Staff members of the House of Representatives toured Arlington Career Center in Arlington, VA today to see a real CTE school in action as they work to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The visit was organized by ACTE and the National Association of State Directors of CTE (NASDCTEc).
A panel of Arlington Career Center faculty, administrators, students, a business partner and a representative from the Virginia Office of Career and Technical Education shared with Hill staff the opportunities available to students through CTE, such as dual enrollment and industry credentials, and performance data for students attending the career center. Visiting staff also had an opportunity to tour the classrooms and laboratories for the school’s automotive technology, broadcasting, EMT, physical therapy and animal science programs.
Site visits such as this provide staff with insight into how CTE works on the local level and the benefits it provides students that cannot be learned by staying on Capitol Hill. As the reauthorization process for the Perkins Act moves forward, it is extremely important for Members of Congress to attend program visits to develop a personal connection to CTE.
If you are interested in organizing a program visit, contact your Senators and Representative and check out the information on ACTE’s website on arranging a school visit.
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