CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Updated: Advanced Manufacturing Sector Sheet

ACTE recently updated its Sector Sheet on CTE’s role in developing the workforce in advanced manufacturing with the latest information on labor market demand, the role CTE plays in preparing the workforce for this sector, and profiles of exemplary programs. 

Currently, manufacturing is facing a growing skills gap as employers report needing more workers with technical skills who are interested in learning new technologies. About 4 million manufacturing jobs will be open through 2030; however, more than 2 million of these jobs are expected to go unfilled. The advanced manufacturing sectors with strong growth prospects include pharmaceuticals, electronics and aerospace.

CTE programs are taking the lead in developing the advanced manufacturing workforce. For instance, at Kaukauna High School in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, manufacturing students prepare for high-quality, in-demand careers in the area’s chemical manufacturing facilities through hands-on experiences in machine programming, welding and fabrication, 3D programming and more; rigorous academic coursework; and early postsecondary credit opportunities. On the postsecondary level, the Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative is a collaboration between a group of multi-state community and technical colleges and industry partners to better prepare highly skilled mechatronics technicians to work in advanced manufacturing sectors. Postsecondary learners can choose between many career pathways such as Mechanical Engineering Technician, Robotics Automation Technologist and Fluid Power Mechanic.

ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously supported by Pearson. 

Application Window for E-Rate Emergency Connectivity Fund Opens

Today, the Federal Communications Commission opened the initial application window for the recently authorized Emergency Connectivity Fund. This $7.17 billion program, included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, was designed to help K-12 schools and libraries provide tools and services that students need for remote learning and help close the "Homework Gap" for students that lack necessary connectivity and devices for school work.  

Schools, libraries, and consortia of eligible schools and libraries that are eligible for support under the FCC’s E-Rate program are eligible to request support through the Emergency Connectivity Fund program. You do not have to be a current E-RATE participant to apply however, and more guidelines on eligibility can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations. Funds can be used to make new purchases of technology such as laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems and routers, as well as to pay for broadband connections. Funds must be requested for the 2021-22 school year, to pay for purchases and services between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022.

More details are available on the FCC website, including a fact sheet about the program and a set of FAQs. There are also a variety of trainings and resources related to the application process on the site as well. You must apply for funds within 45 days, by August 13, so act quickly!

DC Digest: June 21-27

The House and Senate were both in session this week, but it was a relatively light week for education, workforce and CTE-related policy. Instead, the majority of the focus surrounded ongoing infrastructure negotiations between President Biden and a bipartisan working group in the Senate, with a tentative framework worth $1.2 billion announced on June 24. As with any tentative agreement, there is still a long way to go until an infrastructure package may be finalized, and positioning on both sides continues. This deal does not include proposed funding for child care facilities, K-12 schools, and community college infrastructure, but does include funding to electrify school buses, eliminate lead drinking water pipes in schools, and provide broadband. The additional education-related infrastructure funding could be provided in a follow-up bill considered through the budget reconciliation process. There will be much more on the infrastructure front as the summer unfolds, but in the meantime, here is some other news from last week:  

• House Education & Labor Committee Holds Hearing on Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education: On Thursday, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Committee on Education and Labor to discuss ongoing policies and priorities for the Department of Education, including the impacts of the American Rescue Plan and President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget request. He discussed career pathways, state and local education, Title I, teacher training, school infrastructure, postsecondary education and more. Secretary Cardona reiterated his support for CTE, and shared how education must evolve to help create pathways into the workforce, as well as the importance of workforce partnerships. 

• Secretary Cardona Holds Roundtable with Rural Students: On June 21, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona spoke with middle and high school students from rural communities as part of a virtual roundtable to learn more about how the Department of Education can support them, as well as how the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted their learning experiences. 

• Department of Education Holds Equity Summit: On June 22, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona held the first in a series of equity-focused summits to be hosted by the Department of Education. In the first edition, First Lady Jill Biden, educators and students from across the country discussed the impacts of the American Rescue Plan on reopening schools, in addition to the investments and potential impacts of the Biden Administration’s American Families Plan and Fiscal Year 2022 budget request. The panel also featured discussions about how to ensure students from underserved communities can have a voice in their schools and classrooms. The Equity Summit series will focus on how school reopening cannot merely represent a return to the status quo for students, schools and education more broadly. 

• Department of Education Launches Postsecondary Negotiated Rulemaking: On June 21, 23 and 24, the Department of Education held a series of public hearings to hear comments on several proposed federal student aid policies. Participants discussed barriers to student loan debt repayment, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) and gainful employment. The Department is accepting comments online until July 1 in preparation for more formal regulatory activity. 

• Department of Labor Announces Grants to Support Registered Apprenticeships: $130 million in grants to support registered apprenticeship programs was recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to 15 states. Funding from the grants will also establish the creation of Registered Apprenticeship Technical Assistance Centers of Excellence in an additional three states and Washington, DC. 

• Department of Labor Awards Grants to Improve Employment Outcomes for Those Currently or Formerly Involved in the Criminal Justice System: The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded over $85.5 million through 28 grants to organizations in 17 states and Washington, DC, to help individuals currently or formerly involved in the criminal justice system find employment within their communities. Young adults ages 18 to 24 will receive support and connections to apprenticeships and other opportunities, including opportunities in IT, health care and energy. 

• Department of Labor Dialogue to Promote Equity for Women Workers: The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a national online dialogue to improve labor outcomes for women in the workforce. The dialogue will be open until July 9, and you can register to participate. 

• Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) Reintroduce PREP Act: Senators Tim Kaine and Susan Collins, members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, reintroduced the Preparing and Retaining Education Professionals (PREP) Act to help address teacher and principal shortages. This legislation will support efforts in rural communities, in particular, to equip schools with qualified teachers and principals, and help increase teacher diversity. The aim of the legislation is to provide the next generation of students with talented, well-equipped professionals in schools and classrooms. ACTE has endorsed this legislation.

CTE Policy Watch Email Updates Are Moving to Mailchimp

If you currently subscribe to receive email updates from CTE Policy Watch, we will soon be transitioning our email updates from Feedburner to Mailchimp. You will continue to receive updates in your inbox as normal to ensure a seamless transition. If you receive an email from Mailchimp asking you to confirm your subscription to CTE Policy Watch, it is not a spam message! If you normally visit CTE Policy Watch via the web, no need to worry - the CTE Policy Watch blog will remain right here at this web address. New subscribers can sign up for the email feed on June 30. Be on the lookout for more news and information from CTE Policy Watch!

Updated: Health Care Sector Sheet

ACTE has updated its Sector Sheet on CTE’s role in developing the health care workforce with the latest on labor market demand, the role CTE plays in preparing the future health care workforce and exemplary health care programs.  

Jobs in health care are projected to grow faster than any other occupational group this decade as the U.S. population ages. Of the top 10 fastest-growing occupations, six of those occupations are in the health care sector, with nurse practitioner positions expected to grow 52% by 2029, followed by occupational therapy assistants, home health and personal care aides, physical therapist assistants, medical and health services managers, and physician assistants. 

CTE programs are rising to meet the needs of the growing health care labor market. One example of this on the secondary level is the Henderson County High School Health Science program in Henderson, Kentucky, where learners can choose between three areas of study: allied health, pre-nursing and medical administrative assistant. The program also offers dual credit opportunities, industry-recognized credentials, CTSO experiences and work-based learning opportunities. At the postsecondary level, San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas, recently expanded its associate degree nursing program to the north campus of the college to increase access for low-income students and learners of color, many of whom struggle with transportation. While in the program, learners are offered wraparound supports such as program maps, structured scheduling, faster remediation pathways and mandatory advising touchpoints. 

ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously supported by Pearson.

DC Digest: June 14-20

Last week was another week of infrastructure talks dominating most of Congress’ time. There are now 21 Senators who are backing the $974 billion bipartisan infrastructure proposal framework, yet there is still a long way to go until an agreement might be finalized. Both the House and Senate were also back in session last week, so it was a busy week for education and workforce development policy!  

• House Approves $1.506 Trillion Total Spending Level for FY 2022: On Monday, the House approved a resolution along party lines that would set the topline discretionary spending level for House appropriators for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 to $1.506 trillion. This “deeming resolution” will allow appropriators to begin work on individual appropriations bills and set program-level funding amounts. We’ll be paying particular attention to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee markup, which is now scheduled for July 12. While the Perkins Basic State Grant Program received a proposed $20 million increase in the President’s Budget Request, it is not enough to meet the growing needs of CTE programs as the country emerges from the pandemic, and ACTE needs your help to put pressure on your representatives for a more robust increase to the Perkins Basic State Grant . Read more in our full blog post. 

• House and Senate Panels Pass Separate Surface Transportation Reauthorization Proposals: In recent weeks, both House and Senate Transportation Committees have introduced and advanced their own versions of a reauthorization of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which is authorized through September 30. Both of these proposals included some smaller workforce development proposals, but none of the sweeping proposals the Administration laid out in the American Jobs Plan. These proposals, however, are seen as the first steps in working toward bringing the President’s American Jobs Plan to fruition. Read more in our full blog post. 

• House Subcommittee Holds a Hearing for WIOA Reauthorization and Incarcerated Individuals: The House Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee held a hearing on Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization to examine successful models of helping previously incarcerated individuals re-enter their communities and obtain good careers. In Chair Frederica Wilson’s (D-FL) opening statement, Wilson highlighted the need to address the worker shortage by allowing previously incarcerated individuals opportunities to help build a robust and skilled workforce.  

• Senate Committee Holds a Hearing on Supporting Postsecondary Students: On Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on supporting postsecondary students and safely returning to campus after COVID-19. In Sen. Patty Murray’s (D-WA) opening remarks, she stressed that there is still work to be done after reopening campuses to ensure higher education opportunities are affordable and accessible to all. Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) in his opening statement agreed that it is important for higher education institutions to reopen, but said he believes the focus should be on reopening K-12 schools first. 

• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Holds a Hearing on FY 22 Department of Education Budget: On Wednesday, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on the Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona testified during the hearing, in which the Secretary highlighted the importance of CTE several times during his testimony. 

• Department of Education Announces 28 State American Rescue Plan Act Plans: Last Monday, the Department of Education announced that 28 state plans submitted by State Education Agencies under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act are now posted. The plans describe the ways states are going to use ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to support schools, students and educators when re-opening for in-person learning and meeting the needs of students impacted by COVID-19. 

• Department of Education Releases Quarterly Data Reports on Student Loan Programs: Also on Monday, the Department of Education released two quarterly data portfolio reports with key data and information about federal student loan programs. The reports are housed on the Department’s Data Center website and cover topics on student loan actions taken during the pandemic and the need for continued improvements to future programs. 
   
• ACTE Supports Letter Calling for Significant Investments in Education and Workforce Programs: ACTE and several state ACTE associations recently joined a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in support of the Administration’s proposed FY 2022 funding increases for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.  
   
• Department of Education Issues New Guidance on Title IX Protections Related to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: On Wednesday, the Department of Education issued a Notice of Interpretation stating that it will include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity when enforcing Title IX prohibitions on sex discrimination.   

Research Round-up: Advocacy Resource for Recruiting CTE Learners, Inequitable Impacts of COVID-19, Positive Outcomes for Massachusetts Community College Students

Racial/Ethnic Inequities Persist in the Engineering Workforce: Of the nearly 1.7 million engineers working in the U.S. in 2019, only 3% were Black women or Latinas, compared to 81% of workers who were White or Asian and 84% of workers who were men, according to a new report from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Though the number of Black and Latinx students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering significantly increased between 1990 and 2019, the pace is not fast enough to make significant gains until well into the future, according to the authors. The researchers recommend closing these opportunity gaps by improving recruitment for Black and Latinx students into engineering majors, providing wraparound supports to enable these students to finish their degrees, and addressing the pay inequities between White and Asian engineers and Black and Latinx engineers in the workforce.  

Positive Outcomes for Massachusetts Community College Students: Findings from a new report on labor market returns for students who attended a Massachusetts' community college show graduates who earned a two-year degree had 31% higher earnings than those who only graduated from high school. The findings also showed that students who obtained a community college certificate had earnings that were 26% higher than those who only graduated high school. Other positive findings demonstrate that women who complete an associate degree are 18% more likely to be employed compared to those who didn’t attend community college, and men are 12% more likely to be employed, and these employment gains are similar for those obtaining certificates.  

Advocacy Resource for Recruiting CTE Learners: Advance CTE recently published a report on how to effectively frame CTE to prospective learners and their parents/guardians. The frameworks provided in the report are based on focus groups and online surveys from middle school and high school families. The researchers provide insights on the value families place on education, identify the aspects of CTE that resonate the most, and describe how to tailor the message to each learner to help close equity gaps.   

Findings from Ohio’s Stackable Credentialing Offerings: A report from researchers at the RAND Corporation and the Ohio Department of Education examines the success of stackable credential offerings in Ohio between 2005 and 2019. The study investigated stackable credentials in health care, manufacturing and engineering technology, and information technology. Some of the researchers' key findings include: 

• The number of individuals earning certificates increased over time. 
• Most learners who earned stackable credentials also earned degrees. 
• The majority of stackable credentials were earned in community colleges. 
• Earnings increased for learners who stacked credentials, especially for those in health care. 

Inequitable Impacts of COVID-19: The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights recently released a report on the inequitable impacts of COVID-19 on underserved communities in both secondary and postsecondary education. The report highlights how the pandemic deepened the disparities between students, especially for students of color, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students, and how the pandemic had a significant negative impact on learning. 

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Senator: Support Robust Funding for Perkins in FY 22!

Each year, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) lead a sign-on letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting robust funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) in that year’s Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. Committee members view these “Dear Colleague” letters as a critical part of the process, because they show the breadth of support a specific issue has, making this letter’s success critical. These senators have begun circulating their letter for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and are seeking additional senators to sign on. 

After years of declining federal support for CTE, the past few budgets have included modest increases for the Perkins Basic State Grant program. Your advocacy these past few years has been critical to securing increases in Perkins funding; we need your help again to secure a significant number of signatures on this important letter and keep the momentum going!  

ACTION NEEDED: Send a letter to your senators asking them to sign the “Dear Colleague letter” supporting robust funding for Perkins CTE in Fiscal Year 2022. The deadline for sign-ons is COB on June 25, 2021. 

You can send a message directly using the ACTE Action Center. Additionally, if you have a direct contact in your senator's office, such as from a meeting with a staff member during NPS or at another time, we urge you to call or email directly. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and an operator will connect you to your requested Senate office. Please contact your senators today! 

House & Senate Panels Pass Separate Surface Transportation Reauthorization Proposals

In recent weeks, both House and Senate Transportation Committees have introduced and advanced their own versions of a reauthorization of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which is authorized through September 30. The FAST Act is the main source of federal funding for highway, road and bridge projects throughout the country. It is currently authorized at $305 billion over fiscal years 2016 through 2020, but it was temporarily extended through the 2021 fiscal year last fall.

In late May, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works unanimously passed their own $303.5 billion proposal, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act. Within this proposal, they make small edits to current workforce development proposals already authorized under the act in an effort to expand access and opportunities for students in transportation-related education and training programs.

Following the Senate action, last week House Democrats introduced the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST in America) Act, a $547 billion, five-year reauthorization bill. Then later in the week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the proposal favorably out of committee on a near party-line vote.

Like the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act, the INVEST in America Act falls short of the sweeping investments included in the American Jobs Plan, but does include some workforce development provisions. For instance, it would establish a task force comprised of representatives from surface transportation industry sectors and other experts to develop recommendations and strategies to address surface transportation workforce needs and ways to increase representation of women and minorities in surface transportation careers. It also would establish transparency and reporting requirements for the On-the-Job Training and Supportive Services program - states would be required to develop annual statewide workforce development plans to identify and address workforce gaps and underrepresentation of women and minorities, in addition to establishing annual workforce development compacts with state workforce development boards and other appropriate agencies.

As previously mentioned, both of these proposals included some smaller workforce development proposals, but none of the sweeping proposals the Administration laid out in the American Jobs Plan. These proposals, however, are seen as the first steps in working towards bringing the President’s American Jobs Plan to fruition. We expect that given the upcoming expiration for surface transportation funding, Congress felt the urgency to pass this first, then will most likely use the reconciliation process later this fall to address other infrastructure needs. Continue to visit the CTE Policy Watch Blog for more updates and potential action alerts to ensure more comprehensive CTE and workforce development proposals are included in any infrastructure package!

House Approves $1.506 Trillion Total Spending Level for FY 2022

On Monday, the House approved a resolution, along party lines, that would set the topline discretionary spending level for House appropriators for fiscal year (FY) 2022 to $1.506 trillion. The “deeming” resolution, however, does not specify the 302(a) allocations, which are the topline funding levels for both defense and nondefense discretionary spending. Once those are set, Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) can begin to establish the 302(b) allocations for each of the twelve spending bills prior to the beginning of subcommittee mark-ups, which are slated to begin June 24.

The resolution, which was included in a larger rule that would set up debate for two non-related bills, did not come without criticism. House Republicans argued that Democrats were abdicating their duty by moving forward with the appropriations process before debating and passing a FY 2022 budget resolution. In response, Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA) said that putting the deeming resolution in a rule was a “housekeeping item” that Democrats needed to adopt in order to get the appropriations process started. He further pointed out that “given the timing of the president’s budget, the Appropriations Committee will need to get started prior to having a budget resolution.”

Under normal circumstances, the budget resolution is an agreement between the House and Senate on a budgetary plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Once agreed to by both chambers, the budget resolution creates parameters that may be enforced by points of order and using the budget reconciliation process. When the House and Senate do not reach an agreement on this plan, Congress may employ alternative legislative tools to serve as a substitute for a budget resolution, which are usually called “deeming resolutions.”

It is important to note that deeming resolutions do not include reconciliation instructions to authorizing committees, so in order for House Democrats to implement the Administration’s infrastructure and other spending plans, they will still need to introduce and pass a budget resolution for FY 2022.

What’s Next?

The Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee is expected to mark-up their proposal on July 12, according to a recent announcement from the chairwoman. Typically, the committee does not announce programmatic funding levels prior to the mark-up, so this should provide the first look at the committee’s funding priorities for FY 2022.  

While the Perkins Basic State Grant Program received a proposed $20 million increase in the President’s Budget Request, it is not enough to meet the growing needs of CTE programs as the country emerges from the pandemic. We need your help to put pressure on your representatives for a more robust increase to the Perkins Basic State Grant and keep up the fight for CTE! Your advocacy has been instrumental in securing funding increases for CTE for the past several years, and your voice is critical to ensuring policymakers in Washington understand the many benefits of high-quality CTE programs. Please contact your representative today to ask them to support additional funding to support CTE programs.