CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Department of Ed’s Public Comment Request Provides Opportunity to Advocate for CTE

The Department of Education invites public comments on regional educational needs to guide its Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) in their administration of technical assistance to states and school districts. This provides an opportunity to identify growing demands for expanding CTE programs and challenges programs currently face. 

The 10 RACs collect information on educational needs within their assigned region and then determine how comprehensive centers as described in the Educational Technical Assistance Act (ETAA) can provide technical assistance to address these needs. These committees rely on public comments to guide their work, and these comments, alongside data and resources, will be considered at the next committee meeting. In order for the committee to consider offering enhanced technical assistance to CTE programs, comments must present the current need for these programs and why it should be considered a priority. For example, you might want to share any challenges you are facing around the CTE teacher pipeline or providing students access to work-based learning.

Access the form to submit public comments here which includes the following questions:

1. What are 1 to 2 educational needs within your region the RAC should prioritize?
2. Why do you believe these are educational priorities that your region should address?
3. What information can the RACs collect about these priorities to better understand and address the need(s)?
4. Please add any other comments about educational needs in the region and how they could be addressed.

There isn’t much time to submit comments - they should be submitted two business days before the upcoming committee meeting for your respective region. Meeting dates are not publicly posted yet, but are expected to occur in late September or early October, so time is of the essence! The committees also encourage public attendance of these meetings, and the schedule and registration link will be posted here. 

National Evaluation of CTE Surveys to be Distributed Soon!

Be on the lookout THIS WEEK for surveys related to the National Evaluation of CTE under Perkins V (NECTEP), a major research project authorized under the National Program section of the Perkins Act!

Surveys will be distributed the week of August 28 by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences (IES). Surveys will be distributed to CTE state directors and a random sample of school districts across the country. Within school districts, the surveys should go to the CTE Director or Perkins Coordinator, but could end up with other contacts, so keep an eye out!

If you receive one of these surveys, please take the time to fill it out carefully as soon as possible. These surveys are your opportunity to directly inform both IES and Congress about what’s happening in the field. Reporting on your experiences implementing Perkins V will help ensure federal policymakers have an accurate picture of how Perkins V is working nationwide. Without your survey responses, that picture will be incomplete.

Here is a bit more information on why the NECTEP surveys are a critical part of the study:

• IES and its contractor—AIR—will use information from the surveys to report on key aspects of Perkins V implementation.
• The surveys will provide new data on how states and districts are administering CTE under Perkins V. The last comparable survey data on federally funded CTE was collected over 13 years ago, and a lot has changed since then!
• Reports based on the survey results will inform Congress about how states and districts are implementing Perkins V and may inform future reauthorizations of Perkins.

Thank you in advance for doing your part to inform federal CTE policy! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Department of Education Hosts National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

On July 26, the Department of Education (ED) hosted the National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education to discuss strategies and resources to expand access to postsecondary education opportunities following the recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action.

At the event, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced a $45 million postsecondary student success grant competition focused on evidence-based strategies that help underrepresented students access and successfully complete postsecondary education programs. Applications are due September 25, and technical assistance webinars will be hosted by ED’s Office of Postsecondary Education on August 15 and 31.

The postsecondary student success grant competition is targeted toward Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges or Universities (TCCUs), Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and other institutions with high enrollment of high-need students, including community colleges.

The Secretary and other panelists also discussed additional strategies for supporting postsecondary success and equal access, including underrepresented student recruitment, making K-12 connections, improving transfer, expanding need-based financial aid and more. Secretary Cardona also highlighted the expansion of CTE and dual credit programs as additional ways to support students seeking rewarding career opportunities. ED plans to share a comprehensive resource list later in the fall.

Acting Secretary of Labor Testifies to House Education and Workforce Committee

On June 7, Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee on Department of Labor FY 2024 policies and priorities. During the hearing, there was substantial discussion of the opportunities available to support workforce development through registered apprenticeships, secondary and postsecondary CTE programs and more.

Acting Secretary Su discussed the workforce needs that will be required to ensure successful implementation of federal investments such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Several members noted the impact of youth apprenticeship programs, including House CTE Caucus co-chair Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), who highlighted several youth apprenticeship programs in her district. Bonamici also called attention to the importance of industry partnerships that link employers with community colleges, particularly in the manufacturing and semiconductor fields.

Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) added that telecommunications training programs, such as those at Atlanta JATC Electrical Training Center, are preparing students to become technicians in these in-demand fields.

“It's clear that we need to be doing more to get Americans into these careers so that we can see the full benefit of our bipartisan investments through the infrastructure package and the CHIPS and the Science Act,” said McBath.

Continuing the messages echoed by Reps. Bonamici and McBath, Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) asked how Congress can scale up investments and WIOA training programs, such as career counseling, American Job Centers and other employer programs, to better meet workforce needs, and how the Department and Congress can partner to boost and strengthen community college programs as part of the workforce development pipeline. Acting Secretary Su identified the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program as one such example.

Su also highlighted the proposed Sectoral Employment through Career Training for Occupational Readiness (SECTOR) program, which would support the development and expansion of partnerships between employers, education and training providers and community-based groups to focus on training the workforce in growing industries.

You can view the full hearing here.

Secretary Cardona Testifies Before House Education and the Workforce Committee

On May 16, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce during a hearing titled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” The hearing included significant discussions about the value of CTE and the importance of a strong federal investment in CTE and workforce development programs.

Secretary Cardona highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to support CTE and global competitiveness in his opening statement, most notably the Administration’s $200 million investment in a competitive grant program to establish career-connected high schools. He also discussed the $43 million increase proposed for the Basic State Grant, and discussed the expected influx of new jobs created as a result of recent federal investments such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act.

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) spoke about the impact of Perkins funding on regional workforce needs, such as in eastern Connecticut, which boasts a robust shipbuilding industry. “The mission and the curriculum of career and technical education is perfectly positioned to help close the skills gap to fill many of those positions,” said Rep. Courtney. He also called attention to the potential impact of debt limit negotiations on Perkins funding.

Reps. Lori Chavez-Deremer (R-OR) and Committee Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) called out WIOA and short-term Pell as potential areas of bipartisan compromise, while Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-IN) asked how the Administration’s budget proposal would support development of the educator workforce. “Our budget proposal includes measures to drill down and fund pathway programs that are grow-your-own programs,” said Secretary Cardona in response.

Notably, House CTE Caucus co-chair Rep. GT Thompson (R-PA) asked Secretary Cardona about the viability of funding the Career-connected High Schools program instead of directing the funding through the Perkins Basic State Grant program.

“We recognize, sir, that if we continue with the way we're going, we're never going to meet the demand. What we need to do is not only engage in supporting state grants through Perkins, but also make sure that we're providing not only funding, but support, guidance and a push to evolve our high schools to create better college and career pathways to engage to our two-year schools and our workforce partners,” said Cardona of the proposal.

You can watch the full hearing at the link here.

Secretary Cardona Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Committee on FY24 Budget Request

On May 11, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. This hearing focused on President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request for the Department of Education and was wide-ranging. It covered many topics including restarting student loan payments, addressing teacher shortages and funding for Title I schools, as well as significant content on CTE. 

Chairwoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) opened the hearing by highlighting how the recent passage of the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) would negatively affect education funding and called for more funding for the department, including Perkins.   

Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) also stressed CTE in her opening remarks, stating that the federal government should continue to invest in programs like Perkins CTE State Grants and explore how higher education programs can better support students seeking meaningful work-based learning opportunities. Capito also highlighted the areas of agreement between herself and the Biden administration, which include short-term Pell Grants. 

In his testimony, Cardona highlighted that the President’s budget provides $1.47 billion for the Perkins CTE State Grants Program, which is an increase of $43 million over the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. He stated that the goal is “to expand and build new models for workforce development starting in middle and high school.” He also highlighted the $200 million competitive grant program proposed in the budget – the Career-connected High Schools initiative, and added, “These pipelines are critical to providing more good-paying jobs for all Americans – and giving students a clear pathway to compete in an ever-changing economy.” 

In addition to the statements made on CTE, one of the key moments for the hearing came when Sen. Baldwin questioned the Secretary. She asked about how the Secretary’s request for the Career-connected High Schools program would connect and leverage resources provided through the core Perkins Basic State Grant program. While the Secretary did not really address the connection between the two funding streams, he said that it is important for high schools and institutions of higher education to form relationships and partnerships so they can expand their reach. When they can work together, then they can create more options for students, which create more pathways or students to succeed. He also said that states should be systematizing the work. That means that states should lift up good programs and use them as models for high schools to evolve.  

Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (R-MS) used her time to ask about how to increase CTE programs in rural communities. Cardona said that industry partners should be connected to both high schools and institutions of higher education, so that schools are aware of the careers and industries that are available to their students. He then noted that rural communities often feel as if they are not being listened to as much, and he added that it is important for the department to continue to engage with rural communities so that they are aware of the resources that are available to them.. 

You can view our coverage of President Biden’s FY 2024 budget request here, our statement about the budget here, as well as the full hearing here. 

As the appropriations process continues, stay tuned to CTE Policy Watch for the most up-to-date information that may affect the CTE community. 

 

Department of Education Announces 2023 CTE Presidential Scholars

On May 10, the U.S. Department of Education announced its 2023 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, including 20 CTE students. The Presidential Scholars program is designed to recognize top-performing high school seniors across the country, and was expanded in 2015 to include an “at-large” category for students who “demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.”

CTE students are nominated by their states and then narrowed through a rigorous selection process. This year’s class of CTE Presidential Scholars includes:

• Tej Sandeep Desai, Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix, Arizona
• Sezen S. Musa, Adrian C. Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, California
• Katherine Jordan Little, Thomas Jefferson High School, Denver, Colorado
• Samra Iman Iqbal, Caesar Rodney High School, Camden, Delaware
• Puiyee Kong, Caesar Rodney High School, Camden, Delaware
• Sahil Sood, Lambert High School, Suwanee, Georgia
• Aira Dani, Northview High School, Duluth, Georgia
• Vaeanui Paiarii Peck, Kahuku High School, Kahuku, Hawaii
• Eshaan S. Chandani, Johnston High School, Johnston, Iowa
• Maxwell L. Neri, Waubonsie Valley High School, Aurora, Illinois
• Cecelia Ann Rogers, Nelson County High School, Bardstown, Kentucky
• Henry C. Knox, Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational High School, Bourne, Massachusetts
• Alijandro Ian Mendoza, Worcester Vocational High School, Worcester, Massachusetts
• Hannah N. Rice, Brunswick R-II High School, Brunswick, Missouri
• Josiah Hailey Young, Hickory Ridge High School, Harrisburg, North Carolina
• Kaylee Mae Kirkeby, Grand Forks Central High School, Grand Forks, North Dakota
• Amy Park, West Career and Technical Academy, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Jay G. Patel, Butler Tech Bioscience Center, West Chester Township, Ohio
• Aaron Wang, Skyline High School, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Isabella Mackenzie Herrod, Liberty High School, Clarksburg, West Virginia

Secretary of Education Cardona Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee

Today, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s fiscal year 2024 budget request for the U.S. Department of Education.

One key theme was the availability of high-skill jobs that will soon be available as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act. To this end, Secretary Cardona described the Administration’s Career-Connected High Schools initiative, in addition to the $1.47 billion requested for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) State Grants program, an increase of $43 million over the fiscal year 2023 enacted level.

Notably, Sec. Cardona was asked by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) about specific plans for STEM and computer science education in low income and rural communities.

“There's a set aside, $100 million, just for rural communities to make sure that we're giving them the opportunities to innovate around STEM education,” said Cardona. This funding would be distributed through the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) followed by asking whether he supports efforts to expand federal Pell grants to short-term, high-quality workforce training programs, also known as “short-term Pell.”

“You know, I've been telling educators throughout the country, ‘evolve, you have to change your programing to meet the demand,’ and I think part of that is us also recognizing the benefits of short-term Pell and being open to the benefits of programing that gives students the skills that they need in a shorter period of time,” said Cardona. “And in the same breath, I want to share with you that if we are to consider that, we have to also make sure that we're not putting our students in a disadvantage where they're using Pell dollars, not having it later and not ensuring high quality or accountability for good programing there.”

You can view our coverage of President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget request here, our statement about the budget here, as well as the full hearing at the YouTube link here.

As the appropriations process continues, stay tuned to CTE Policy Watch for the most up-to-date information that may affect the CTE community.

Summit Gathers in D.C. to Discuss Workforce Development for Young Adults

The U.S. Department of Labor recently hosted workforce development advocates and professionals from around the United States at the Youth Employment Works Summit to discuss its new youth and young adult employment initiative that prioritizes these workers in developing the workforce of the nation. The initiative is called the Youth Employment Works Strategy and its goals are the following:

• Deliver accessible supportive services and workforce development opportunities for youth and young workers.
• Improve partnerships between the private and public sectors to increase investment in high-quality pathways for young people and develop a strong basis for the future workforce.
• Offer guaranteed paid work-based learning opportunities to ALL young people.

The summit featured guests from organizations like the United Federation of Teachers, New America, Jobs for America’s Graduates and professionals from the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation. The summit was intentionally diverse in the types of guests featured to demonstrate that better developing the nation’s workforce around young people is a collective effort that will require individuals from all walks of life.

The summit held multiple panels on topics such as worker and educational diversity, public-private sector partnerships, cross-agency collaboration and reimagining the secondary-level school experience for students throughout the nation. Panelists like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, emphasized the importance of making CTE more accessible to all students in the country and putting less emphasis on building curricula around the traditional four-year degree path. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only about one-third of 18-24-year-olds enrolled in a four-year institution in 2020, with more than 60% of young people choosing a different pathway after high school. Weingarten also called for increasing career pathways access to all students around the nation.

The event was closed with remarks from U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, who reiterated the importance of the new initiative, the calls to action of all the panelists, as well as the importance of ensuring all learners around the country have access to CTE and work-based learning opportunities across state lines.

ED Launches Career Z Challenge

This week, the U.S. Department of Education launched the Career Z Challenge, a multi-phase prize competition to expand high school student access to high-quality work-based learning (WBL). 

Perkins-eligible schools, districts and consortiums are invited to share their ideas for creating or enhancing WBL opportunities in CTE programs. Eligible entrants will engage collaborative ecosystems of educators, businesses, industries, workforce processionals and community stakeholders to provide students across grades 9-12 with WBL that is interconnected, expansive and sustainable. Semi-finalists and finalists will be eligible for targeted technical assistance, including professional development support, webinars and training, participation in a community of practice (CoP) and a portion of a $2.5 million prize pool.

The Career Z Challenge consists of three phases:

• Phase 1: Registration, Submission and Selection (March – August 2023): Interested parties should attend an information session on April 4 at 2pm ET or May 4 at 2pm ET and register to learn more and receive updates by April 11. Proposals can be submitted from April 12 to May 24. Up to 100 semi-finalists will be selected to participate in Phase 2 of the Challenge.
• Phase 2: Implementation and Results (September 2023 – July 2024): During Phase 2, semi-finalists will receive technical assistance, participate in a CoP and have access to resources and support services. At the end of Phase 2, up to 10 finalists will be selected for Phase 3. 
• Phase 3: Acceleration and Results (August 2024 – July 2025): During Phase 3, finalists will take part in a more accelerated, intensive process. At the end of Phase 3, finalists will submit a report on their accelerated implementation, project results and sustainability plan.

This challenge is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success initiative.