CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

ACTE’s Janet Goble Testifies Before Congress

On the final day of CTE Month, ACTE’s Administration Division Vice President Janet Goble testified before the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education. Mrs. Goble also serves as the CTE director for the Canyons School District in Utah.

The hearing, “Providing More Students a Pathway to Success by Strengthening Career and Technical Education,” focused on the federal government’s role in bolstering the CTE ecosystem through reauthorization of the Perkins Act.

Joining Mrs. Goble on the panel was Mike Rowe, the host of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” and CEO of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation. Mimi Lufkin, the CEO of the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, and Glenn Johnson, manufacturing workforce development leader for BASF Corporation, also testified.

Mrs. Goble highlighted programs of study, business partnerships and work-based learning during her testimony. Her written testimony is available here.

Throughout the hearing, Members of the subcommittee expressed their support for CTE. A variety of topics were covered, particularly the importance of combatting the negative stigma sometimes associated with CTE and ensuring students have access to high-quality programs. The subcommittee’s chairman, Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN), closed by sharing his belief that CTE should be a top priority for Congress this year.

You can watch the full subcommittee hearing here. Following the hearing, the subcommittee released a press statement, available here.

Data Driven: CTE Postsecondary Enrollment Up

91 percent of 2004 high school graduates who earned 2-3 CTE credits had enrolled in college within eight years.[i]

CTE students have dramatically increased their postsecondary enrollment since the 1990s, particularly students earning more CTE credits.

This National Center for Education Statistics data shows that high school graduates from the class of 2004 with some CTE but less than two credits, and high school graduates who earned between 2 and 3.99 CTE credits, had enrolled in college within eight years at nearly the same rate—90 percent and 91 percent. In comparison, students earning 2-3 CTE credits (i.e., CTE concentrators) from the class of 1992 only had 85 percent college enrollment.

Share this data with policymakers, media and parents to let them know that CTE supports students on the pathway to postsecondary education.

ACTE Celebrates Smith-Hughes Centennial

Thursday, February 23, 2017 marked exactly 100 years since the Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act was signed into law. The Act was the first federal investment in secondary CTE and paved the way for further investments in career and technical education.

To mark the centennial, ACTE executive director LeAnn Wilson published an op-ed in The Hill titled, 100 Years of Secondary Career Prep Success. 

Ms. Wilson also released a statement commemorating the anniversary, in part saying:

“One hundred years ago the 64th Congress and President Woodrow Wilson laid the foundation for today’s CTE by making the nation’s first federal investment in secondary education that prepares students for career success. Today, the 115th Congress has the opportunity to continue this legacy by making investing in CTE a top priority.”

Read the full press statement here.

Policymakers Express Support for CTE

As the new Administration and 115th Congress continue to organize and begin work for the new year, leaders from both branches of government have spoken out about CTE and Perkins reauthorization in recent days.

On February 15, new House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) published an op-ed in Real Clear Education about the Committee’s agenda for the year. While most of the piece focused on rolling back regulations, she did include CTE as a priority:

One of the first steps will be strengthening career and technical education (CTE). CTE has helped a lot of students gain the knowledge and skills they need to compete in the workforce. Recently, we came close to achieving reforms that would provide states more flexibility, reduce administrative burdens, improve accountability and better ensure students are prepared for in-demand jobs. It is my hope we will finish this important work in the coming months.  

In addition, on February 16, new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos spoke before the American Association of Community Colleges and Association of Community College Trustees National Legislative Summit. In her speech, she spoke highly of community and technical colleges and their partnerships with business and industry, and made some specific comments about CTE:

The President’s 100-day action plan is his contract with the American voter. This plan notes the importance of expanding vocational and technical education – the types of career and technical education that community colleges excel at providing – and making two- and four-year college degrees more affordable. He has called multiple paths for postsecondary education “an absolute priority” for his Administration, and I share that vision.

Unfortunately, there are also already reports about potential budget cuts and program elimination at the Department of Education as well, so it will be critical for advocates to speak out in support of critical federal funding to support CTE.

Senate Passes CTE Month Resolution

On Friday, the last day before Congress left town for a brief recess, the Senate passed a resolution “supporting the goals and ideals of Career and Technical Education Month.” The resolution was championed by the four co-chairs of the Senate CTE Caucus: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Sen. Todd Young (R-IN). The Senate has now passed resolutions honoring CTE Month every year since the Senate CTE Caucus was founded.

The resolution, available here, touches on American workforce demands, CTE career opportunities, the benefits of CTE and the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Hughes Act. By passing the resolution, the Senate not only recognizes the important role CTE plays in “preparing a well-educated and skilled workforce in the United States,” but it also “encourages educators, counselors, and administrators to promote [CTE] as an option for students.”

In total, 31 senators co-sponsored the resolution, 10 more than last year. The resolution was introduced by Sen. Kaine, and in addition to Senators Portman, Baldwin and Young, the following senators also co-sponsored the resolution:

• Michael Bennet (D-CO)
• Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
• Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
• John Boozman (R-AR)
• Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
• Bob Casey (D-PA)
• Chris Coons (D-DE)
• Steve Daines (R-MT)
• Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
• Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
• Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• Mike Enzi (R-WY)
• Al Franken (D-MN)
• Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
• Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
• Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
• Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
• Angus King (I-ME)
• Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Joe Manchin (D-WV)
• Ed Markey (D-MA)
• Patty Murray (D-WA)
• Gary Peters (D-MI)
• Mike Rounds (R-SD)
• John Thune (R-SD)
• Mark Warner (D-VA)
• Ron Wyden (D-OR)

The growing number of co-sponsors, which has increased each of the past three years, signifies the growing awareness around CTE’s benefits on Capitol Hill. ACTE worked closely with Sen. Kaine and his staff to craft the resolution, and we thank all of our members who called their senators asking them to sign on as co-sponsors.

Trump’s Labor Sec. Nominee Withdraws Under Pressure

This week, Labor Secretary Nominee Andrew Puzder withdrew his name from consideration, topping a chaotic first month for the Trump Administration. Puzder, the CEO of fast food chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., had been a controversial pick to head the Department of Labor since he was tapped by the president last December. His confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which was scheduled to take place just hours after he announced his withdrawal, had been postponed multiple times because the complexity of his personal finances made it difficult for government ethics officials to identify possible conflicts of interest. Concerns about his past opposition to increasing the federal minimum wage and expand worker protections through regulations, as well as allegations of domestic abuse and the recent revelation that a former member of his household staff was not legally allowed to work in the country, ultimately cost him the support of both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. Puzder’s departure comes just a week after Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was narrowly confirmed by the Senate, marking the first time in history that the vice president has had to cast a tie-breaking vote for a cabinet nominee.

The White House announced on Thursday that Alexander Acosta, dean of Florida International University's law program and a former National Labor Relations Board member, will take Puzder’s place as nominee for secretary. The Department of Labor is responsible for overseeing many federal employment and training initiatives, including most programs authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Registered Apprenticeship system and Job Corps among others.

Senate CTE Caucus Hosts Briefing on Past, Present and Future of CTE

On February 14, the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus hosted a briefing that provided an overview of the past, present and future of CTE. The briefing also served to highlight February as CTE Month and the 100-year anniversary of the Smith-Hughes Act, the first federal investment in secondary CTE.

More than 60 guests, in addition to those who tuned in to the live-stream, attended the briefing, which began with a brief presentation on the evolution of CTE. Following the presentation, a panel discussed the ways in which CTE prepares students for career success, what the future of CTE looks like and how federal policy can support CTE, among other things. ACTE deputy executive director Stephen DeWitt moderated the panel, which included:

• Kimberly Green; Executive Director of Advance CTE
• Kris Martini; Director of the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education for Arlington Public Schools
• Kathy Oliver; Former Assistant State Superintendent for Career Technology and Adult Learning for the Maryland Department of Education
• Jessica Strait; President of the Virginia Technology Student Association

The briefing was live-streamed, and archived footage of the briefing can be viewed below or at this link. The video begins at minute 19:02. Please excuse the minor sound quality issue towards the beginning which was quickly corrected.

 

 

House Votes to Axe ESSA Accountability and Teacher Prep Rules

Recently, the House of Representatives voted to overturn several of the Obama Administration’s regulations on education. The first rule addresses state accountability under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The regulation was finalized by the Department of Education under President Obama in November, but enforcement of the rule was suspended when the new Administration took over in January. It was intended to clarify use of multiple measures, including new indicators of school quality and student success, in state accountability systems, as well as the design and delivery of state and district annual report cards.

The move has raised uncertainties about how states should proceed in completing and submitting their ESSA plans. The new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who was narrowly confirmed to lead the department last week, attempted to assuage concerns in a recent letter to state school chiefs. She pledged to keep the Obama Administration’s state plan submission deadlines (either April 3 or September 18, 2017), though she indicated that the department will create a revised plan template that includes only the information that is “absolutely necessary” for states to submit. This could prove problematic for states that have largely finished their plans, as the new template will not be available until mid-March.

The House also moved to block a rule affecting teacher preparation programs that was finalized in October. It requires states to report on the quality of both traditional teacher preparation as well as alternative routes to teaching programs, and to link program quality to eligibility for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education grants. Both measures are part of a larger effort by the White House and congressional Republicans to roll back many of the regulations implemented by the previous Administration.

Senate CTE Caucus To Host Live-Streamed Briefing

Next week, the U.S. Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus will host a briefing titled, “CTE: Past, Present and Future.” The briefing coincides with CTE Month® and marks 100 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed the Smith-Hughes Act into law in 1917. The Smith-Hughes Act was the first major federal investment in secondary CTE.

The briefing will begin with a short recap of the history of federal involvement in CTE, followed by a panel that will discuss how CTE has evolved over the past century, the ways in which it is preparing America’s future workforce and what the future of CTE looks like. Panelists will also discuss how federal policy can further support CTE.

The panel will be moderated by ACTE Deputy Executive Director Stephen DeWitt, and panelists include:

• Kimberly Green, Executive Director of Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work
• Kris Martini, Director of the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education for Arlington County Public Schools
• Kathy Oliver, Former Assistant State Superintendent for Career Technology and Adult Learning at the Maryland State Department of Education
• Jessica Strait, State President of the Virginia Technology Student Association and junior at Abingdon High School

The briefing will take place on Tuesday, February 14 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. in the HELP Committee room, located in room 430 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The briefing will also be live-streamed. To attend in-person, please RSVP to [email protected]. RSVPs are not required to watch the livestream.

Live Stream Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nSGI3xZm7o

Betsy DeVos Confirmed as New U.S. Education Secretary

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Betsy DeVos to lead the U.S. Department of Education. All Democrats, along with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), opposed the nomination, forcing Vice President Mike Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote. This was the first time in history a cabinet nomination was decided by the Vice President.

Yuri Gripas / Reuters

As we previously outlined when her nomination was announced, Secretary DeVos’ background is centered on her pro-charter school advocacy. Her lack of experience in public schools led to a contentious confirmation hearing, where her nomination advanced on a party-line vote, and to opposition to her nomination on the floor. During the hearing, she outlined her support for “all postsecondary avenues, including trade and vocational schools, and community colleges.”

In response to a written question submitted after the hearing, Sec. DeVos affirmed her support for Perkins reauthorization, calling it an “important priority.” She also talked about providing flexibility at the state and local levels, aligning various federal laws and supporting data transparency.

ACTE will engage with Secretary DeVos to share our priorities for Perkins reauthorization and CTE more broadly, and will continue working all policymakers in Congress and the executive branch to represent and advocate for the interests of the CTE community.