CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Democrats Take House, Republicans Gain in Senate

Last night's midterm election saw historic turnout in many places across the country. While some races for the U.S. House of Representatives are still too close to call, it is clear that House Democrats have taken the majority. As of 8:30AM on Wednesday, the New York Times predicted that the final breakdown would be 229-206 in Democrats' favor. All signs point to Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) once again assuming the gavel as Speaker of the House. This will be the second time in history that a woman has served as speaker, with Pelosi previously serving in the role from 2007-2011. On the committee front, a Democratic Congress means that Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) is poised to assume leadership of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

On the Senate side, Republicans have expanded their majority to at least 52 seats. Florida, Montana and Arizona are all considered too close to call as of 8:30AM on Wednesday, but Republicans are leading in all three states, which would give them a 55-45 seat majority. It is all but certain that Sen. Mitch McConnell will continue as majority leader. In terms of committee implications, this is likely to result in one additional Republican seat on each committee.

Specific to the CTE Caucus, Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), both caucus co-chairs, were on the ballot and were both re-elected. On the House side, both CTE Caucus co-chairs, Representatives Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) were re-elected, as was Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), who cosponsored the Perkins reauthorization bill.

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. However, it appears that Democrats made a number of pickups in governorships and state legislatures. For additional insight into education-related election updates, particularly in the states, visit Education Week's dedicated election page.

Vote on Tuesday, November 6!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6, is Election Day! Voters all across the country will head to the polls. Every U.S. House of Representatives seat is up for election, and many voters will also cast ballots in senatorial, gubernatorial, state legislative and other races. Earlier this year, we wrote about some of these races, CTE-related ballot initiatives, and state superintendent elections.

To learn more about what's on your ballot, where to vote and voting times, visit Nonprofit VOTE!

At the federal level, control of both the House and Senate will be decided on Tuesday. The election has implications when it comes to committee chairs, committee compositions, the legislative agenda and more. Be sure to make your voice heard!

As a reminder, ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not—and will not—support or oppose any candidate for public office. 

Election 2018: State Superintendents

Come November 6, voters in more than half of the 13 states that still elect state superintendents will determine their state's next top education official. Democratic and Republican candidates will face off in Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Oklahoma and South Carolina. In California the election is nonpartisan, and the race features two candidates both running with Democratic support. In Wyoming, Republican incumbent Jillian Balow is running unopposed

As Education Week documents, state superintendents play an interesting and important role in a state's education system. Oftentimes, these elected state officers clash with the governor's office, particularly when they are of different political parties. Issues for state superintendents in recent years have largely centered on state standards, accountability, educator recruitment/retention and state education funding.

In addition to electing a state superintendent, as we reported on the CTE Policy Watch Blog last week, South Carolina voters face a unique choice. A ballot measure in the state would transform the elected state superintendent position into one appointed by the governor. This would follow a similar trend over the last century, as the number of states that elect state superintendents has dwindled from 33 at one point.

Along with critical U.S. Senate and House elections, many gubernatorial offices, state legislative seats and ballot initiatives will be decided in the 2018 elections. Don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 6, 2018!

ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not—and will not—support or oppose any candidate for public office. For more nonpartisan information on elections in your state and how to register to vote, visit Nonprofit VOTE.

Election 2018: Offices and State Ballot Measures

On Tuesday, November 6, voters all across the country will head to the polls for Election Day. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives will be on the ballot. Additionally, 35 U.S. Senate seats will be up for election. There will be at least one Senate race in every state except: AK, AL, AR, CO, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, NC, NH, OK, OR, SC and SD. To fill vacancies, Minnesota and Mississippi will have both Senate seats on the ballot. Additionally, there will be gubernatorial races in 36 states. The following states will not hold a governor's election: DE, IN, KY, LA, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NJ, UT, VA, WA and WV. Most states will hold elections for their state legislatures, and many will also have local elections.

In addition to voting for individual candidates, many states will have various ballot measures for voters to consider. The list of ballot measures outlined below, along with their summaries, are largely drawn from a list maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures. They are not meant to be exhaustive, and only discuss relevant education-related issues.

• Colorado: Taxes incomes over $150,000 and increase corporate taxes to fund public schools
• Georgia: Allows school districts to call for a sales tax referendum
• Hawaii: Allows state legislature to impose a surcharge on residential investment properties and would use the revenue for public education
• Maine: $15 million in bond funding for Maine's community colleges
• Maryland: Dedicates an increasing amount of gambling revenue to public education, including for CTE and college credit for high school students. The percentage of gambling revenue dedicated to public education would increase for the next several years, up to 100 percent in fiscal year 2023 and thereafter.
• Montana: Continues a property tax to fund the Montana University System for ten years
• New Jersey: Authorizes $500 million in bonds for, among other things, CTE schools and technical colleges
• New Mexico: Authorizes a $128.4 million bond for higher education, special schools, and tribal bonds
• Oklahoma: Allows local property taxes to be used to fund public school operations and constructions
• Rhode Islands: Two bond authorizations both higher education facilities and public schools
• South Carolina: Changes the state superintendent of education into a position appointed by the governor
• Utah: Nonbinding measure to ask voters if they would support raising the state's motor and special fuel tax by 10 cents per gallon to fund education and local roads

The 2018 midterm elections are important and could flip control of one or both chambers of Congress. State and local elections are also critical, as governors, state legislatures and municipalities are often tasked with implementing federal legislation. State and local officeholders also set education funding levels and pass education- and workforce-related legislation. Lastly, as demonstrated above, state ballot measures can have significant impacts on education and CTE programs.

ACTE will continue to monitor the 2018 elections as part of our coverage on the CTE Policy Watch Blog. For more nonpartisan information on elections in your state and how to register to vote, visit Nonprofit VOTE.

ACTE Launches Election Watch 2018

On November 6, voters all across the country will head to the ballot box. Every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives will be on the ballot, along with one-third of U.S. Senate seats. Most states will have a governor's election, with many also having state legislative and local elections.

As CTE advocates, we can play an important role in framing the dialogue this election season. In addition to supporting candidates that embrace CTE, advocates can attend town halls and meetings, posing questions to prospective policymakers about how they will support CTE. At the federal level, with Perkins now reauthorized the major issues in the new Congress could include reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, an infrastructure bill and more. Additionally, securing robust, forward-looking investments in CTE through the appropriations process will become even more of a priority as we work to implement Perkins V.

You can follow ACTE's continuing coverage of the 2018 election here on the CTE Policy Watch Blog. To learn about voting information, voter registration, grassroots efforts and more, visit Nonprofit Vote.

Note: ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not—and will not—support or oppose any candidate for public office.

Election Watch 2017

Tuesday, November 7, is Election Day 2017 in many states and localities across the country. This “off-year” election will feature gubernatorial and state legislative elections, as well as ballot initiatives and a variety of local races. The marquee matchups on Tuesday will be the governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, where candidates will vie to replace the term-limited Governors Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) and Chis Christie (R-NJ). Voters in these states will also decide races for other statewide offices and seats in the state legislature. Additionally, local school board elections will be held in many states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Colorado and Washington. To find more information about voting in your state, check out the elections section of our CTE Action Center.

ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.

Recap State Education Ballot Measures

The results are in from the states that decided on some key education ballot initiatives last Tuesday. Among the handful of measures that sought to boost funding for public education through tax increases or the sale of state bonds, there were mixed results. Voters in Oklahoma defeated a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase, which was expected to generate $615 million for education, while a 3 percent tax surcharge that has been earmarked to fund public education in Maine was approved. Additionally, the state of California got the go ahead to issue $9 billion in bonds for repairs and upgrades to K-12 schools, community colleges and other postsecondary institutions. 

Despite having the backing of Gov. Nathan Deal (R-GA), voters in Georgia rejected the proposed Opportunity School District amendment, which would have given the state the authority to take control of chronically failing public schools. South Dakota’s Amendment R, a measure allowing the state legislature to establish a separate governing body for the state’s four postsecondary technical institutes, was narrowly approved. Voters also gave the thumbs up to an Oregon measure that will mandate state funding for dropout prevention and career and college readiness programs.

Election Day 2016 Recap

Election Day 2016 has come and gone, and in the marquee presidential race the Republican nominee came out on top. With several races still outstanding, it appears that Republicans will also maintain their majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. When the 115^th Congress convenes in January, Republicans will continue to set the education policy agenda, but their narrow majority in the Senate will still require Democratic support to pass any new legislation. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who ran as the Democrat nominee for vice president, is expected to return to the Senate and continue his role as co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus.

For his part, Donald Trump has given little indication as to what education priorities will drive his Administration. He has stated that he will get rid of the Common Core State Standards (which are common academic standards adopted by states) and will eliminate gun-free school zones. He has also noted that he would like to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education or at least “downsize it” significantly. In previous statements, he has expressed support for establishing “centers of excellence” that may incorporate CTE, though he provided no additional details on how his Administration would implement such an initiative. "Vocational training is a great thing. We don't do it anymore," Trump said using the outdated term for CTE at a campaign event in November. “We’d have people [in college] who were brilliant, and we’d have other people who weren’t as brilliant in that way but were brilliant, incredible, when it came to fixing a motor, fixing something.”

Of course secondary and postsecondary CTE programs are available nationwide—preparing students for careers in broad range of in-demand fields, not only the skilled trades. ACTE will work to educate new policymakers on the importance of CTE in equipping students with employability, technical and academic skill they will need for career success. Follow us on the CTE Policy Watch Blog for more election updates.

Why Voting is Important to Me

As a native of Ohio who now resides in Virginia, my perspective on voting is as someone who has always lived somewhere that has been the focus of national campaigns looking to assemble “swing state” votes every four years. It is not difficult to appreciate the importance of voting when you know that a few dozen votes can change the outcome of your precinct, which can help swing your state that can move an election and affect the future of the entire country.

But it is also important to remember that the presidency is not the sum total of our democratic system. The outcome of this election will affect your life in a thousand ways you may not even notice, and that have nothing to do with who is elected president. It’s the 435 seats in U.S. House of Representatives and 34 in the Senate that will determine the direction of the next Congress that will have a significant impact on the future of CTE funding and the likely reauthorization of the Perkins Act. It’s the 12 states that will select a governor who will then be responsible for setting their statewide education policy agenda and establishing annual budgets that provide the majority of the classroom resources that CTE programs need to function. It’s the direct democracy of ballot measures that will determine if California can raise $9 billion through state bonds to fund repairs and upgrades to K-12 schools and community colleges, or if Oregon will have dedicated funding for dropout prevention and career and college readiness programs. It’s the local races and ballot issues that too numerous to mention here, but that have the most direct impact on your community.

Since 2012, we have brought you the Election Watch project not only as a means to encourage CTE advocates to help further our policy goals at the ballot box, but also to demonstrate to the entire CTE community that, no matter where you live, we all have the ability to affect change on Election Day and we all have the responsibility to be informed and engaged voters.  

ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.

Why Voting is Important to Me

Let’s be honest: the chances that you will cast the decisive vote in a presidential election is pretty slim. The probability varies based on the competitiveness of the state in which you vote – an average D.C. voter’s chances are 1 in 490 billion, while a Virginian’s are 1 in 7.9 million – but it’s safe to say that your vote probably won’t decide the outcome. That’s beside the point, however, because in this country we have the opportunity to participate in the civic process more often than just every Election Day. But to establish the credibility necessary to effectively lobby policymakers throughout the year, you should vote.

Imagine if a restaurant patron complained to a chef without tasting the food, if a basketball coach complained to a referee without seeing the play or if a student complained about homework without reading the assignment. Instantly, that diner, coach or student’s credibility would evaporate. The same rings true for a non-voter wishing to influence their policymakers. That’s why it’s important to have established your credibility as an advocate by also weighing in when you have the chance to do so at the polling booth.

The next Congress is likely to tackle some big issues, like reauthorizing the Perkins Act, the Higher Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, among others. On each of these issues, our advocacy efforts rely on our members all across the country lobbying their own representatives to ensure that CTE interests are considered. But to ensure our voices are heard when our issues are debated, we also need to have our voices heard on Election Day. So don’t forget to vote on November 8th, or earlier!

ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.