed to advance legislation that would require public disclosure of school curricula, budgets and spending, mandate parental access to teachers and school boards, regulate issues pertaining to transgender students and counteract teachers’ unions.  

The Republican Steering Committee also selected Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) to become chairman of the House Small Business Committee, which significantly focused on CTE in the 117th Congress. Williams has worked on CTE legislation during his career, including advancing the Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act, which passed the House last year. ACTE publicly endorsed this bill.  

For any questions regarding legislation in the 118th Congress or suggestions for federal policy solutions to CTE issues, please contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Zach Curtis (zcurts@acteonlien.org).  

DC Digest: December 19-January 8

As we begin the new year, the bulk of the focus has been on the vote for Speaker of the House. The swearing-in progress for House Members and other proceedings of the 118th Congress in the House were temporarily halted until Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was finally elected speaker early Saturday morning.

The U.S. Senate did return to Washington on January 3 to swear in its new members, but Senate now remains out of session until January 23. As we await more news from Washington, here are some key updates:

• Election Watch: Introducing the New Senators-elect: In the 118th Congress, seven new senators-elect will take office. While we will learn more about their education and workforce development priorities as the 118th Congress kicks off, several of the senators-elect have discussed CTE-related issues and priorities in their campaigns. To help CTE advocates prepare to meet these new senators, here is a preview of their public statements and/or plans for education as they begin their service.

• Reflecting on the Accomplishments of Senator Portman and Representative Langevin: Former Congressional CTE Caucus co-chairs Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) have departed from their offices to begin their well-earned retirement. The two public servants have dedicated large parts of their career to advancing the needs of CTE learners, educators and systems, earning them each an ACTE Lifetime Achievement Award this year. Learn more about their accomplishments here.

• 2022 Year-in-Review Legislative Update: As the new 118th Congress organizes, ACTE’s Public Policy team looks back at 2022 and the final year of the 117th Congress with a summary of CTE-related federal policy activities in 2022, and a preview of what to expect in 2023. Read the update here.

• Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act Signed into Law: The Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act - endorsed by ACTE - was included in H.R. 7939, the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022. This bill passed both chambers and was signed into law in December 2022. This is a significant victory for CTE teachers and military families. Read ACTE’s statement endorsing the bill here.

• Committee Leadership Update: Sen. Bernie Sanders has been informally announced as the new Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and it is still expected that Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) will serve as Ranking Member of the HELP Committee.