CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Technical Assistance for Implementing Career Pathways

At this year’s National Policy Seminar, we closed the conference with a special “Career Pathways Forum,” to provide an in-depth look at CTE’s role in career pathways systems. At the national level, the reference to career pathways includes a systemic approach to delivering education, training, and support services that help individuals earn credentials aligned with workforce needs. CTE programs can provide the “education” component that is critical to many career pathways, and the linkage is a hot topic of discussion in many states and communities.

One of the new projects featured during the last portion of the forum was the Department of Education’s new Technical Assistant for Implementing Career Pathways Systems initiative. This project is designed to help state and local leaders to further strengthen CTE’s involvement and role in pathway system development. The initiative will consist of the following activities:

• A year-long leadership institute
• Multi-tiered technical assistance services
• Tools to help CTE leaders replicate and scale successful career pathways
• Evidence-based reports to inform development

To find out more about these activities and how your state can get involved, contact Chrys Limardo, project director, at [email protected]. If you have suggestions for the tools and resources that would be most helpful to you around career pathways development, you can also complete the project feedback form, which can be found here.

The attention on career pathways isn’t just coming from the federal level—the research community is paying attention as well. MDRC recently released a new Issue Brief that provides a summary of their research related to career pathway systems and their various elements. The brief provides a broad overview of the diversity of populations served and institutions involved in career pathways, and is a good resource for those looking for research in a number of areas.

Community College Daily Highlights Value of Stackable Credentials

A recent article in Community College Daily showcased the increasing emphasis many postsecondary institutions are placing on short-term credentials and certificates earned throughout the course of a student’s education. ACTE has advocated for greater emphasis on certificates, certifications and licenses to offer students diverse learning opportunities in pursuing their chosen career, as well as to allow for professional advancement after entering the workforce.

The article notes that credential attainment has boomed in recent years, and provides students with flexible on- and off- ramps within their educational experience, as well as the opportunity to build their resume while still enrolled in school. These credentials can communicate a student’s specific skills and achievements to future employers and give them a leg up once they enter the labor market.

ACTE has advocated for additional opportunities for postsecondary students to pursue credentials and other short-term job training opportunities, including through the JOBS Act and CTE Opportunity Act. To learn more about the different types of credentials available to students, click here.

Senate Confirms John King as Secretary of Education

On Tuesday, March 14, the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of John King to become the next secretary of education. Secretary King will likely hold the top job at the department for the remaining months of the Obama Administration. He oversaw preschool-12 policy at the department in the role of deputy secretary beginning in January 2015, until he took over as acting secretary following the departure of Arne Duncan last December. Prior to joining the Administration, King was commissioner of education for the state of New York.

Last week, King visited the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Center in Baltimore, Maryland, where he discussed where he urged Congress to reauthorize the Perkins Act. "Through more innovative and accessible CTE, remade for the 21st century and beyond, we can help more students chart their path to the American dream,” said King. “We can transform America's workforce and economy on an unprecedented scale." You can read more about Perkins reauthorization on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

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New ED Grants for CTE Labs Announced

U.S. Department of Education (ED) Acting Secretary John King today announced the launch of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Makeover Challenge, a competition administered by ED to support innovative practices in CTE lab spaces. The competition will award $200,000 in funds to up to 10 recipient high schools to create “makerspaces,” dedicated, formalized facilities for making things, which can range from classrooms to libraries. The Department officially defines these spaces as “an environment or facility that provides resources, materials, and equipment for students to conceive, create, and collaborate through making.” These facilities, according to the Administration, will provide space and equipment for students to build their CTE-skills, from creative problem solving to technical aptitude.

The CTE Makeover Challenge presents an opportunity for CTE programs to upgrade their labs and equipment within the federal grant opportunity’s defined parameters, and ACTE members are encouraged to review the Federal Register notice to determine their interest and eligibility.  The deadline for initial submissions is April 1, 2016, so don’t delay!

The initial submission period will be followed by a “CTE Makeover Bootcamp” during which those verified as eligible entrants will have the opportunity to access master classes, online learning resource, and experts on “making” to plan their makerspaces and revise their applications. The Bootcamp period will last until May 22, 2016.  

Applications will ultimately be judged on five criteria, including whether the space is innovative, replicable, multi-functional, feasible and sustainable. Bonus points will be awarded to applicants that will serve low-income students. Applications must be submitted on the official challenge website - http://www.ctemakeoverchallenge.com/, which also contains additional information about the project.

King spoke at length about the Administration’s support for the “Maker Movement” and President Obama’s Nation of Makers initiative during his remarks, including announcing the White House’s participation in Nation Week of Making from June 17-23 and plans to host the National Maker Faire on June 18-19 in Washington, D.C, where winners of the new challenge will be announced.

National Policy Seminar Connects and Creates CTE Advocates

Office of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine

Last week, ACTE hosted its annual National Policy Seminar (NPS), a three-day event that brought together CTE professionals from across the country for intensive policy sessions, networking and advocacy opportunities. NPS is the premiere opportunity for CTE supporters and advocates to learn about that policies affecting their programs while making their voice heard on Capitol Hill, and this year’s event was no exception!

A highlight of NPS ’16 was a congressional reception hosted by the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus in partnership with ACTE and Project Lead The Way (PLTW). The event was hosted in a “science-fair” style, with 11 teams of students showcasing their STEM-related projects and highlighting how their work connected to their future careers. Senate CTE Caucus Co-chairs Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) took the opportunity to visit the student teams from their home states, and spoke alongside ACTE President Doug Meyer and PLTW Senior Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Tom Luna about the importance of CTE in every student’s education.

In addition to relaxing at the reception, ACTE members took to Capitol Hill to meet with their Members of Congress and advocate for CTE-related policies, including the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. These visits are a critical component in educating policymakers about 21st century CTE, and do a great deal to strengthen their engagement. One such successful visit included a stop at Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) office by several students from Iowa, who asked the senator to show his support for CTE by joining the Senate CTE Caucus – a request that he later granted!

We at ACTE sincerely appreciate the work done by NPS attendees and their commitment to advocating for their programs on Capitol Hill. Looking to get involved in CTE advocacy or to remain engaged? Visit the CTE Action Center to contact your policymaker about CTE-related policies and issues today. To access additional photos from the reception, click here to visit Sen. Kaine's Flickr album from the event.

Department Announces ESSA Negotiators

Recently, the U.S. Department of Education announced the names of negotiators who will be tasked with determining how the department will implement certain provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA requires that the department engage in “negotiated rulemaking” with respect to regulations affecting student assessments and “supplement, not supplant” funding provisions in the law. The negotiators were selected from among teachers, administrators, parents and other education stakeholders from around the country. The department will host public negotiating sessions in March and April. More information is available online.

Ask Your Members of Congress to Sign Perkins Funding Letters

This week, Members of Congress who support CTE will have the opportunity to sign letters urging an increase in Perkins funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017. These efforts are being led in the Senate by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and in the House of Representative by Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI). Please take a few minutes to help them urge their colleagues to join in supporting federal funding for CTE in the FY 2017 appropriations bills.

Despite the importance of Perkins funding in advancing high-quality CTE programs, congressional appropriations have not kept pace with the growing needs of students. Funding for the Perkins Basic State Grant program is still $5.4 million below its pre-sequestration level. From FY 2007 through FY 2016, total Perkins grant funding to states declined by 13 percent—nearly $170 million less in funding to support CTE.

We need as many members of the House and Senate as possible to sign these letters to help ensure that the appropriations committees recognize the importance of increasing our investment in CTE. Use the CTE Action Center to email your Senators and Representative.

Administration Releases WIOA State Plan Requirements

Recently, the Administration released the final Information Collection Request (ICR) for State Unified or Combined Plans as required under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The ICR describes all of the elements that states must include in a Unified Plan, which comprises only the core WIOA programs, as well as the additional elements for a Combined Plan that includes at least one other workforce training or education program, such as Perkins.  The U.S. Department of Education notes that states choosing to include Perkins in a WIOA Combined Plan, must still meet the Perkins-specific requirements as outlined in the department’s current Perkins plan guidance. The WIOA state plan submission deadline is April 1, 2016 (extended from March 3).

Ten States to Receive Federal Assistance to Develop Job Training Programs

On Wednesday, March 2, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 10 states have been selected to receive federal assistance to develop job training and employment programs through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) "SNAP to Skills" initiative. The program will connect states with resources and technical expertise from the Seattle Jobs Initiative to develop new employment and training programs in hopes of connecting more low-income individuals with the skills they need for career success.

"Fortunately, the economy is improving in most areas of the country, but it is still very challenging for people with limited education or more basic job skills to secure full time work and better paying jobs," said Vilsack. "Helping SNAP recipients move off the program due to higher job earnings produces a double win for the individual household and for the economy as a whole."

The project, initially authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill, will make a variety of CTE-related opportunities available to SNAP recipients through September 2017.

ACTE advocates for federal policies that will strengthen CTE opportunities nationwide, including those affecting low-income individuals such as SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. We will continue to identify opportunities to emphasize the role of CTE in preparing all students for career success.

Department of Education Releases New ESSA FAQ

On February 26, the Department of Education posted a new set of “Frequently Asked Questions” regarding the implementation of the recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act. The document is designed “to support States and LEAs in understanding expectations during the transition to full implementation of the ESSA.”

As with any new legislation, there are many questions that must be answered to ensure policies and programs are implemented at the state and local level in a way that matches congressional intent, and to ensure an orderly transition from the prior Act to the new one. This document includes questions and answers organized around five topics, including:

• General Transition
• Flexibility
• Title I Programs and Requirements
• Title II, Part A Programs and Requirements
• Title III, Part A Programs and Requirements

The new document clarifies several elements related to the upcoming school year specifically, including what data must be submitted, how funds should be allocated and how waivers policies will be treated. All the Departments guidance on ESSA can be found on its online resource page at http://www.ed.gov/essa, and this document will be continually updated as new information about the implementation process becomes available.

Along with the release of this new information, the Department also expressed interest in hearing more from those working to implement the law. The following instructions were provided for asking additional questions or making comments:

If you are interested in commenting on this guidance, or if you have further questions that are not answered here, please e-mail us at [email protected] using the subject “ESSA Transition Question". You can also write to us at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202.