CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Data Driven: Benefits from Balancing CTE, Academic Courses

A ratio of one CTE class for every two academic classes minimizes the risk of students dropping out of high school.[i]

CTE excels at keeping students engaged in school with relevant, hands-on learning that prepares them for their future.

The data point above illustrates that a balance of CTE and academic coursework has positive impacts on high school student retention and completion. CTE can also improve college and career readiness; for instance, 80 percent of students taking a college preparatory academic curriculum with rigorous CTE met college and career readiness goals, compared to only 63 percent of students taking the same academic core who did not experience rigorous CTE.[ii]

However, CTE students may struggle to find the time to take CTE courses, as academic requirements for graduation grow. Academic skills are crucial, but their acquisition should be integrated and aligned with technical and employability skills to help prepare students for high-wage, high-demand careers.   

When sharing this information with policymakers, education leaders and parents, point to other data on CTE's impact on student retention and completion (see ACTE Fact Sheets) and talk about your students who have achieved success through a balance of technical, academic and employability skills.

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[i] Plank et al., Dropping Out of High School and the Place of Career and Technical Education, National Research Center for CTE, 2005.

[ii] Southern Regional Education Board, High Schools That Work 2012 Assessment.

ACTE & NASDCTEc Release CTE State Policy Review

2013 was a major year for career and technical education (CTE)! All but three states had legislative or regulatory action in the 2013 calendar year that impacted one or more elements of CTE. This level of engagement by state legislatures, state boards of education, governors' offices and state agencies can be attributed to the growing awareness that CTE is key to engaging learners at all levels, closing the skills gap and bolstering America's competitiveness advantage.

In an effort to capture information on these state policy changes, ACTE and the National Association of State Directors of CTE Consortium partnered to compile and release a new research paper, "State Policies Impacting CTE: 2013 Year in Review." This paper provides both an overview and a state-by-state review of CTE-related policies that were enacted in 2013, including a chart showing key trends across the country.

The policy activities in this report, including legislation, administrative orders and state board rules, were compiled from a thorough review of a number of sources, including state government websites, media stories and compilations such as those prepared by the Education Commission of the States. Follow-up communication was made with CTE state leaders in an attempt to verify information.

The paper is designed to be useful to policymakers, researchers and anyone seeking to influence or better understand CTE state policy. It is our hope that by sharing information about the multitude of activities happening in CTE across the country, we can connect similar work occurring in different places and better influence the adoption of positive CTE policies in all states.

GAO Finds Gaps in WIA Job Training Data

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report analyzing Workforce Investment Act (WIA) job training outcomes and data, noting difficulties in tracking training-related employment outcomes in particular.

From 2006 to 2011, there was a significant increase in the number of people participating in WIA's Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs, likely due to the recession. While more people were served and the number of credentials earned increased over this time period, the percentage of participants earning credentials dropped from 75 percent to 63 percent for the Dislocated Worker Program and from 74 percent to 58 percent for the Adult Program. Some of this decline may be due to differences in state-negotiated performance measures, according to Department of Labor (DOL) officials.

Most training participants who did attain a credential earned an occupational credential, and most spent one year or less receiving training services. The Dislocated Worker Program demonstrated higher attainment rates than the Adult Program.

GAO analysts were not able to determine training-related employment outcomes owing to challenges collecting and reporting data. DOL is taking steps to address this problem, but the report concludes that more needs to be done. The authors recommend that the Secretary of Labor identify and disseminate to states strategies for gathering and reporting data on training-related employment.

Collecting and sharing high-quality data presents challenges that many in the CTE and workforce development communities are working to overcome. ACTE is one of eight national partners in the Workforce Data Quality Campaign, which is calling for policymakers in Washington, DC and in the state capitals to take a more inclusive approach to education data quality efforts, including the diversity of students and workers and the  range of education and labor market outcomes that comprise our nation's human capital strategy

More STEM Jobs, STEM-Interested Students Than Previously Thought?

A recent analysis of real-time labor market data by Burning Glass Technologies demonstrates that the demand for STEM jobs is much higher than previously reported. The analysis identified 5.7 million job openings in STEM fields in 2013. About a quarter of entry-level jobs were available for those with less than a bachelor's degree.

However, there is much variation in demand among STEM fields. For instance, according to Burning Glass Chief Executive Officer Matt Sigelman, as reported in U.S. News & World Report, supply appears to outpace demand for medical assistants, while the opposite is true of CNC machine tool programmers.

Luckily, there are students interested in STEM who can help meet this demand. Almost half of students in the 2013 ACT-tested graduating class had an interest in STEM majors or occupations, according to the latest ACT Condition of STEM report. Findings indicate that STEM interest and achievement go together, although it's unclear how these interact in student decision-making, and the report also highlights disparities across gender, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

DOL to Host Live Stream Plenary on Workforce Innovation

On Thursday, March 27, 2014, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez will kick off the first event in the Eye on the Workforce Innovation Fund Stakeholder Engagement Series.  He will provide opening remarks on the impacts that these innovations can have on our nation's workforce system, as well as how the strategies and lessons learned from Workforce Innovation Fund grantees can help workforce-related programs nationwide. He will be joined by Kate McAdams, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce and ETA Acting Assistant Secretary Eric Seleznow.  In addition, they will be joined by WIF grantees from Ohio (Workforce Initiative Association) and Pennsylvania (Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board) will share their strategies for engaging businesses and creating viable pathways for budding entrepreneurs.

Register now to participate in Innovating @ the Speed of Business on March 27, 2014 at 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM EDT.  Before and during the event, you are encouraged to post questions on Twitter using the hashtag #workforceinnovation. Our team will monitor your questions on Twitter and answer them from the Labor Department Twitter account (@USDOL) during and after the event.

CTE & Special Education Advocates Call

During a breakout session on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization at ACTE’s National Policy Seminar this month, attendees had the opportunity to express interest in being a part of an ongoing discussion of CTE’s role in special education. In follow-up to that discussion, ACTE is planning a conference call for interested members to hear more about IDEA reauthorization and provide input into ACTE priorities.

The call will feature policy representatives from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) and possibly other special education advocacy groups providing an update on what is happening on special education policy and IDEA. In addition, participants will be able to ask questions and make the CTE voice is heard in the context of special education. The feedback received on this call will be used by ACTE to formulate our own IDEA reauthorization recommendations.

If you would be interested in participating in a conference call on IDEA and special education, please let me know by e-mailing me at [email protected]. I will send out a survey to those who have expressed interest with possible dates and times for the call to take place.

Sen. Begich Accepts Policymaker of the Year Award

In a special video to ACTE members at the 2014 National Policy Seminar, Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) accepted the 2013 ACTE Policymaker of the Year Award. This award is presented annually by ACTE to recognize policymakers who have made a significant contribution to CTE policy in the past year.

Senator Begich has made CTE one of his top priorities, despite not being a member of the Senate education committee. In 2013, he introduced a package of CTE policy initiatives including theCounseling for Career Choice Act, CTE Facilities Modernization Act and the Professional Development for Educators Act.

ACTE worked with Sen. Begich on introducing the Counseling for Career Choice Act, which would provide support for school counselors to help students make informed decisions regarding their career and academic goals. ACTE is a proud supporter of this legislation, and we applaud the senator for his efforts to promote career guidance and counseling.

As a member of the Senate appropriations committee, the senator also helped to restore funding for the Perkins Act cut under sequestration.

In his remarks, Sen. Begich noted that it is critical for policymakers to focus on ensuring every student has access to high-quality CTE to help students gain the competencies and skills needed to compete in the 21st-century workforce.

"Alaska and all America have many opportunities for students who are driven and armed with relevant skills and knowledge. We have a wealth of young people who can be valuable members of our workforce and our community. Together we can make this happen."

- Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK)

Field Hearing Highlights Business Partnerships

The House Education and the Workforce Committee held its second field hearing yesterday on preparing today's students for 21st century careers. The Mesa, AZ, based hearing comes two days after the committee held a field hearing on Perkins CTE Act reauthorization in Las Vegas, NV.

The hearing was split into two panels with witnesses coming from four- and two-year public postsecondary institutions, for-profit postsecondary institutions, local government and business and industry.

Panel One:

• The Honorable Rick Heumann, Vice Mayor, Chandler, AZ
• Ms. Cathleen Barton, Education Manager, Intel Corporation
• Mr. Lee Lambert, Chancellor, Pima Community College
• Dr. William Pepicello, President, University of Phoenix

Panel Two:

• Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University
• Dr. Ann Weaver Hart, President, University of Arizona
• Dr. Ernest Lara, President, Estrella Mountain Community College
• Ms. Christy Farley, Vice President, Government Affairs and Business Partnerships, Northern Arizona University

Both panels focused on the role partnerships between business and industry and education institutions play in ensuring career training programs are aligned to industry needs and students are able to find employment. In his opening statement, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) said he specifically hopes to use the Perkins Act reauthorization as an opportunity to encourage greater collaboration between the private sector and education institutions.

A recurring point throughout the first panel though was the need for career education programs to lead students along a pathway between levels of education, both secondary and postsecondary and between two- and four-year institutions, and that students should be earning stackable credentials along the path to completion.

Also discussed during the course of the hearing were other federal programs, including adult education and the Higher Education Act (Act), that help students, the unemployed and the underemployed obtain the skills necessary for success in the workforce.

For more information on this hearing or the field hearing in Las Vegas, you can find full video recordings and witness testimony on the committee's website. Additionally, if you'd like to tell your Member of Congress how CTE is making a difference in the lives of your students or your community, check out theCTE Action Center to find your Member and send a message.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Meets with CTSO Leaders

The Department of Education (DOE) recently hosted several leaders from career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) for a “Youth Voices” session with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as a component of its CTE Month celebrations in February. The Youth Voices sessions are designed to provide the Secretary and department staff with an opportunity to engage with students and solicit their input on existing and future policies and decisions. 

During the meeting, the students briefed DOE attendees on their organizations’ missions, goals and recent achievements. They then went on to explain how CTSOs prepare their members for success by providing them with employability skills, career exploration and leadership development opportunities.

In addition, they explained some of the challenges that they have encountered in their experiences as CTSO leaders, particularly related to gaining public awareness of their organizations and building community support. One way they are addressing these challenges is partnerships with local businesses and industry, which provide CTSO participants with greater opportunity to learn about in-demand CTE-related career pathways.

CTSOs are excellent partners for ACTE and its members because of their commitment to creating opportunities for students to apply their CTE lessons inside and outside of the classroom. It’s also encouraging to see these young leaders stepping up to the plate and voicing their support for CTE learning opportunities. To learn more about the session, visit the DOE Youth Voices Session blog here. In addition, I encourage you to learn more about CTSOs at their newly minted website at www.ctsos.org.

CTE: Opening Doors for All Students

Upon reading Michael J. Petrilli’s recent article, “Kid, I’m Sorry, but You’re Just Not College Material,” I was encouraged to see a major publication shining light on some of the many benefits that career and technical education (CTE) has to offer. Petrilli’s facts are absolutely correct – CTE programs open doors to new career exploration opportunities, lower high-school dropout rates and can engage students that may otherwise be at-risk with interesting curriculum.

However, there is a key point that my colleagues at the Association for Career and Technical Education and I feel is important to emphasize in this discussion: CTE is a component of academically challenging, rigorous education for all students, be they high-fliers or at-risk. It’s important to balance our attention between acknowledging CTE’s benefits in engaging struggling students with their coursework, and ensuring that every student has the knowledge and skills needed for success in both college and careers.

Students should work with their mentors at home and in school to identify their ideal career path and obtain the education they will need to succeed, regardless of their socioeconomic background. School counselors play a crucial role here by building bridges between students and an education that prepares them for the career they want – and oftentimes, those are in-demand careers in CTE related fields that provide respected, high-wage positions. And it’s certainly not a choice between attending a four-year college or participating in CTE, because the majority of students who explore CTE programs do enroll in postsecondary education, earn degrees and credentials and are committed to lifelong learning and professional development. 

Parents, educators and policymakers should recognize the fantastic opportunities all students can find in their CTE classrooms for rigorous and relevant education, and the many pathways to a broader set of postsecondary options that can benefit all students.