CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Research Round-up on Equity

Equity in Dual/Concurrent Enrollment: The College in High School Alliance has released another policy snapshot exploring state approaches to ensuring quality for dual/concurrent enrollment in high school programs. In order for states to provide early college courses in high schools, the researchers suggest using existing structures for oversight and regulation and adapt them to the dual or concurrent enrollment space, or create new requirements, such as program accreditation, to ensure students have access to quality college in high school programs.

Success Stories of Equitable Dual/Concurrent Enrollment Programs: A new report from the Community College Research Center examines nine dual enrollment programs in Florida, Ohio and Washington which have successfully closed or narrowed equity gaps among Black, Latino, Indigenous or Pacific Islander students in dual enrollment programs. Based on these case studies, the researchers provide five principles secondary schools and community colleges can use in their dual enrollment programs:

• Set a shared vision and goals that prioritize equity.
• Expand equitable access.
• Provide advising and supports that ensure equitable student outcomes.
• Provide high-quality instruction that builds students’ competence and confidence.
• Organize teams and develop relationships to maximize potential.

Tracking Measures of Success: To understand if states were collecting and reporting data on measures that would help students prepare for college and career success, Bellwether Education Partners researched whether states were tracking effective measures of success. In the report “College and Career Readiness, or A New Form of Tracking?” the researchers identified opportunities for and obstacles to career and college readiness, as well as highlighted states that were not reporting any measures, states that were tracking the most common measures, and states that were designing measures to ensure equity and discourage tracking of certain student subpopulations into particular career paths.

Racial Equity Through Social-Emotional Learning: The Committee for Children released a brief discussing strategies to promote racial equity through social-emotional learning policy. The researchers discuss different policy strategies to employ in K-12 education to promote racial equity in schools:

• Promote culturally responsive teaching. 
• Implement anti-racist education and Black studies.
• Incorporate trauma-informed approaches to education. 
• Reform school safety and discipline practices. 
• Diversify and support the educator workforce.

State Directors of Community Colleges’ Perceptions on CARES Act Funding: According to 38 state directors of community colleges who responded to a survey about CARES Act funding for higher education in 2020-21, most directors thought the additional CARES Act funding helped, even though they think community colleges will face financial hardship during this fiscal year, especially rural and regional colleges. A majority of directors think that more funding is needed to support and improve broadband access to address the equity issues in this area exposed by the pandemic, as well as more funding for counselling and advising and faculty training. 

Achieving Equity in Work-based Learning Programs: High-quality work-based learning opportunities can be used to advance equity and economic opportunity, according to a new report from Brookings, which ACTE contributed to. The researchers suggested three key elements for work-based learning programs:

• Positive relationships with adults that support growth and development.
• Social capital that provides information and contacts regarding employment.
• Work experiences that offer opportunities for hands-on learning and expose young people to new environments and expectations.

DC Digest: November 23-28

We hope you had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday! Though it was a short week here at ACTE, and the House and Senate were out of session for the holiday, we still have a couple of notes from DC last week: 

• Updated CDC Guidance for Schools During COVID-19: The CDC has updated many of its guidance documents regarding COVID-19 in K-12 schools and childcare centers this month. Some of the updated guidance includes screening students with symptoms, contact tracing in schools, cleaning and PPE in schools and facts about COVID-19 vaccines. 
• Appropriations Bill Update: Last week, the House and the Senate reached a bipartisan agreement for a framework for an omnibus spending package to ensure that the government can continue to operate after the continuing resolution (CR), which is currently funding the government, expires on December 11. The details on how the $1.4 trillion for discretionary spending will be split up have not been released, and are likely to be kept confidential as negotiations continue on individual program funding levels within the broader framework.

DC Digest: November 16-22

Both the House and the Senate are back in session and are working toward a consensus on FY 21 appropriations bills, which they hope to complete during the lame duck session. The continuing resolution (CR) currently funding the government expires on December 11, so some action must be taken before that date to avoid a government shutdown. In addition, the House and the Senate have still not reached an agreement on a COVID-19 stimulus relief package and are far apart on how much to invest, with House Democrats wanting $3 trillion in relief funding and Senate Republicans wanting $500 billion. Here are a few more notes from last week:

• National Apprenticeship Act Passed in the House: The National Apprenticeship Act was introduced and passed in the House on Friday. This new Act would invest more than $35 billion to fund one million new apprenticeship opportunities over the next five years, and creates pathways for students and employees to participate in registered apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, among other things. ACTE endorsed this bill earlier this Congress, but it is not expected to be taken up by the Senate this Congress. 
• New Online Portal for CARES Act Data: The Department of Education created a new online portal to show how states and other grantees are using the CARES Act funding which was allocated to ensure continued learning during the pandemic. The online portal is interactive and features state profiles which provides information on both the award recipients and expenditures within each state. However, the data should be interpreted with caution, and is not necessarily an accurate picture of how much money local school districts or states have obligated or how much CARES Act money is still available. In many cases, funds have already been allocated for contracts or other expenditures which are not reflected in the portal. Numerous groups have already pushed back on the accuracy of the information.

DC Digest: November 9-15

Last week was National Apprenticeship Week! All throughout the week, many organizations, schools and federal agencies celebrated apprenticeship programs with informational webinars or virtual events, some of which are highlighted below. Activity was relatively quiet on Capitol Hill as new Members of Congress arrived for orientation, but along with events for National Apprenticeship Week, the Department of Education made a few announcements. Read on for more details:

• Webinar on Policy Impacting Past and Future Apprenticeships: The Urban Institute collaborated with Jobs for the Future (JFF) and held a webinar to recognize National Apprenticeship Week. During the webinar, three groups of expert panelists ranging from industry leaders to state practitioners spoke about the current successes of apprenticeships and potential policy recommendations for the future.
• Nominations for Second Annual Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award: The Department of Education announced that nominations are now open for the second annual Presidential Cybersecurity Education award, which will recognize two K-12 educators for their excellence in cybersecurity education. The nomination period will remain open until January 31, 2021. For more information about the rules and specifics on how to apply, please visit the Department’s website here.
• Applications for Career and Educational Pathways Exploration System Program Award: The Department of Education announced that applications for new awards under the Career and Educational Pathways Exploration System Program are now open. This program aims to encourage the development of technology-based career exploration systems to ensure students have access to tools for career exploration and education or training planning. The deadline to apply is December 9, 2020.
• Joint Project Between the US and Germany Announced: The Departments of Labor, Commerce and Education ratified a Joint Declaration of Intent partnership with Germany regarding cooperation on apprenticeships and career and technical education and training during National Apprenticeship Week. This partnership encourages quality apprenticeship programs in both countries, increased work-based learning, public-private partnerships between business/industries and CTE programs, and bilateral exchanges of apprentices and trainers.
• White House Recognition of Apprenticeship Programs: During National Apprenticeship Week, President Trump issued a proclamation praising the successes of apprenticeships and recommitted to supporting apprenticeships while encouraging stakeholders to expand apprenticeship education and training. 

New Tools for Effective CTE Data Reporting

Advance CTE and ACTE recently released two resources to support state CTE agencies and local CTE programs with effective CTE data reporting and communication. These resources, which include templates for fact sheets, presentations and other communication materials, can help CTE leaders and policymakers make more informed decisions and respond to federal requirements for public accessibility of CTE data.  

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) pushes states to improve the public accessibility of CTE data by requiring state agencies and local recipients to share data on the performance of all CTE students, and subgroups of learners, and make this information available widely and through a variety of user-friendly formats. These increased requirements for data transparency and communication give CTE leaders an opportunity to reimagine their approach to public reporting with a focus on accessibility and understanding. 

 In March, Advance CTE and ACTE convened a Shared Solutions Workgroup to explore strategies for effective CTE data reporting and communication. Over a series of meetings, the workgroup co-designed a set of tools and resources to help states improve their CTE data reporting:  

• Beyond the Numbers: Design Principles for CTE Data Reporting provides nine principles for developing effective and accessible CTE data reporting tools. 
• Beyond the Numbers: A Toolkit for Communicating CTE Data breaks down six steps for communicating CTE data, from identifying a strategic goal and audience, to creating materials, to building an action plan. It includes models and templates that users can download to build their own engaging infographics, presentations and other materials to communicate their data.  

These resources were developed with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Next Chapter Communications.  

House, Senate Education Committees Poised to Change

Notwithstanding a handful of too-close-to-call seats, the 116th Congress is starting to take shape. In both chambers, there will be changes to the committees with jurisdiction over education issues.  

In the Senate, Republicans currently have a lead for control of that chamber with 50 seats to the Democrats 48. The two remaining races are both in Georgia and will be heading to January 5 run-off elections. These races will ultimately determine which party has control over the Senate, although it is expected that the Republicans will remain in the majority by picking up at least one of the two Georgia races. Regardless of the outcome, the most glaring change on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee roster is Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who did not run for re-election. Other changes include Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Pat Roberts (R-KS), both who retired, and Doug Jones (D-AL), who lost his re-election bid. If Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s (R-GA) loses her run-off election on January 5, that seat on the Committee could also be open. With the retirement of Chairman Alexander, it is expected that either Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) or Rand Paul (R-KY) will obtain the chairmanship. For the Democrats, it is expected that Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) will continue in her current post and is in line to become Chair if Democrats gain the majority through the special elections. Another thing to keep in mind is that senators may choose to pursue other committee assignments, so there could be additional turnover of committee members 

On the House side, there will also be minor changes to the Committee on Education and Labor. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) is poised to remain the chairman of the committee, given that Democrats remain in the majority. It is not yet clear what the exact composition of the committee will be in terms of numbers of members from each party, as that may depend on the results of a few outstanding House races. However, the committee members who will definitely not be returning to Congress are: 

• Bradley Bryne (R-AL) (Retired to run for Senate) 
• Susan Davis (D-CA) (Retired) 
• Phil Roe (R-TN) (Retired) 
• Donna Shalala (D-FL) (Defeated in General) 
• Mark Walker (R-NC) (Retired) 

It is important to note that Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) was the Chairwoman of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over legislation that deals with postsecondary CTE programs. It is unclear who will replace her in this leadership role, but a few potential members include Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Mark Takano (D-CA), who are next in line in terms of seniority on the subcommittee. 

In terms of congressional priorities, experts predict that the committee will spend time on COVID-19 relief for schools and students; reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and National Apprenticeship Act; and labor protections; among other items. However, it remains possible that some bipartisan priorities are pursued in the 117th Congress, including a potential infrastructure package that could include a workforce development component. ACTE will continue our federal policy advocacy on CTE-related issues, and work closely with both Democrats and Republicans on the respective education committees to strengthen the CTE system. 

Election Impacts on CTE Caucus Membership

Recently, we reported on the preliminary results from the 2020 elections. While some congressional races remain too close to call, headed to recount, or a January 5 runoff, a clearer picture has emerged as to how the elections have impacted CTE caucus membership. 

First, all CTE Caucus co-chairs will remain in Congress and serve in the upcoming 117th congressional session. In the Senate, none of the caucus co-chairs were up for re-election, while in the House, co-chairs Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) were both re-elected. 

On the Senate side, we hope the results will ultimately increase the number of caucus members. There are only two Senate CTE Caucus members that will not be returning in the 117th Congress. The three members not returning are Sens. Mike Enzi (R-WY), who is retiring at the end of this Congress, and Doug Jones (D-AL), who lost his re-election bid. However, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Rep. Roger Marhsall (R-KS), who won seats to replace retiring members, were members of the House CTE Caucus who we believe will join the Senate CTE Caucus after their swearing in. There are also several other new Senators that could be potential targets for Caucus membership.  

In terms of House CTE Caucus membership, there will be a number of members leaving the caucus. This is in part due to the large number of retirements in the House, several incumbents defeated, and representatives who chose to pursue another office. Those members of the caucus who are not returning to serve in the House are: 

• Ralph Abraham (R-LA) (Retired) 
• Susan Brooks (R-IN) (Retired) 
• Bradley Byrne (R-AL) (Retired to run for Senate - Lost Primary) 
• Susan Davis (D-CA) (Retired) 
• Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) (Defeated in General) 
• Tom Graves (R-GA) (Resigned) 
• Danny Heck (D-WA) (Retired to run for LG - Elected) 
• Kendra Horn (D-OK) (Defeated in General) 
• Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) (Retired to run for Senate - Lost Primary) 
• Steve King (R-IA) (Defeated in Primary) 
• Dave Loebsack (D-IA) (Retired) 
• Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) (Retired to run for Senate - Elected) 
• Roger Marshall (R-KS) (Retired to run for Senate - Elected) 
• Paul Mitchell (R-MI) (Retired) 
• Collin Peterson (D-MN) (Defeated in General) 
• Scott Tipton (R-CO) (Defeated in Primary) 

Following every congressional election, ACTE meets with new Members of Congress. As part of this outreach to freshmen Members, ACTE recruits new members for the congressional CTE Caucuses. We believe that through these efforts, and with the help of grassroots advocacy from our members, we can add more Members of Congress to the Senate CTE Caucus, and replace (and exceed!) the 16 House CTE Caucus members who are not returning to Congress. 

Our optimism about increasing CTE caucus membership comes in part from the number of political ads that included mention of CTE and workforce training as key messaging points. Further, with the background of the pandemic and recession, we imagine that CTE will be a focal point of this upcoming Congress, which could increase interest in Caucus membership. 

Once the 117th Congress is sworn in, we'll be asking CTE advocates to contact their Members of Congress, particularly any new members, to ask them to join their respective CTE Caucus. To stay up-to-date on these requests, be sure to sign-up for ACTE's legislative alerts here. 

Senate FY 2021 Appropriations Bill Provides $75 Million Increase for Perkins

As Congress returned this week for the lame duck session, one of the most critical items on the agenda before the end of the year is the passage of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations bills. As one step toward finalizing these bills, on November 10, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee released its long-awaited draft Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations bill. According to the Committee’s highlights document, the proposal includes $184.47 billion in overall funding, with $73.2 billion of the proposed discretionary spending for the Department of Education, which would be an increase of $433 million or 0.9% over FY 2020 enacted levels. 

Even with this very modest overall increase, there was some very good news for CTE in the bill! The bill proposes an $75 million, or 5.8% increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant over the FY 2020 enacted levels, bringing its total proposed funding level to approximately $1.36 billion. This is $57 million more than the funding level included in the appropriations bill passed by the House in July. 

Below are some additional funding levels proposed in the bill for programs that are important to CTE educators: 

• CTE National programs: $7.42 million, level funded from FY 20 level 
• Federal Work-Study: $1.18 billion, level funded from FY 20 level 
• Adult Education: $671 million, level funded from FY 20 level 
• DoL Training and Employment Services programs: $3.585 billion, a decrease from $3.611 billion in FY20 

• Career Pathways for Youth Grants: $10 million, level funded from FY 20 level 
• Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants: $2.132 billion, level funded from FY 20 level 
• ESSA Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants: $1.25 billion, an increase of $40 million from FY 20 level 
• Pell Grants: $6,495 for the maximum award, an increase of $150 from FY 20 level 

The bill is not expected to have a markup or be considered individually on the Senate floor, but it will serve as a negotiating position for the Senate with the House. In order to prevent a government shutdown, Congress needs to pass FY 2021 appropriations bills or a new continuing resolution (CR) prior to the December 11 expiration of the current CR.  

While the Perkins increase in the bill doesn’t come close to meeting the funding needs for CTE, it is a solid step in this process considering restrictive budget caps and urgent needs created by the pandemic. We will continue to work with Congress on appropriations bills and on the next COVID-19 relief package to advocate for more resources to ensure all students have access to high-quality CTE programs and encourage you to reach out to your Members of Congress to ask them to support the higher Perkins funding level included in the Senate Labor, Health and Human Serivces, and Education Appropriations bill.   

Implications of Election on CTE

The 2020 election is on pace to have the highest voter turnout, as a share of the voting-eligible population, since the 1908 election. After four days of counting ballots, former vice president Joe Biden cleared the 270 electoral college threshold to become the 46th President of the United States. Although these results are not official until the Electoral College meets on December 14th to vote, the final result is unlikely to change.  

In general, it is expected that the Biden Administration will seek to prioritize and invest heavily into our nation’s education and workforce systems, especially in the face of the current global pandemic and recession. Further, President-elect Biden’s campaign has released numerous proposals that will serve as the foundation to his Administration’s policy agenda moving forward. In terms of CTE, many of these policy proposals include specific provisions within them that would be beneficial. For example, his plan dedicated to the nation’s caregiving and education workforces calls for $1 billion over the next four years to recruit and re-train current and future professionals seeking careers in these fields. Other examples include his Made in America, Clean Energy, Climate, and Infrastructure plans, all of which contain provisions to either directly, or indirectly, benefit the growth and support of CTE. 

One of the most important proposals for CTE advocates is the Biden Plan for Education Beyond High School. This proposal calls for providing two years of free community college and the creation of a new program designed to help community colleges improve student success, tackle the barriers that prevent students from completing their degree or training credential, and make a $50 billion investment into high-quality training programs. 

Other specific policy recommendations that matter to ACTE’s members include increasing funding for teacher mentoring, leadership and professional development; helping teachers reduce their own student loan obligations by strengthening the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program; investing in technology and labs to prepare students for future jobs; and doubling the number of psychologists, counselors, nurses and social workers in schools. 

While some races for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate are still too close to call, it is clear that Democrats have retained their majority in the House. As of 9:00AM Tuesday, the balance of power sits at 216-198, with 21 elections still waiting to be called. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) once again will be seeking, and is the heavy favorite, to assume the gavel as Speaker of the House, although there are rumblings of disappointment within the Democratic caucus about their underperformance in House races. In terms of education and CTE policy, with the majority remaining the same, we do not believe much will change in terms of priorities. Democrats will most likely seek to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA), strengthen registered apprenticeships and reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

On the Senate side, control of the majority is still unclear, although the odds are in favor of Republicans remaining in control of the upper chamber. Currently, Democrats have netted one seat and the chamber remains at a 48-48 tie. Alaska, North Carolina and two races in Georgia have yet to be decided, but Republicans are expected to win North Carolina and Alaska, which would give them 50 seats, putting them one away from a majority. Both races in Georgia look to be headed toward a January 5th special election, since no candidates have met the 50% vote threshold required in that state. This would leave the fate of the majority unclear until the new year. If the Republicans do retain the majority, it is all but certain that Sen. Mitch McConnell will continue as majority leader. In terms of CTE specific implications, the Georgia races will have the most immediate and large implications on the direction of policy. If the Senate remains in Republican control, we expect it to be much more difficult for the Administration to move priorities forward, and without bipartisan compromise, gridlock could be the primary outcome. Some bipartisan items that may move would include reauthorizations of HEA and WIOA, and updates to the National Apprenticeship Act. 

Specific to the CTE Caucus, both House CTE Caucus co-chairs, Representatives Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) were re-elected, while none of the four Senate Caucus co-chairs were up for re-election. More specific information about the election implications on the CTE Caucus is forthcoming, so please stay tuned! 

ACTE will continue to closely monitor the outstanding results in House and Senate races and will provide additional updates on new Members of Congress, committee assignments, congressional priorities and more in the weeks and months to come. 

In addition to the federal elections, the results are still coming in for other candidates and issues on the ballot. For additional insight into education-related election updates, particularly in the states, visit Education Week's dedicated election results blog. 

DC Digest: November 2-8

All eyes in Washington were on the election last week, as votes continued to be counted in the Presidential race and many congressional races. Now that more information is known, we’ll have complete coverage in other posts on the blog. Though the election consumed much of the airtime, here are a few other notes from last week:

• New Post-COVID-19 Workforce Initiative: The Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor and Department of Agriculture launched a new initiative, Engaging as One Workforce for America. This initiative seeks to increase the capacity of local and state governments to engage displaced workers to lessen their time unemployed and create clear pathways back to employment, through a public-private partnership.
• Agreement in Congress for Funding the Government: On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that both he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have agreed that an omnibus to continue funding the government should be passed, instead of another continuing resolution (CR). Congress must come to agreement on appropriations bills or pass a new CR during the lame duck session lto avoid a government shutdown, since the current CR expires on December 11. 
• COVID-19 Stimulus Relief Bill Update: Before the election, some lawmakers were hopeful that they would be able to pass a stimulus relief bill when both chambers are back in session, however, it is still unclear when or if that will happen. Both Senate Majority Leader McConnell and House Speaker Pelosi called for a stimulus relief package to be passed now that the election is over, but the two are still at odds on the size of the bill. McConnell is calling for a “skinny” relief package while Pelosi rejects that idea and wants a more comprehensive relief package.