CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition VI

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from New Mexico, Nevada and New York.

In New Mexico's First Congressional District, Democrat Deb Haaland replaced Democratic incumbent Michelle Lujan Grisham, who successfully ran for governor. Rep. Haaland is one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress. During the campaign, she pledged to "champion career and technical education," noting the various benefits of CTE and the importance of investing in it. She also supported making public colleges and universities tuition free. In New Mexico's Second Congressional District, Democrat Xochitl Torres Small replaced Republican Steve Pearce, who unsuccessfully ran for governor. Torres Small's parents were both educators, while she is a water attorney by trade. During the campaign, she spoke largely about her commitment to public education.

In Nevada, Democrat Jacky Rosen defeated incumbent Republican Dean Heller. Sen. Rosen previously served in the House, where she was a member of the CTE Caucus. She has been named to serve on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Sen. Rosen is a former computer programmer, and advocated during the campaign for STEM education, skills-training, apprenticeships and college affordability. You can read more about Sen. Rosen in an interview we did with her while she was in the House.

Replacing Sen. Rosen in Nevada's Third Congressional District is Democrat Susie Lee. Rep. Lee, who was recently named to the House Education & Labor Committee, was the founding director of an after school program for children. She also served as the president of Communities in Schools of Nevada, a dropout prevention program. She has served on various education-related advisory committees. In her campaign, she advocated for funding "training and apprenticeship programs," saying "innovative training programs" can prepare students "for the careers of the future." In Nevada's Fourth Congressional District, Democrat Steven Horsford replaced Democrat Ruben Kihuen, who did not seek re-election. Rep. Horsford previously represented the district in Congress from 2013-2015, and before that served as the Nevada Senate Majority Leader. Rep. Horsford was once the CEO of a job training program in culinary arts, and also served on the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board.

In New York, Democrat Max Rose defeated incumbent Republican Dan Donovan in the state's Eleventh Congressional District. Rep. Rose's mother was a community college professor, and he is a veteran and has worked in the government and non-profit sectors. On his website, Rep. Rose pledged to "fight to expand vocational education and manufacturing institutes." In the state's Fourteenth Congressional District, Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley in a primary, and went on to win the general election. Before her election, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez worked at various non-profits, including as an educational director for the National Hispanic Institute. In her campaign, she focused heavily on "tuition-free public college and trade school."

In New York's Nineteenth Congressional District, Democrat Antonio Delgado defeated Republican incumbent John Faso. Rep. Delgado, a lawyer, advocated for investing in "trade and vocational schools and apprenticeship programs" during the campaign. In New York's Twenty-second Congressional District, Democrat Anthony Brindisi defeated Republican incumbent Claudia Tenney. Rep. Brindisi is a former state assemblyman, school board member and attorney. On his website, he notes the need to "invest in CTE programs in our middle schools and our high schools that will prepare students for high paying, high skilled careers in advanced manufacturing and the trades."

You can find the fifth edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.

Webinar: State CTE Policies in 2018

2018 was a significant year for CTE on the federal and state levels, with the majority of states taking action to support and expand CTE. These policies address such varied topics as work-based learning, industry-recognized credentials, credit transfer, graduation requirements and access and equity issues.

Join ACTE and Advance CTE on Thursday, February 14, from 2:00-3:00pm EST for a webinar that will unpack findings from our joint publication, State Policies Impacting CTE: 2018 Year in Review, to be released Tuesday, January 29.

The webinar will explore trends in state CTE policy and discuss implications of Perkins V for 2019 state policy. Participants will also hear from state leaders in Michigan about the state’s Marshall Plan for Talent and other CTE initiatives.

Sign up for this one-hour webinar at https://acte.webex.com/acte/onstage/g.php?MTID=e51335fc5c59fff9cac1e542425b4b58a, and read the report on January 29.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition V

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

In Missouri, Republican Josh Hawley defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. Hawley, a lawyer by trade, was the state's attorney general. Before that, he was a law professor at the University of Missouri. Hawley's mother was a teacher, and during his campaign he spoke about his desire to "bring down education costs."

In Mississippi, Republican Michael Guest succeeded Republican Gregg Harper, who chose not to seek re-election, in the state's Third Congressional District. Before his election to Congress, Rep. Guest was a state's attorney. He also previously served as the president of the Foundation for Rankin County Public Schools and volunteered at his local high school as the mock trial coach.

In North Dakota, Republican Kevin Cramer defeated incumbent Democrat Heidi Heitkamp. Sen. Cramer, who had previously served in the House of Representatives, is also a former state tourism director and state economic development director. While a House Member, then-Congressman Cramer was a member of the House CTE Caucus. Replacing Sen. Cramer in North Dakota's at-large House seat is Republican Kelly Armstrong. Rep. Armstrong, a lawyer, previously served in the state legislature.

In New Hampshire's First Congressional District, Democrat Christopher Pappas replaced Democrat Carol Shea-Porter, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Pappas previously served on the New Hampshire Executive Council and co-owns a restaurant. On the campaign trail, Rep. Pappas advocated for "tuition-free education at community colleges and public universities," and for expanding "job training, career and technical education, and apprenticeship programs." He also urged for greater investments in CTE, drawing on his experience in the restaurant business to underscore the importance of "quality education and job training."

In New Jersey's Second Congressional District, Democrat Jeff Van Drew replaced Republican Frank LoBiondo, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Van Drew has a long record in local and state government, and talked about addressing college affordability during his campaign. In New Jersey's Third Congressional District, Democrat Andy Kim defeated incumbent Republican Tom MacArthur. Rep. Kim previously worked in the State Department and for President Obama on national security issues. On the campaign trail, Rep. Kim advocated for additional STEM funding.

Also in New Jersey, in the state's Seventh Congressional District, Democrat Tom Malinowski defeated incumbent Republican Leonard Lance. Rep. Malinowski previously served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. During his campaign, Rep. Malinowski advocated for increased investments in STEAM, raising teacher pay, eliminating tuition at two-year community colleges and promoting more lifelong learning opportunities. In the state's Eleventh Congressional District, Democrat Mikie Sherrill replaced Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, who chose not to seek re-election. Rep. Sherrill is a former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor. In her campaign, she stressed college affordability issues and stated that "we need to do much more to support two-year and vocational programs."

You can find the fourth edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover New Mexico, Nevada and New York.

House Democrats Name New Education & Labor Committee Members

The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee has recommended 14 new Democrats to serve on the Education and Labor Committee. While the full Democratic caucus will later vote on these recommendations, the appointments are all but certain. This list does not include those currently serving on the Committee or potential changes related to current members, as that information has not yet been released. House Republicans have not yet announced their appointments.

The Democrats' new appointments include:

• Josh Harder (D-CA)
• Jahana Hayes (D-CT)
• Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)
• Susie Lee (D-NV)
• Andy Levin (D-MI)
• Lucy McBath (D-GA)
• Joe Morelle (D-NY)
• Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
• Kim Schrier (D-WA)
• Donna Shalala (D-FL)
• Haley Stevens (D-MI)
• David Trone (D-MD)
• Lauren Underwood (D-IL)
• Susan Wild (D-PA)

Of these members, 11 are freshmen. Some of them will bring considerable education-related experience to the Committee. For instance, Rep. Hayes is an educator and community college graduate who was named the national teacher of the year by the National Education Association in 2016. Rep. Lee served as the president of Communities in Schools of Nevada, a dropout prevention organization. Rep. Ilhan previously worked as a community nutrition educator at the University of Minnesota. Rep. Shalala served in the Peace Corps, where she worked to construct an agricultural college in Iran. She also served as a college professor and later president of the University of Miami. Rep. Stevens led a job training program, launched a STEM education program to expose students to digital manufacturing and created an online certification program for digital manufacturing.

ACTE will work closely with these new Members of Congress on the House Education and Labor Committee to promote CTE. If you live in a district with a new Member of Congress, or your Member of Congress is not a member of the CTE Caucus, use ACTE's action center to ask them to join it today!

ACTE Makes C-SPAN Appearance

On Monday, ACTE Deputy Executive Director Steve DeWitt appeared on C-SPAN. The program, "Your Money," is a series devoted to highlighting different federal expenditures. On this episode, Steve and host John McArdle discussed Perkins funding and CTE broadly.

Included as part of the program, listeners from across the country called in to ask questions and discuss experience they might have had in CTE programs. You can watch the half-hour program by clicking here.

Research Round-up: Credential Value, Non-cognitive Skills, Work-based Learning

Start your new year off with recent publications relevant to CTE. The following briefs and reports address such issues as work-based learning implementation, educational credentials and their value in the workplace, expanding apprenticeship, community college-employer engagement, the importance of non-cognitive skills and the connections between Advanced Placement and CTE.

Advanced Placement and CTE: Advanced Placement (AP) and CTE courses can complement each other to prepare students for success in their college and career pathways, while maximizing students’ limited time. The College Board and Advance CTE, with consultation from state CTE directors, have investigated how AP courses connect to the 16 Career Clusters in the National Career Clusters Framework®. The publication includes a crosswalk aligning Career Clusters with relevant AP courses and exams.

Work-based Learning Implementation: Five core elements of work-based learning are described in a recent publication from the American Institutes for Research College & Career Readiness & Success Center: infrastructure, capacity building, stakeholder engagement and communication, alignment, and monitoring and feedback. This document includes a self-assessment for work-based learning intermediaries coordinating among various stakeholders as well as links to supporting resources.

Pathways to Success: Three pathways to good jobs are outlined in a recent report from the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce: the bachelor’s degree pathway, the middle skills pathway and the high school pathway. Analyzing U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the Georgetown researchers conclude that about one-quarter of “good jobs” (defined as paying at least $35,000 in the first part of an individual’s career and $45,000 closer to retirement age) are in the middle skills pathway, with those jobs increasingly moving from blue collar industries to fields such as health care, IT and financial services. Meanwhile, 56 percent of good jobs are on the bachelor’s degree pathway, and 20 percent are for those with no more than a high school diploma.

Credential Value in the Workplace: Almost half of U.S. employers surveyed by Northeastern University’s Center for the Future of Higher Education and Talent Strategy have increased the level of education preferred or required for the same job roles in the past five years, owing to a combination of higher-level skills needed for these jobs and an increased supply of potential hires with more education.

This survey of 750 human resource leaders at U.S. employers, across all industries and organization sizes, also found that 74 percent of respondents are open to accepting years of experience in place of credentials. In addition, about two-thirds of employers have begun to adopt skills- or competency-based hiring, or are considering moving in this direction, and a similar percentage consider online credentials to be of equal quality with those earned face-to-face.

Finally, the HR leaders surveyed were asked to choose among 10 priorities that they would recommend colleges and universities consider when developing online credentials. The number 1 priority chosen was to include real-world activities and engagement with employers.

Apprenticeship Expansion and Measurement: This brief defines quality in apprenticeships and describes principles for expanding quality apprenticeship. It was produced by the Apprenticeship Forward Collaborative—a coalition of national organizations, including the National Skills Coalition, New America, Jobs for the Future, Advance CTE, Opportunity America and others—in response to growing interest in apprenticeship on the state level and the federal expansion of apprenticeship through Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs.

To support apprenticeship expansion, states should incorporate apprenticeships into their postsecondary attainment goals and strengthen processes for collecting and analyzing apprenticeship data, as described in a recent brief by the Workforce Data Quality Campaign.

The Need for Non-cognitive Skills: The American Enterprise Institute is continuing its focus on non-cognitive skills with a publication that describes the need for these skills and the benefits they bring to workers and employers. Author Brent Orrell concludes that a blend of technical skills and non-cognitive skills will best prepare workers for fast-growing, well-paying occupations, and he describes examples, such as the Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME).

Community Colleges Engage Employers: Community colleges in New York State actively engage with a variety of employers, according to a survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The colleges surveyed typically work with more than 100 local employers across every industry, with engagement most common in health care, manufacturing and information sectors and with mid-sized employers. Employers frequently serve on advisory boards, provide guest lectures and workplace tours, offer work-based learning, participate in career fairs and mentoring, and promote the college’s programs. Less frequently, they provide direct financial aid or equipment donations.

116th Congress: New Member Profiles, Edition IV

Continuing with our coverage of new Members of Congress, this week we profile new Members from Maryland, Maine, Michigan and Minnesota.

In Maryland's Sixth Congressional District, Democrat David Trone replaced John Delaney, a Democrat who chose not to seek re-election and has instead declared his candidacy for president. Trone is a businessman who founded and co-owns a large wine retail company. Trone, whose mother was a teacher, urges investment "in students who choose not to pursue a four-year degree." Citing unfilled jobs as a result of the skills gap, Trone supports free community college, investments in career readiness initiatives, and expanding "skilled trade and apprenticeship opportunities for high school students." He also acknowledges that "[w]e need to do more to recruit, train, and retain high quality teachers," and provide better pay.

In Maine's Second Congressional District, Democrat Jared Golden defeated Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin. Golden is a veteran who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Golden supports increasing teacher pay and instituting a universal service program where students would earn a two-year education benefit in exchange for community service.

In Michigan's Eighth Congressional District, Democrat Elissa Slotkin defeated incumbent Republican Mike Bishop. Slotkin spent her career at the CIA, State Department and Department of Defense. During her campaign, Slotkin emphasized a focus on "skilled trade programs," also stressing the need for "more options—more certification programs and college apprenticeship programs..." In the state's Ninth Congressional District, Democrat Andy Levin replaced his father, Sander Levin, who decided not to seek re-election. Levin served in the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, overseeing an effort to provide job training to unemployed workers. He also served as the state's first chief workforce officer, where he says he supported "community colleges and apprenticeship programs that train and retrain workers for skilled jobs across many industries."

Also in Michigan, in the state's Eleventh Congressional District, Democrat Haley Stevens replaced Republican David Trott, who chose not to seek re-election. Stevens touts her career as being focused on economic and workforce development issues. Her experience includes leading a job training program and creating an online certification program for digital manufacturing. She also launched a STEM education program to expose secondary students to digital manufacturing. Stevens proposed making community college tuition free, and labels herself a "strong proponent of apprenticeship and vocational education." In the state's Thirteenth Congressional District, Democrat Rashida Tlaib defeated Democrat Brenda Jones, who had briefly replaced longtime Congressman John Conyers. Tlaib previously worked in the Michigan House of Representatives, before winning her own seat. She then worked at a legal services nonprofit. During her campaign, she advocated for "debt-free college and vocational training," saying it was important to make "trade schools tuition free for working families."

In Minnesota, five of the state's eight Congressional Districts have new Members. In the state's First Congressional District, Republican Jim Hagedorn replaced Democrat Tim Walz, who chose not to seek re-election and was instead elected governor. Hagedorn, whose father was a Congressman, spent most of his career working in government. He does not list education issues on his website. In the Second Congressional District, Democrat Angie Craig defeated Republican Jason Lewis. Craig previously worked in journalism, communications and human resources. Craig advocates for ensuring that "career training and vocational education is a priority again." She notes the need to "make higher education affordable and re-emphasize the range of career options available to young people, from colleges to technical degrees to apprenticeship." She supports legislation to provide two years of postsecondary education to every student.

In Minnesota's Third Congressional District, Democrat Dean Phillips defeated Republican incumbent Erik Paulsen. Phillips is a businessman, and has been involved in the distilling, gelato, and coffee businesses. Phillips touts his support for "federal pilot funding for innovative ideas like apprenticeships, three-year degrees that combine high school and college, [and] competency-based education." He also pledges to address college affordability, and says he will explore tying some federal higher education funding to students' employment outcomes.

In Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District, Democrat Ilhan Omar replaced Democrat Keith Ellison, who was elected as the state's attorney general. Omar, who came to the U.S. as a refugee, began her career as a community nutrition educator at the University of Minnesota. She later worked for Minnesota's Department of Education as a child nutrition outreach coordinator, and served in the state house. Her campaign focused on college affordability. In the state's Eighth Congressional District, Republican Pete Stauber replaced Democrat Rick Nolan, who opted not to seek re-election. Stauber is a former county commissioner who is a retired police officer. Stauber does not list his education platform on his website.

You can find the third edition of new Member profiles here. Stay tuned for next week's recap of New Members of Congress, which will cover Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

Senate HELP Committee Takes Shape

Now that the 116th Congress has been sworn in, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has taken shape. The partisan divide will remain unchanged on the Committee at 12-11. As we previously reported, on the Democratic side, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) will not be returning to the Committee and will be replaced by freshman Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

On the Republican side, significantly, Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) will not be returning to the Committee. Sen. Young is one of four Senate CTE Caucus Co-Chairs. While Sen. Young will no longer be on the Committee, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), both Caucus Co-Chairs, will be returning. Sen. Young will be replaced by the freshman senator from his state, Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN). As we previously reported, Sen. Braun is a former state legislator and businessman, whose family business once involved manufacturing truck bodies and now focuses on truck accessories. 

Also on the Republican side, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who chose not to seek re-election, will be replaced by Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). Sen. Romney, the Republican nominee for president in 2008, has a record on education as a former governor of Massachusetts. Education Week did a thorough dive into that record:

As governor of Massachusetts, Romney championed tough academic standards, and pushed for the state to adopt a new test in science for accountability purposes. He also pushed for the state to be measured on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) alongside other countries—Massachusetts ended up looking relatively good. And he defended the Bay State's high school exit exam. He also supported teacher merit pay and tying teacher evaluations in part to test scores. 

ACTE will work with these new HELP Committee Members, along with all Members of Congress, to strengthen CTE. The House Education and Labor Committee is expected to announce its membership later this month.

116th Congress Convenes – Calendars for the Year Available

The 116th Congress officially convenes today, with new members being sworn in and official leadership elections. We’ve covered new members and leaders extensively on the blog over the past two months, and will continue to highlight them as the new Congress kicks off!

Of particular importance to CTE advocacy work are the calendars for this Congress. By reviewing these calendars early in the year, you can determine when Members of Congress are likely to be in Washington and when they will be at home in their states and districts. These state and district work periods are the perfect opportunity to engage in local advocacy efforts—to attend town hall meetings, schedule visits in local offices, and even more importantly, to invite Members of Congress to tour your CTE programs or attend events on your campuses.

This year’s House calendar is focused on being more “family friendly,” with votes scheduled within specific time constraints and plenty of time for Members to return to their districts. The Senate’s tentative calendar is very similar, although fewer details on vote times are available. You can view a complete calendar of both chambers here. Time periods when both the House and Senate are schedule to be on recess include:

• January 21 – 25
• February 18 – 22
• March 18 – 22
• April 15 – 26
• May 27 – 31
• August 5 – September 6
• September 30 – October 14
• November 25 – 29
• December 16 – 31

Take advantage of these times to connect with your federal policymakers back home!

Department of Education Hosts Rethink CTE Summit

In mid-December, the Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education hosted a “Rethink CTE Summit” to bring together CTE stakeholders, including approximately 125 leaders from education, business, philanthropy and related associations.

The Summit focused on ways that these leaders could work together to move CTE forward, particularly in the context of Perkins V and new state and local planning. The goal of the one-day meeting was to spur “active involvement by a wider array of stakeholders (business, association, foundation) equipped and committed to collaborate with State and Local education agencies in “rethinking” CTE through the development of each state’s Perkins V Plan.”

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos helped to kick off the event and challenged the audience: “As innovators in education and business, you are in a position to help students get ready—for life and careers—with out-of-the-box learning opportunities.  You are in a position to rethink education.” The remainder of the day, led by OCTAE Assistant Secretary Scott Stump, featured expert panels and presentations and time for large and small group discussion and feedback. A highlight of the day was a panel of CTSO student leaders discussing their experiences and perceptions of CTE around the country.

ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson, along with Deputy Executive Director Steve DeWitt and Public Policy Director Alisha Hyslop attended the event and participated in the dialogue, making valuable contacts and sharing details about the CTE system and educators.

You can access more information on the conference website, including PowerPoint presentation, handouts, and participant/speaker lists . You can also read the Department’s blog post about the event.