CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

New Study on Effects of CTE

Male students who attend a Connecticut technical high school have shown to have higher graduation rates, improved wage-earning potential, higher attendance rates in 9th grade and higher 10th grade test scores, a new study from the CTE Research Network reports. These findings are based on data collected from the admission system of the sixteen technical high schools within the Connecticut Technical High School System, combined with other state data systems. Data was collected and analyzed on approximately 57,000 8th graders who applied to the oversubscribed system of high schools for school years 2006-07 through 2013-14. Using a quasi-experimental design, student outcomes were compared for those students just above the admission threshold and those just below the admission threshold.

The research shows that male students attending these technical high schools are about 10 percent more likely to graduate from high school. While these students are also 8 percentage points less likely to attend college; the researchers’ findings, as well as the findings from other studies, suggest that the negative effects on college attendance fade over time.

Other findings for male students who attend technical high schools include an increase in earnings by approximately 31 percent quarterly, and more quarters spent working (likely in part due to lower postsecondary attendance). Shorter term outcomes were also impacted, with improved attendance and test scores. Increases in both can improve high school graduation rates and potential future earnings, so may be predictive of those outcomes. Outcome gains were larger when the schools students would have attended offered fewer CTE courses.

While data was analyzed on female students as well, results were not statistically significant.

This study was funded by the Institute for Education Sciences.

DC Digest: October 20-27

Most of the education attention in Washington was on the Higher Education Act this week, as work moved forward in the House on the reauthorization of that bill. The House Education and Labor Committee has scheduled a mark-up of the legislation introduced earlier this month for October 29. We will provide additional coverage as the bill moves forward! In other news:

• Bills Introduced to Support Working Students: Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Representative Ami Bera (D-CA) introduced the Working Students Act(S. 2655/ H.R. 4787) in their respective chambers. The legislation increases the amount of money that working students can earn before those earnings are counted against them when accessing need-based federal financial aid. ACTE endorsed the bills and was quoted in Baldwin’s press release.
• President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Created:On October 22, President Trump established a council to provide guidance on science, technology, education and innovative policy. The council will also be responsible for informing the public on relevant public policy on the economy, the American worker, national and homeland security and other topics. The council will be composed of 16 appointed members.
• Aspen Institute Highlighted Opportunity in America:On October 27, the Aspen Institute hosted an afternoon of discussions on opportunity in the United States. The three panels, which ACTE attended, included discussions on measuring opportunity, access and inclusion, and the business role in developing economic opportunity. Read more.

DC Digest: October 13-19

After a two-week-long break, Congress has returned and will be back in session until November 21 to, among other things, try and pass a spending bill for Fiscal Year 2020. The current continuing resolution expires then and an agreement for moving forward has yet to be reached. Visit ACTE’s Action Center for a message you can send to Congress to support CTE funding as discussions continue. Also last week:

• House HEA Reauthorization Bill Reintroduced: On October 15, House Democrats introduced their proposed bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, which include several topics relating to CTE. Read more in-depth coverage on the CTE Policy Watch blog.
  
  
• Department of Labor Released WIOA Youth Program Resources: The Department of Labor released additional technical assistance resources for WIOA youth programs. These resources include Requests for Proposals, monitoring (and here) and individual service strategies (hereand here).
  
  
• Brookings Institution Focused on Equity: Last Tuesday, the Brookings Institution hosted a “Girl’s Education Research and Policy Symposium: Learning across a lifetime,” which ACTE attended. The event included panels on girls’ opportunities in STEM and CTE leading to more girls entering into the workforce world-wide. Read more.

House Democrats Release Higher Ed Reauthorization Bill

On October 15, House Democrats released their proposed comprehensive bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The legislation, titled the “College Affordability Act,” is more than 1,100 pages long. Below you will find some highlights within the bill that are most relevant for CTE stakeholders.

Data Transparency
The proposal includes one of ACTE’s top priorities, which is to strike the student-level unit record data ban, that was implemented in the 2008 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. This provision would now allow for data to be matched at the federal level to improve reporting on outcomes like graduate earnings, loan repayments, graduation rates and more. The bill incorporates the College Transparency Act (S. 800/ H.R. 1766), virtually verbatim.

Pell Grants
The bill would expand Pell Grant eligibility to certain eligible short-term job training programs offered at institutions of higher education. Short-term Pell has been a top priority of ACTE’s, though the language largely differs from the JOBS Act (S. 839/ H.R. 3497), which ACTE has endorsed. In order for a program to qualify under this proposal, it must fall between 150-600 clock hours over an instructional period of 8-15 weeks; provide training that is aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations in the area the training is provided; and provide academic content that meet the hiring requirements of potential employers and satisfy educational prerequisite requirements for professional licenses or certifications. There are other additional requirements that restrict participation, including articulation agreements to ensure all credit or noncredit coursework completed can be used to meet certification or degree program requirements; that annual earnings of graduates, no later than six months after graduation, must be greater than the average or median annual earnings paid to people with just high school diplomas; that gainful employment requirements are met; and that programs must be part of a career pathway, among other things. Further, programs are only eligible for three-year periods, where they then need to again receive approval from the Secretary. This is in an attempt to ensure that programs remain relevant to the needs of the local and state economies. Additionally, the bill requires that program data is collected annually and sent to the Secretary, and that within three years after enactment, the Secretary submits a report to Congress on the effectiveness of the programs receiving Pell funding. In another section of the larger bill, it includes additional accountability measures that impact short-term programs by requiring accrediting agencies be “recognized” accreditors by the Secretary.

The bill would also increase the number of semesters that a student can use Pell grants from 12 to 14, and increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $500, which would be $6,695 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, and an estimated $8,305 by FY 2029.

Free Community College
The proposal provides access to free community college, which would include both tuition and fees, through partnerships between the federal and state governments. Generally, the federal government would pay 75% of the average resident community college tuition and fees, beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year. Increases in payments for tuition/fees would be allowed, but could not exceed the lesser of the consumer price index or 3%. To receive a grant, community colleges cannot charge eligible students any tuition or fees after receiving payments from federal/state sources. There are additional requirements, like that associate degrees by public institutions in the state be fully transferable and credit the first two years of a related baccalaureate program at public four-year institutions in the state, and a state maintenance of effort. Notably, any leftover funds can be used to, among other things, expand the “scope and capacity of high-quality academic and occupational skills training programs at community colleges.” While funding for the program would still need to go through the appropriations process, the bill authorizes nearly $3.5 billion in funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, which increases to nearly $16.3 billion by FY 2030.

Student Success Fund for Community Colleges
The bill creates a grant program worth $500 million annually for community colleges to largely focus on improving student outcomes, including improvements in transfer and/or completion rates, through evidence-based institutional reforms and innovative practices.

Federal Work-Study
There were two major changes to the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program in this proposal. First, the bill changes the funding structure so that FWS no longer prioritizes institutions based on how long they have been participating in the program. Now, funding will be based on the number of low-income students at the institution and the unmet need of said students. Secondly, the bill creates a “Work-Based Learning Opportunities” pilot grant program, with the goal to align students’ work-study opportunities with local and regional economies. Additionally, this proposal would require the grantees to include career coaching and counseling services to students, and to provide opportunities for students to meet with employers in the fields related to their work-study employment.

New Perkins Funding
The bill would authorize $181 million annually for FYs 2021-2026 to strengthen postsecondary CTE programs.

Student Loans
The bill makes a number of revisions to student loans, including expanding the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and shortening the total loan forgiveness time for teachers.

Dual Enrollment/ Early College High School
The bill includes “Jumpstart to College Grant Provisions,” which authorizes a competitive grant for six years at $250 million annually for institutions of higher education to partner with local education agencies to support the development of dual enrollment and early college high school programs that primarily serve low-income students. 

Democrats on the House Committee on Education and Labor, which has jurisdiction over the bill, also released a number of fact sheets related to the College Affordability Act, which you can find below:

• Fact Sheet: Meeting the Demand for Skilled Workers
• Fact Sheet: Improving the Quality of Higher Education
• Fact Sheet: Tackling Student Loan Debt
• Fact Sheet: Advancing Equity
• Fact Sheet: Lowering the Cost of College

Current Funding for Major ED Programs Below 2011 (Inflation-Adjusted) Levels

Recent analysis conducted by the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) shows that current Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 funding levels for six of the largest Education Department programs are either at or below their inflation-adjusted FY 2011 levels. FY 2011 was chosen as a baseline for this analysis because it was the Department of Education’s highest total discretionary funding level prior to FY 2018. Even with the proposed substantial funding increase given to these programs in the House FY 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill, many still fall short of their FY 2011 levels.

These programs include:

• Perkins CTE state grants
• Title I state grants
• IDEA Part B state grants
• Impact Aid
• Title II – Supporting Effective Instruction state grants; and
• 21^st Century Community Learning Centers

Further, the total budget, both current and FY 2020 proposed, for the Department of Education is below the FY 2011 levels. The chart (below) shows that even if funding had simply kept pace with inflation, and not included any additional increase in appropriations, funding would be significantly higher than it is currently for federal education programs.

With the growing skills-gap, and increased popularity and participation in CTE programs nationwide, an increase in funds for Perkins CTE State Grants is critical to ensure that students continue to receive high-quality CTE  programs that prepare them for college and career success upon graduation. Your advocacy on behalf of CTE funding is more important than ever, so we urge you to reach out to your elected officials and ask for an increase in Perkins CTE State Grants in FY 2020.

DC Digest: October 8-14

• Guide for Educational Institutions with Federal Contracts: The Department of Labor released a new Technical Assistance Guide (TAG) for educational institutions to use to provide compliance assistance for federal government contractors. This guide is designed to help contractors strive for equal employment opportunities and meet legal requirements and responsibilities set by federal guidelines.
  
  
• Nita Lowey Announces Retirement: On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced her decision to not seek re-election in 2020 after 31 years in Congress. As the chair of the committee, she oversees more than $1.3 trillion, including all federal education funding like Perkins grants.
  
  
• Possible Release of HEA Reauthorization Proposal: House Democrats are expected to release their proposal for a Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization as soon as October 15. It is expected that the bill will be similar to the Aim Higher Act that was introduced last year, however, ACTE will provide additional details once the bill is released.

DC Digest: October 1-7

• More new grants for Education and Workforce Development: In addition to the Perkins Innovation and Modernization grants released this week (read the full blog here), several other new grants have been awarded related to CTE. The Department of Labor awarded workforce development grants to 18 organizations in the Appalachian and Delta regions that are recovering slowly from economic transition. The Department of Education also announced that it awarded 41 grants from the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) program to improve academic achievement for high-need students, and to conduct an evaluation for these results to be researched and built on by others. Within these grants, 29 grantees will focus on STEM education.
• National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards: A number of schools that have a significant focus on CTE were recognized by the Department of Education as Blue Ribbon Schools! See the complete list here.
• Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award Nominations: Starting in the spring of 2020, the Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award will be awarded to two educators, one elementary and one secondary, for their excellence in teaching and mentoring students in the field. Nominations are open now and will close on January 31, 2020.
• Google Workforce Development CTE Opportunities: Google is expanding its online training program with an IT Support Professional Certificate at 100 community colleges. This move is to educate and train the current workforce as part of the White House’s Pledge to America’s Workers. The announcement was made at a roundtable in Texas with Ivanka Trump and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

ED Announces Grantees for Innovation & Modernization Grant Program

On Thursday, the Department of Education announced the recipients of the Innovation & Modernization (I&M) Grant, a new competitive grant program established under the “National Activities” section in Perkins V. The I&M Grant is designed to identify new evidence-based and innovative strategies that increase CTE program effectiveness and alignment, and improve student outcomes. The awards range from $450,000 to $500,000 for one 36-month long project period, with an opportunity for extension. To read more about the specific requirements and use of funds for the I&M Grant, please visit our previous blog post highlighting the program.

The recipients of the grant funding include:

• Lorain County Community College District (OH)
• Research Foundation CUNY (NY)
• Old Dominion Research Foundation (VA)
• School Board Miami-Dade County (FL)
• Multnomah-Portland Public Schools (OR)
• Gwinnett County Public Schools (GA)
• Wyoming Department of Education (WY)
• Orange County (CA),
• Northeast State Community College (TN).

 

Of the nine grantees, three (OH, WY, TN) are serving rural communities, which is a priority for the Department because rural communities tend to have less resources and ability to “innovate in the ways that the I&M grants encourage.”

To read the Department of Education press release and learn more about the grantees, click here.

Credentials: Defining Quality, Evaluating Outcomes

New resources from researchers and national organizations are adding to our knowledge about quality credentials, particularly non-degree credentials.

Defining quality for non-degree credentials: The National Skills Coalition (NSC) recently defined a quality non-degree credential and, in consultation with 12 leading states, developed a set of criteria that states can adopt for their own quality assurance systems. ACTE was among the national education and workforce organizations who were also consulted during the development process.

According to NSC, a quality non-degree credential—a postsecondary certificate, industry certification, occupational license or apprenticeship certificate—is “one that provides individuals with the means to equitably achieve their informed employment and educational goals. There must be valid, reliable and transparent evidence that the credential satisfies the criteria that quality:”

1. Substantial job opportunities (required)
2. Transparent evidence of the competencies mastered by credential holders (required)
3. Evidence of the employment and earnings outcomes of individuals after obtaining the credential (required)
4. Stackability to additional education or training (strongly preferred)

State policies can support equitable access to quality credentials through financial aid; supportive services (such as transportation, child care and housing assistance); career counseling, industry partnerships and work-based learning; stackable credentials; integrated education and training (IET) programs for low-skilled adults; and comprehensive data systems.

Counting credentials: A new report from Credential Engine estimates that the United States has at least 738,000 unique credentials across different providers. This number includes degrees as well as about 475,000 non-degree credentials such as postsecondary certificates, apprenticeship certificates, licenses, industry certifications, badges and more.

Knowing how many credentials are available is a necessary first step in learning more about credential value. To further this work, Credential Engine has been building the Credential Registry, a real-time source for credential information based on a common language and common definitions.

Credential outcomes:

• A report from Strada Education Network and Lumina Foundation, based on a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, finds that individuals with a certificate or certification but no college degree have higher full-time employment rates than their peers without a credential (85 percent to 78 percent) and higher median annual incomes ($45,000 to $30,000). They also perceive themselves as more marketable and report greater happiness. However, wage gains vary greatly based on occupation, and wage premiums are much larger for men than women.
• The findings of seven independent analyses link postsecondary certificates and other college-issued credentials to higher rates of employment. Earning gains are larger and more consistent for credentials that take at least six months to complete. While labor market benefits can be found in both the health care and manufacturing sectors, absolute earnings are typically higher in manufacturing.
• An analysis from ExcelinEd and Burning Glass examines data from three states to assess the relationship between CTE high school students’ attainment of credentials and their education and employment outcomes. Across all three states—Florida, Indiana and Kentucky—earning a credential was associated with an increase in on-time graduation. Florida CTE students who earned credentials were more likely to enroll in and graduate from community college. Similarly, evidence from Kentucky linked high school credential attainment with a greater likelihood of earning an associate degree. Finally, data from Florida and Indiana demonstrated that high school credential attainment was associated with higher wages.
• Recent research from Giani, Attewell and Walling (2019) evaluates the employment and earnings outcomes of one cohort of Texas high school graduates. The researchers found that individuals with some college but no credential were more likely to be employed 15 years later and earned more than their peers who did not attend postsecondary education.

Research Round-up: Workforce Preparation, Pre-Apprenticeships, Career Readiness Framework, Perceptions of Additional Education for Those Without Degrees

Recent publications describe various CTE topics ranging from perceptions of having students participate in workforce preparation to a proposed five-pillar framework to ensure high-quality career development systems.

Views on workforce preparation: PDK Polling found in their survey that few parents, teachers and other adults think that preparing students for work should be K-12 education’s primary goal. However, learning jobs skills is a priority among all groups. The three most broadly supported job skills subjects among parents are computer programming, health and medical studies, and information technology hardware and systems.

Framework for pre-apprenticeships: Pre-apprenticeships are designed to help students enter and complete an apprenticeship successfully. JFF developed a framework of six elements for administrators to use to evaluate if programs offered are both high quality and promoting equity:

1. Transparent entry and success requirements
2. Alignment with skills sought by local employers and high-quality apprenticeship programs
3. Culmination in one or more industry-recognized credentials
4. Development of skills through hands-on activities and work-based learning
5. Offering of academic, career exploration and wraparound supports
6. Transition into a registered apprenticeship or other high-quality apprenticeship program

Career readiness framework: In order for career readiness to become a top priority nationwide, the Coalition for Career Development proposes a five-pillar framework to ensure high-quality career development systems. These pillars show the areas that need reform; strategies that will be imperative for change; and the benefits that will come to students, educators and the economy.

Data on the need for additional education: A Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey reports that almost half of Americans feel they need more education. Adults without degrees are more likely to seek out additional education from employers rather than from traditional educational institutions. 

CTE in a 21st-century workforce system: RAND Corporation has released a report describing the need for an integrated, data-driven, equitable 21st-century workforce development and employment system to enable lifelong learning and career progress. Recommended strategies include secondary and postsecondary CTE and career development that responds to current and evolving needs.