CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

ACTE Launches Election Watch 2014

Elections do have consequences, and the results can have a major impact on the policies that are created, the legislation that becomes law and funding decisions that affect essential CTE programs. For CTE advocates, elections provide an important opportunity to further advocacy goals and to spread awareness about CTE’s important role in addressing employment, economic growth and other critical issues facing our country. With the upcoming reauthorization of several important pieces of legislation including the Perkins Act, Higher Education Act, and Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as well as the continued threat of budget austerity in federal CTE funding, the battle for control of the next Congress will significantly impact the future of education and workforce development. Additionally, elections for state-wide offices and state ballot initiatives will influence state CTE policies and budget decisions. While ACTE does not endorse any specific political candidates, we are committed to providing the resources necessary for our members and the CTE community to take an active part in the electoral process.

As part of ACTE’s efforts to deliver information and resources during this crucial election cycle, we are pleased to announce the Election Watch 2014 page. Through our partnership with the national organization Nonprofit VOTE, ACTE provides tools and information on grassroots voter registration, mobilization and get-out-the-vote techniques that you can use to promote CTE issues in your state during this election year. 

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is a nonpartisan organization and does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.

Administration Spotlights Community Colleges

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education held a meeting with community college leaders from around the nation to discuss improving college opportunities, particularly related to best practices in college remediation.

Since his State of the Union address in January, President Barack Obama has focused a large amount of his domestic efforts on improving access to postsecondary education for every student. So far, those efforts have included updates to Department of Labor grant programs to incentivize apprenticeship programs, Vice President Joe Biden's review and recommendations for improvement of federal job training programs and the Department of Education's recently announced waivers for competency-based education programs.

Last week's event provided an opportunity for community colleges to "discuss efforts to strengthen developmental education and explore effective strategies to improve success for students in need of developmental education," as well as share new commitments they've made to increasing enrollment, persistence and completion rates. While no new grants or programs were announced during this meeting, the Obama Administration did announce several upcoming efforts to continue the dialogue on postsecondary opportunity.

A few of their upcoming initiatives include:

• hosting the second College Opportunity Summit in December to emphasize building strong partnerships between K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions to improve postsecondary persistence and completion
• continuing the Department of Education's commitment to STEM education through a series of events showcasing best practices in STEM education and discussing the challenges in moving students into STEM fields of study
• growing the list of individual community colleges and non-profit organizations who have made financial and institutional commitments to improving student postsecondary readiness and success

ACTE is continually working with the department to ensure that CTE is a constant presence in any discussion of best practices in postsecondary retention and completion. As part of that work, ACTE will be represented at an upcoming department event on moving STEM forward in CTE, being held as a part of the department's commitment to STEM.

NGA Grants Foster Education and Workforce Alignment

The National Governors Association (NGA) is continuing its focus on better connecting state education and training systems with workforce and economic need. Accordingly, this week NGA announced its support for 14 states--Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia--to develop capacities to graduate more students with postsecondary credentials in jobs vital to the state's economy. Through grants, technical assistance from the NGA Center for Best Practices and the help of other subject matter experts, states will:

• communicate and implement a coherent vision for aligning education and training systems with the needs of the economy
• connect education and workforce data to inform policy, track progress and measure success
• build partnerships between industry and education
• determine the best way to use resources and incentives to support this work

This announcement continues the exciting trend nationally and on the state level of efforts to better integrate education and workforce needs. In addition, the focus on using data across systems is one that ACTE supports as a partner of the Workforce Data Quality Campaign.

CareerBuilder Report on High-paying Career Opportunities Demonstrates Value of Postsecondary CTE

Business Insider recently published an article about a recent CareerBuilder report on the 20 most lucrative positions for students who have a high school diploma as their highest level of academic attainment. The list was compiled by CareerBuilder and the Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the article, Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America states that "This list demonstrates that, while pursuing higher education is a proven way to increase your earning potential, there are other options for those who are unable or choose not to attend college."

The analysis examined 115 occupations that need only a high school diploma and pay at least $20 per hour. However, this classification is deceptive; 70 percent of these jobs typically require moderate to long-term on-the-job training or apprenticeships, and some workers might need licenses or industry-recognized certifications. Furthermore, the top 20 highest-paying occupations, the majority of which require on-the-job training, saw employment growth in the 2010-2014 period that varied between decline and moderate growth.

There are many occupations in CTE fields that require some education and training beyond high school, including associate's degrees and postsecondary certificates as well as apprenticeships and industry-recognized certifications. Postsecondary CTE provides students with the opportunity to obtain high-paying, valued careers in many fields that are experiencing above-average growth, including information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing. To learn more about how CTE can benefit students in achieving their career goals, visit ACTE's CTE Research Fact Sheets page here.

Whiteboard Advisors Releases Education Policy Survey Results

Whiteboard Advisors, a policy consulting and research organization, today released the latest Education Insider report, which details the results of a recent survey conducted of policymakers, thought leaders and experts in relevant associations on education policy issues. The report includes information from 50-75 experts on education topics, and provides insights into how leaders in Washington perceive the current education policy landscape.

The report indicates that there is currently little optimism in Washington for Congressional progress on education-related initiatives. Almost three-quarters of respondents stated that they believed Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) will not be reauthorized before December 2015, and 65 percent of respondents reported they expect the same long road ahead for the Higher Education Act (HEA).

Respondents reported an increased approval for Congress and the Obama Administration's work on education issues since their last survey released in June of 2014. However, their overall sentiment remained largely negative with approval ratings of 36 and 14 percent, respectively. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan fared somewhat better, with an approval rating of 42 percent for his overall performance. Marks on his performance on postsecondary education issues were notably higher than those on elementary and secondary initiatives.

ACTE works closely on these and other education policy issues, and will continue to monitor public and Congressional sentiment as we advocate on behalf of the CTE community. To learn more about how you can help us in our efforts, visit our CTE Action Center here.

Employers Pledge to Give Hiring Consideration to Academy Grads

The National Academy Foundation (NAF) is taking its business partnerships to the next level with NAFTrack Certified Hiring.

Under NAFTrack Certified Hiring, participating employers--currently AT&T, Cisco, EMC, HP, JPMorgan Chase, Juniper Networks, KPMG LLP, RBC Capital Markets US, Verizon and Xerox--have pledged to give special consideration to job applicants who have earned a NAF credential. The employer partners have flexibility as to how consideration will be given to NAF graduates, including some of these elements:

• Pre-interview and resume support
• Guaranteed interviews within a pool of equally qualified applicants
• Expedited advancement through the hiring process
• Potential for priority hiring within an equally qualified applicant pool
• Potential for higher starting salaries
• Applicant feedback and post-interview coaching
• College internship opportunities
• Support for more NAF Certified graduates to attend postsecondary institutions at which the employer partners recruit

Previously, NAF had developed the NAF Student Certification Assessment System with its employer partners to certify graduates who have taken rigorous coursework, held a relevant and intensive internship, participated in work-based learning and completed industry-vetted assessments at NAF career-themed academies.

These and other examples of employer engagement highlight the important role that businesses and organizations can play in aligning industry needs to education and fostering student career success.

New Resources for WIOA Implementation

Since the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act was signed into law on July 22, federal agencies have been developing resources to aid in the implementation of the new Act. While the majority of the law's provisions do not go into effect until July 1, 2015, or even later, plans for the transition are well underway.

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has issued a guidance memo, Training and Employment Notice 05-14, that "announces its current implementation plans, shares key statutorily-required implementation dates, and provides initial informational resources regarding the provisions in the new law." Three key attachments are included:

• WIOA Fact Sheet  
• Key Statutorily Required Implementation Dates 
• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

In addition, WIOA resource pages have been established by the Department of Labor (www.doleta.gov/WIOA) and the Department of Education (http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/wioa-reauthorization.html). The Department of Labor is also planning to issue proposed regulations related to the bill soon.

Some of the first changes to take effect will be those related to state and local workforce boards and eligible training providers. It is important that CTE programs stay connected to their local workforce system during this transition to ensure your voice is represented as key decisions are made. ACTE will be providing regular updates and more details as implementation unfolds.

Experimental Sites Offer New Postsecondary Flexibility

The Department of Education is soliciting applications from postsecondary institutions that are interested in participating in a new initiative that will provide greater flexibility to test innovative practices that promote college affordability. Under its “experimental site” authority, the department will grant waivers from certain federal student financial aid requirements to allow participating institutions to experiment with alternative methods for administering Title IV programs. The project is part of the efforts to reduce the cost of college and expand access to postsecondary education for contemporary students. There are four experimental models that participants will have the opportunity to explore:

• Competency-Based Education—Waives certain time-based restrictions to allow intuitions to have greater flexibility in distributing financial aid to students enrolled in competency-based education programs.
• Prior Learning Assessment—Allows students to include the costs incurred from an assessment of prior learning, such as test fees, as part of the “cost of attendance” calculation for determining their financial aid need.
• Limited Direct Assessment—Permits institutions to provide a mix of direct assessment courses and credit- or clock-hour coursework in the same program.
• Federal Work Study for Near-Peer Counseling—Provides flexibility for institutions to compensate federal work study students, who are employed as “near-peer” counselors to high school students, solely with federal funds.

Letters of application should be submitted to the department by September 29, 2014. More information is available online through the Federal Register.

Research and Policy Round-up: Veterans, Service Learning, Evaluating Applied Skills

Two recent publications track policies on service learning and veterans in postsecondary education, while a new assessment explores enhancing data collection about applied skills.

A recent brief from the Education Commission of the States (ECS) shares recent state policies that support veterans in postsecondary education. Twenty-four states provide in-state tuition for veterans, and 16 states enacted policies in 2013 and 2014 about prior learning assessment, veteran support services and veteran-friendly course registration and attendance policies, including:

• Connecticut's Executive Order 36, which requires policies ensuring credit for relevant military experience
• Indiana Senate Bill (SB) 115, which created the Combat to College program, requiring campuses with at least 200 veterans to provide a program coordinator and support services
• Illinois SB 2245, Washington House Bill (HB) 1109 and Pennsylvania HB 1164, which give course registration preference to veterans
• Oklahoma SB 1830, Washington SB 5343 and West Virginia HB 2491, which require veteran students to be granted absence if they are called up for active duty

In addition, ECS completed a recent scan of state policies on service learning and found that:

• 33 states have service learning as an element of their academic standards or frameworks
• 24 states recognize service learning as a method of preparing students for the workforce
• 23 states either allow or require school districts to award credit for service learning, to be counted toward graduation requirements
• 17 states identify service learning as an instructional strategy for student achievement
• Maryland and DC require high school students to participate in service learning or community service in order to graduate

Finally, a new test from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, based on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), assesses schools on how well a sample of students can apply their reading, math and science skills to real-world problems. The exam is given to a sample of students and is meant to evaluate school curriculum, not particular students. Students also fill out a questionnaire assessing their attitudes about teachers, courses and the school in order to provide broader context.

Expanding Data on Part-time and Transfer Students

A new report and a new online tool explain and begin to fill in data gaps in student postsecondary attainment.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, more than 31 million students have enrolled in postsecondary education but have not completed a certificate or degree. About two-thirds of these non-completers were enrolled for two terms or more, typically in multiple institutions, illustrating a pattern of starting and stopping common to non-traditional students that can lead to lost credits as students transfer between schools. In addition, non-completers often spent years pursuing their postsecondary education, well past the timeframe of 150 percent of program length that is typically considered when tracking graduation rates.

To combat several of these issues, a new online tool, Student Achievement Measure, helps track student attainment of postsecondary credentials over longer time periods and transfer across institutions. SAM shows data about not just full-time but also part-time students' persistence and transfer, unlike the federal government, while has stated it will began tracking part-time students and students who transfer into an institution in 2015-16. SAM also includes data on completers who earn a degree or certificate within six years (300 percent of program length for associate degree earners). The project is funded by the Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.