CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

ACTE's "CTE Leaders in Action" Reception

On March 19, as part of our annual National Policy Seminar (NPS), ACTE  held a reception on Capitol Hill titled “CTE Leaders in Action.” The event provided NPS attendees and guests the opportunity to engage with and learn about eight Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) and hear from Members of Congress on their involvement with the CTE Caucus, as well as the legislation they are working on to help strengthen and support CTE.  

This event followed a day of advocacy for attendees, which began with a panel featuring congressional staff from the House and Senate who work with CTE issues regularly. After the panel, attendees met with their Members of Congress and staff to discuss CTE policy issues impacting them. Advocates shared their stories on what CTE means to them, and the challenges they face working in the field at both the secondary and postsecondary levels.  

The reception featured eight CTSOs, including Business Professionals of America (BPA), DECA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), National FFA Organization, HOSA-Future Health Professionals, SkillsUSA and Technology Student Association (TSA). Students from each CTSO showcased a bit of their work and were able to network and mingle with ACTE staff, NPS attendees, staff from the Department of Education, congressional staff and Members of Congress.  

Student representatives from each CTSO introduced themselves and their organizations to the group, and welcomed special guests including Assistant Secretary of the Office of Career and Technical Adult Education (OCTAE) Amy Lloyd, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Glenn “GT” Thompson, who serve as co-chairs of the House CTE Caucus, and Senators Tim Kaine, co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, and Amy Klobuchar, member of the Senate CTE Caucus. The speakers shared some of their incredible work on CTE policy, including but not limited to the House Resolution introduced by Representatives Thompson and Bonamici to recognize February as CTE Month. They also shared their personal stories with CTE, highlighting the positive impact such programming has had on their families and their careers.  

 

2022 ACTE Public Policy Award Nominations Now Open!

ACTE’s Public Policy Department is pleased to announce that the 2022 Baird-English Advocate of the Year and ACTE Policymaker of the Year Awards are now open for submissions.

Nominations for both awards can be submitted by any ACTE member, the ACTE Public Policy Department, members of the ACTE Board of Directors or state associations. 

The Baird-English Advocate of the Year Award is presented annually by ACTE to an ACTE member who has worked to enhance CTE in federal policy through advocacy. For the Baird-English Advocate of the Year, nomination materials should include:

• Letter of introduction (500 words or less) summarizing the following: 
• A short biography of the applicant
• Advocacy actions the nominee has taken in the past year to advance CTE in federal policy, including but not limited to: program/school visits set up for policymakers and/or staff; emails, letters and calls to policymakers and/or staff; meetings with policymakers and/or their staff; letters to the editor or op-eds on CTE topics submitted to local, state or national media
• Significant accomplishments related to CTE advocacy actions that have contributed to the improvement, promotion, development and progress of federal CTE policy, and supporting documents for those actions. For example, newspaper articles, news videos or pictures of Members of Congress or their staff on school visits or office visits, copies or internet links to op-eds or letters to the editor.

Note: The Baird-English Award is not limited to one recipient. 

ACTE’s Public Policy Department awards the Policymaker of the Year Award to nationally recognized policymakers who have made contributions of national significance to CTE.

For the ACTE Policymaker of the Year, you must include: 

• a cover letter stating the nominee’s qualifications for the award 
• supporting information listing significant CTE federal policy accomplishments 
• other appropriate accomplishments related to CTE 

Note: Individual ACTE members submitting a nomination must have the endorsement of an association, agency, group, several individuals or a combination of these. 

Nominations for the awards are due by January 1. Nominations can be submitted through the respective ACTE Awards Portal links above. The winners will be announced and honored during the 2023 National Policy Seminar.

If you have any questions about the awards, please contact ACTE Media Relations and Advocacy Associate, Jori Houck, at [email protected].

CTSO Student Leaders Showcase CTE

On Tuesday, March 26, the Senate CTE Caucus hosted a reception on Capitol Hill featuring students from nine CTSOs. The reception coincided with ACTE’s National Policy Seminar, allowing conference attendees to also attend the reception. The reception was titled “CTE Success: Student Leaders in Action.” Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) both attended and made remarks.

The participating CTSOs included:

• Business Professionals of America (BPA)
• DECA
• Educators Rising
• Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
• Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL)
• HOSA-Future Health Professionals
• National FFA Organization
• SkillsUSA
• Technology Student Association (TSA)

ACTE is grateful to the Senate CTE Caucus for hosting the reception and for the CTSOs for their partnership and assistance in making it happen. The event was a terrific success, and we look forward to being back on Capitol Hill for NPS next year on March 29 - April 1.

Sen. Young made remarks in front of NPS attendees, CTSO students and congressional staff in attendance.

Sen. Kaine spoke with Virginia FCCLA students and ACTE's Executive Director LeAnn Wilson

CTSO Students Featured in Capitol Hill Reception

On March 6, the Senate CTE Caucus hosted a reception on Capitol Hill to coincide with ACTE's annual National Policy Seminar. This year, students from seven CTSOs participated and spoke to NPS attendees, congressional staff and policymakers. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) both attended the reception, spoke with students and gave remarks. Representative Dave Loebsack (D-IA) also attended

Each CTSO had a table where they shared some of their work. Presentations varied widely, and included things like pig lungs, sensors to measure moisture in sugar, gas pumps and more. The CTSO students were from Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. The participating CTSOs were:

• DECA
• Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
• Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL)
• HOSA-Future Health Professionals
• National FFA Organization
• SkillsUSA
• Technology Student Association (TSA)

Next year's National Policy Seminar will take place from March 25-27, with a Capitol Hill Reception on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. It will be the fifth anniversary of the Senate CTE Caucus and it is not to be missed! We hope you can join us at NPS 2019!

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

 

Sen. Todd Young (R-IN)

 

CTSO Students

New Resources Available for Career Pathways Development

A new resource developed by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will assist states in designing and implementing career pathways systems. The tool, titled “Designing a Career Pathways System: A Framework for State Education Agencies,” can be accessed on AIR’s College and Career Readiness and Success Center website. It features four modules, including:

• Engaging Key Stakeholders and Defining Goals
• Mapping Policies, Programs, and Industries
• Designing a Framework
• Implementation and Continuous Improvement

Each section includes presentation materials and activities that will assist education agencies at the state level in implementing career pathways. Career pathways have been a major topic of discussion at the federal level as greater emphasis has been placed on holistically approaching student preparation for college- and career-readiness. Such emphasis has grown since the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which formally defined career pathways and looked to local workforce institutions to create these opportunities in their communities while using labor market information to guide their decision-making.

Because of this emphasis on career pathways in federal policy, ACTE’s National Policy Seminar will include a comprehensive forum to examine CTE’s role in their expansion. There’s still time to register for the forum, which will be held on Wednesday, March 2, as well as for the full National Policy Seminar! Visit the ACTE website to learn more.

Looking Ahead to CTE Policy in 2016

With the presidential and congressional election in full swing, the second half of the 114th Congress will be dominated by campaign politics. Despite the election-year partisanship, there are some outstanding education policy issues that may make an appearance in 2016. 

The implementation of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) will be an important issue in K-12 education. The U.S. Department of Education has already put out a formal request for information for stakeholder input and recommendations on implementation of ESSA’s Title I regulations and issued a letter notifying states of several initial steps regarding ESSA implementation and transition. Expect a flurry of regulations and guidance on ESSA, including its CTE provisions, from the feds in the coming year.

As for education legislation, the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) will be a continued priority in the House and Senate. Simplifying student financial aid programs and reducing the cost of higher education will be key themes in forthcoming reauthorization bills. Congressional Republicans will continue to oppose the department’s gainful employment regulations and other higher education regulations, and will likely use HEA reauthorization to block those efforts. The Senate, in particular, may follow a similar path on HEA as it did with ESSA—crafting a bipartisan proposal to gain support from both sides of the aisle.

It is unclear when Congress may begin to seriously consider the reauthorization of the Perkins Act. Both chambers have been working toward Perkins reauthorization over the past year, but other issues may still take priority in 2016. The passage of ESSA and WIOA does increase the possibility of reauthorization legislation this year, particularly if progress stalls (or moves very quickly) on HEA.

With the passage of the two-year budget deal and the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 omnibus appropriations bill, Congress will be able to focus its attention on funding for FY 2017 in the coming months, with hopes of more regular order in the budget and appropriations process. The new budget cycle will again begin with the release of the President Obama’s FY 2017 budget request on February 9, which will be the last budget of his Administration. The House and Senate will unveil their own funding proposals throughout the spring and summer. Despite a slight increase in discretionary spending levels, the Republican majorities in both chambers will likely push for greater fiscal austerity. The CTE community will continue to advocate for a greater investment in Perkins! 

Be sure check out the CTE Policy Watch Blog for regular updates on all the policy activity to come in 2016. We also invite you to join us in Washington on February 29-March 2, at this year’s National Policy Seminar!

ACTE Public Policy Awards Nominations Open!

As ACTE is preparing for the National Policy Seminar (to be held February 29-March 2), we are pleased to announce that the nominations process for our national public policy awards is now officially open! These awards recognize policymakers and leaders among ACTE’s membership who have gone above and beyond to advocate for public policies impacting CTE in the past year. Applications for all ACTE public policy awards must be received by January 1, through the ACTE Awards Portal.

ACTE’s Policymaker of the Year award is presented annually to nationally recognized policymakers that have made a significant contribution to CTE through their work, such as Senate CTE Caucus Co-chairs Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) who received the award last year. Submissions should include a cover letter stating the nominee’s qualifications, as well as information about their accomplishments related to CTE and policies affecting CTE. For additional information on the award or to submit a nomination, click here.

In addition, ACTE members can submit nominations for the Baird-English Advocate of the Year Award, presented annually by ACTE to a member who has worked to advance CTE in federal policy through advocacy. This award provides a great opportunity for ACTE members to recognize the contributions of their colleagues through advocacy actions, such as contacting federal policymakers and their staff or working with the media to raise awareness of CTE topics. Applications can be submitted by the nominee themselves, another ACTE member, ACTE staff member or the Board of Directors, and should include a letter of introduction summarizing the applicant’s background and contributions to CTE advocacy, as well as necessary supporting documents. To learn more about the award or submit a nomination, click here.

To learn more about the ACTE public policy awards or ask additional questions, please contact Sean Lynch.

Deadline for Policy Award Nominations Approaching!

ACTE is now accepting nominations for the Policymaker of the Year and Baird-English Advocate of the Year Awards! We encourage you to consider nominating your elected leaders and colleagues from the CTE community for these prestigious opportunities, which recognize leaders that have dedicated themselves to furthering policy issues of importance to ACTE and its members.

The Policymaker of the Year award is presented annually by ACTE’s Public Policy Department to nationally recognized policymakers who have made a contribution of national significance to CTE. The recipient(s) will be selected based on the significance of their impact on CTE, whether that is based on recent work or over the span of their career. If you feel that your legislator is doing a great job working for CTE, this is a fantastic way to thank them for their work!

The Baird-English Advocate of the Year award is presented to an ACTE member that has demonstrated a personal dedication to advocacy for CTE issues before federal policymakers. Recipients will have taken repeated and consistent action on CTE policy issues, whether that is by setting up meetings with their elected officials or their staff or simply sending an e-mail. Be sure to think about which of your colleagues in ACTE membership will be a good fit and nominate them for this opportunity!

To submit a nomination for either the Policymaker of the Year or Baird-English Advocate of the Year Award, simply access the ACTE awards portal here and complete the necessary application materials.  

In addition, remember that the eligibility period for our new E-Advocate recognition program will last until December 31, which will showcase the efforts of the top five individuals who have taken action through the CTE Action Center. There’s still time to log in and make your voice heard for CTE, so don’t delay.

2014 NPS Update: Sens. Baldwin and Begich to Receive Policymaker of the Year Award

ACTE is very pleased to announce that the Policymaker of the Year award will be presented to Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mark Begich (D-AK) during the 2014 National Policy Seminar. This award is given annually by the ACTE Board of Directors to nationally recognized policymakers who have made a significant contribution to career and technical education during the past year

Sen. Begich is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and has been a strong support of federal funding for Perkins. He is the sponsor of the Counseling for Career Choice Act, which would provide support for school counselors to help students make informed decisions regarding their career and academic goals. ACTE is a proud supporter of this legislation, and we applaud the senator for his efforts to promote career guidance and counseling. Additionally, Sen. Begich introduced two bills in 2013 aimed at professional development for CTE educators (Professional Development for Educators Act)  and the modernization of CTE facilities (Career and Technical Education Facilities Modernization Act) respectively.

Throughout 2013, Sen. Baldwin has been a leader on CTE issues as member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. She is the sponsor of the Grants for Renewable Energy Education for the Nation (GREEN) Act, a bill that would encourage the development of technical programs of study  leading to careers in the green energy field. ACTE worked with Sen. Baldwin to introduce an amendment as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The amendment, which was adopted with bipartisan support in the HELP committee, would incorporate career readiness measures on state and school report cards for the first time. ACTE congratulates these two dedicated Members of Congress for their continued commitment to CTE!

The awards will be presented during the Offsite General Session at the Congressional Auditorium in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on Tuesday, March 4. The session will also feature remarks from the co-chairs of both the House and Senate CTE Caucuses, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA). We hope you will join us in Washington on March 3-5, for NPS 2014!

2014 NPS Update: D.C. Power Player to be Keynote at Opening General Session

The 2014 National Policy Seminar will feature Catherine “Kiki” McLean as the keynote speaker during the Opening General Session on Monday, March 3, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Kiki is a co-founder of No Labels, a nonpartisan organization that supports “a growing citizens’ movement of Democrats, Republicans and independents dedicated to promoting a new politics of problem solving.”  A veteran Washington insider and experienced political consultant, Kiki previously worked as a senior advisor for Senator Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign, and served as the national press secretary and spokesperson to Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000. Additionally, she was the communications director for the Democratic National Committee and is a frequent guest on cable news programs.  

Throughout her career, Kiki has distinguished herself as a communications expert in the field of politics and public policy.  Her insights will provide CTE advocates with an insider’s view of the Washington political landscape, helping us to further our CTE policy goals on Capitol Hill. ACTE is proud to welcome Kiki McLean to NPS 2014!  Register today!