Legislative Alert: House Committee Passes Perkins Bill

On July 7, the House Education and the Workforce Committee voted unanimously to approve a Perkins reauthorization bill, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 5587), sponsored by Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA), co-chair of the House CTE Caucus, and Katherine Clark (D-MA). The bipartisan committee bill is the first comprehensive reauthorization of Perkins to be considered by Congress in a decade.

“Today, we’ve taken another important step to ensure every American has access to the skills and education they need to compete in the workforce,” said committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN). “Career and technical education has placed countless individuals on the path to success, and this bipartisan legislation will empower more individuals to follow that same path.”

ACTE has endorsed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, and we are pleased that the bill includes many of our policy priorities and legislative recommendations to strengthen the CTE system around the country. Our letter of support can be accessed on ACTE’s website.

Please take a few minutes to send your thanks the members of the committee for their support, and urge the rest of House of Representatives to act on the bill without delay!

Take Action

• If your Representative is a member of the education committee (check our directory here), please send your thanks to him or her for supporting the bill!
• If not, contact your Member of Congress using the CTE Action Center or by phone through the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
  • Tell your Representative that Congress should act now to reauthorize Perkins.
  • Ask him or her to support the bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 5587)!

Comments

[Liz Aschenbrenner]

Thank you for passing the Perkins bill. CTE courses are so important to all students.

[Mary Anne Lessa]

Thank you for passing this important bill which helps our CTE programs and students!

[Angela Ash]

On behalf of the hundreds of students and three teachers involved in Roseville High School's Family and Consumer Science Department--particularly our thriving Hospitality Management & Culinary Arts 4-level Program of Study--THANK YOU for investing in us! We invite you to contact me or visit us any time to see how this investment is paying HUGE dividends in preparing students for excellence beyond high school! My cell is 916-218-8477.

[Sharon Varozza]

Thank you for supporting CTE programs through Perkins legislation. Perkins funds received at our school support many hands on learning programs that focus on skills for careers and post-secondary education.At Oak Ridge High School we have award winning Manufacturing and Engineering programs; Architectural Design education; Computer Science education;and my classes, Culinary Arts and Nutrition. Opportunities for student success abounds when CTE is supported and especially when academic leadership is encouraged.

[Linda Davis -- Folsom High School]

Thank you for supporting CTE programs through passing the Perkins legislation. Perkins Funds at Folsom High School help many programs on our campus from my Culinary Arts and Fashion Design to Media Production, Computer Science / Business to Digital Photography and Engineering. Without Perkins funds I would not be able to take my students on Leadership events and competitions, purchase industry standard equipment for the classroom in preparation for their careers in the future. Thanks again for trusting in our future and the need to educate all students with skills and abilities to be a part of society and the community they live in.

[JEANNE PETTIGREW]

Thank you for supporting CTE through passing the Perkins legislation. Although I am blessed to teach in a school with highly educated families, not all of the students are going to a 4-year college immediately if ever, and ALL students need entry level job skills as they move into adulthood. But a CTE class can help a student pursue higher education as they work in higher paying jobs going through post-secondary education. At the least, CTE gives young people a sense of competency in the adult world.

[Mindy]

Thank you for passing this very important legislation! Training our youth for careers in industries that can't be outsourced- is key to the future of the United States. Your work today is noticed by all Home Economics teachers and the thousands of students lives they impact each and every year.

[Kathleen Womack]

Thank you for keeping a necessary type of educational classes open for our young teens.
Some students would not get these life lessons if it wasn't for life skills classes.

[Maria Hoffman]

Thank you for continuing to support career and technical education programs which give students the opportunity to develop skills needed to succeed in today's world.

[Patricia Lockhart]

thank you for your dedication to the profession

[Mari Vogt]

Thank you so much for passing the Perkins bill and for providing students with the tools they need to succeed!

[Julia Garcia]

Thank you for your most appreciated support in passing the Perkins bill! Coastal Bend College has been blessed to receive funding from Perkins to help support the college in being able to offer our CTE students a great education which leads to good paying jobs. Again, thank you for helping us help our students make a difference!

[Jonathan Graham]

Thank you for passing the Perkins Bill and for allowing students to get a quality education that they deserve. Motlow State Community College is very appreciative of this funding and thanks you on the behalf of our faculty and our staff.