It was a lively week for federal education policy on the Hill this week and a great way to start CTE month! Make sure you stay up to date on all the ways you can celebrate CTE this month in your local community or state. Now on to the news:
- Briefing on Opportunities to Improve the Higher Education Act (HEA): The National Skills Coalition, in partnership with the Senate CTE Caucus, hosted a Hill briefing on ways to improve HEA to provide students with a better framework to succeed. It included a panel of community and technical college leaders who discussed how wrap-around services, employer partnerships and guided pathways models can help prepare students for success in the classroom and in the workforce.
- Bipartisan Senate Letter on Analyzing Dual Enrollment ESSA Funding: Nineteen senators sent a letter to the Department of Education to explore how ESSA money is being used for dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment and early college in high schools. The senators want an examination of the use of funds to evaluate how low-income and underrepresented students are being provided access to ensure college and career readiness.
- SouthTech Wins Second Round of Catalyzing CTE through Pay for Success Competition: Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Social Finance awarded SouthTech Academy in Palm Beach County, Florida, the second round of the “Catalyzing CTE through Pay for Success Competition,” an award to expand high-quality K-12 CTE programming for underserved communities through “Pay-for-Success” funding. SouthTech demonstrated how they will expand CTE pathways so students can integrate registered apprenticeships into their education, have opportunities to earn industry certified certifications and participate in work-based learning. A New Tech Academy in Advanced Manufacturing will be opened as well to help meet local needs in the manufacturing sector.
- Department of Education on CTE Month: Scott Stump, the Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education in the U.S. Department of Education, released a video in recognition of CTE Month, and on February 7, hosted a Town Hall Call to review new guidance related to civil rights monitoring in CTE programs.
- Briefing on Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs): On February 4, ACTE attended a briefing entitled, “TCUs: The Future of Higher Education” that was held in the Senate. A panel of four TCU presidents detailed the challenges and successes of TCUs around the nation such as ensuring the survival of their language and culture, teacher preparation and facilities upkeep.
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