Today, President Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), after the measure received bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. ACTE proudly endorses ESSA and its strong emphasis on the role of CTE in preparing every student for college- and career-success. As we previously reported, ESSA includes key provisions to advance and strengthen CTE in secondary schools nationwide. "Through the work of CTE advocates and their champions on Capitol Hill, we've begun a new chapter under ESSA that will foster a public education system that empowers students through high-quality CTE,” said ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson. "We look forward to supporting ESSA's implementation and helping to maximize the opportunities presented in this new law to strengthen the linkages between academics and CTE." A press release from ACTE and our partners at NASDCTEc is available here.
In applauding ESSA’s CTE provisions, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus and the original sponsor of many of these reforms, said, “CTE is an important pathway for students to prepare for the workforce by integrating practical applied purposes with work-based knowledge and a hands-on learning experience.” Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Glenn Thompson (R-PA), co-chairs of the Congressional CTE Caucus, highlighted their support for work-based learning and career counseling in ESSA. “Education is about preparing young people for the future, and career readiness is a crucial piece of the puzzle,” said Langevin. “We must ensure that our schools are equipped with the resources necessary to inform students about workforce demands so they can make the best decisions about their futures.”
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), one of the bipartisan negotiators of ESSA, said of this effort, “We created an environment that will unleash a flood of excellence in student achievement state by state and community by community.” He further noted that ESSA is the largest overhaul of federal K-12 education policy since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002.
In his remarks at the bill signing ceremony, President Obama lauded the bill for its focus on ensuring that “every student is prepared to succeed in the 21st Century.” He goes on to say, “In today’s economy, a high-quality education is a prerequisite for success.” You can watch his full remarks here.
We will continue to provide updates on ESSA through the CTE Policy Watch Blog, and will be preparing new resources to help CTE stakeholders get involved in the law’s implementation.
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