CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

President Biden Signs CHIPS Act into Law

On August 9, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act) into law, allocating $280 billion in funding and tax incentives to boost domestic production and innovation in the semiconductor industry and broader science and technology-related industries. This bipartisan bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 64-33, aims to make the United States more competitive with China in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) while addressing national security related to these emerging technologies. Passage of the bill was a result of months of negotiation after the House passed the America COMPETES Act (COMPETES) in February and the Senate passed the United States Innovation and Competitiveness Act (USICA) last summer.  

Despite the original COMPETES bill containing language similar to the JOBS Act to expand the Pell grant to short-term certificate programs, lawmakers stripped the CHIPS Act of any provisions directly related to the Department of Education. It does, however, provide $81 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to address STEM education, workforce development and research. Additionally, it authorizes $2.23 for Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers to provide workforce development and other services for small to medium sized advanced manufacturers, and $200 million for a CHIPS for America Workforce and Education Fund to promote growth of the semiconductor workforce. 

ACTE is continuing to analyze the provisions in the bill and will update you with any details that may directly impact CTE programs and learners. If you have any questions, please contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Zach Curtis ([email protected]). 

House Science Committee Holds Hearing on Electric Vehicle Workforce

On May 20, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee held a field hearing in Michigan on the development of the electric vehicle workforce.  

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) highlighted the need for workforce training that can meet the demands of new investments in infrastructure, including electric vehicle manufacturing and related infrastructure, such as charging stations. 

“We will need a highly trained workforce capable of installing and maintaining these charging stations,” said Stevens. “Unfortunately, we may be faced with a shortage of these qualified electricians right when we need them the most. We have heard from stakeholders that in Southeast Michigan, about 35% of this workforce is retirement-ready and may leave in the next 5 to 7 years.” 

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) added that the semiconductor manufacturing provisions included in the America COMPETES Act would go a long way toward solving many of these challenges. 

“These technologies have the potential to launch entirely new industries,” said Johnson. “But the vision laid out in COMPETES can only be realized if we have a skilled STEM workforce in place to translate research and innovation into products and services.” 

Jennifer Mefford, national co-chair of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP), emphasized the importance of registered apprenticeships.  

“The best way to get more qualified electricians into the field is through U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship programs and quality pre-apprenticeship programs that prepare and place individuals in registered apprenticeship programs.” 

Ben Cruz, director of the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT) at Macomb Community College, noted the current shortages of electric vehicle workers.  

“Currently, we have a shortage locally in EV technical skilled workers that needs attention,” said Cruz. “Representatives from several of the companies I’ve named have come to Macomb Community College to look for potential employees. In most cases, they are also looking for training programs to upskill their incumbent workers. Developing courses and training programs in emerging technologies requires input from industry experts.” 

You can watch the full hearing here.

House Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Fiscal Year 2023 Department of Education Budget Request

On April 28, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies of the House Appropriations Committee held its first hearing in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding cycle to examine the Department of Education’s FY 23 budget request, including testimony from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. During the hearing, several Members of Congress on the subcommittee highlighted the need for strong workforce investments, although the Perkins Basic State Grant was not a topic of discussion.

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) noted that millions of STEM jobs must be filled and that one way to help close the skills gap in computer science and STEM education could be through public-private partnerships. Rep. Fleischmann asked Secretary Cardona what the Biden Administration is doing to improve computer science curriculum and literacy.

Sec. Cardona highlighted the Administration’s proposed Career-Connected High Schools Initiative as one potential pathway. Rep. Fleischmann followed up with a call for bipartisan co-sponsors of

Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) and Sec. Cardona mentioned a recent visit to Henry Ford Community College in Michigan, where he observed students making career connections. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) celebrated the increase to TEACH grants provided in the budget request.

Two Members of Congress, Reps. Andy Harris (R-MD) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) each mentioned the stigma of learning a trade skill instead of attending a four-year institution - Rep. Harris discussed the shortage of auto mechanics, while Rep. Roybal-Allard expressed the need to fix the stigma of choosing work-based learning.

You can watch the full hearing at the link above.

Secretary Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) Highlight Connecticut Manufacturing Programs

On January 14, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) visited Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School and Thames River Magnet Elementary School in Groton, Connecticut, to highlight each school’s manufacturing programs. The programs are helping to meet workforce needs in eastern Connecticut and develop the next generation of highly-skilled workers across the state. In addition, the two policymakers reiterated the need for federal CTE and workforce development funding to train workers to do the in-demand jobs of the future. 

“Career [and] technical education is a priority for this administration. It's a priority for me,” Cardona told New London, CT’s The Day newspaper. 

At Grasso High School, 50% of students attending the manufacturing program have jobs lined up after they graduate, including one student who recalled being able to help their family replace a water heater on their own, saving time and money. Groton has expanded access to STEM courses across its public schools, as the district was recently awarded a Defense Education Activity grant from the Department of Defense to expand career pathways in STEM fields and health care. The school is also launching a co-op with nearby Fitch High School to send Fitch students to Grasso for after-school classes to earn credit. 

During the visit to Grasso, Rep. Courtney added to the conversation by explaining to students that their career paths and fields of study align with current and future workforce needs being seen across the country. Courtney cited the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law in November as just one example of a bill that will create jobs to be filled with skilled workers in in-demand fields, including electric vehicle technology, building technology and climate change. 

Grasso also hosts the Three Rivers Community College Manufacturing Apprenticeship Center, which provides training for secondary and adult learners. Students may take courses in machining, welding, electrical, mechanical, shipfitting, pipefitting, maintenance, design engineering, or in any customizable program that is designed to fit a local employer’s needs. 

Sec. Cardona and Rep. Courtney also noted that American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are supporting programs like those at Grasso and at Thames River, helping Connecticut to serve as a model for the nation. Connecticut plans to spend $70 million in ARP funds on workforce development programs across the state.

House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Defense Workforce

On October 26, the Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing to discuss workforce development and the Department of Defense. 

Several members of the subcommittee highlighted the need for high-quality CTE programs to help prepare the future of the defense workforce. Reps. Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) both asked the witnesses how CTE can combat the shortage of skilled workers in the defense industry. 

Xavier Beale, vice president of trades for Newport News Shipbuilding, Huntington Ingalls Industries, noted the importance of early exposure to career opportunities and exploration. He added that schools across Virginia have implemented career connections programs to engage middle school students with welding and robotics equipment, putting them on the path to think about pursuing CTE in high school and diversifying the skilled trades workforce. 

“If students are going to choose to enter CTE training programs in high school, they need to be exposed to and sold on these career pathways as early as middle school,” said Beale. 

Hawk Carlisle, president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) emphasized that CTE is too often overlooked as a way to create career pathways into the defense industry. Carlisle called for expanding apprenticeship opportunities to help increase interest in defense manufacturing programs. 

William Bonvillian, MIT Lecturer, summed up the difficulties faced in workforce education and development:

• Workforce education has faced disinvestment by government and employers. Despite the growing workforce needs, workforce spending by both has been in decline. 
• Few federal programs reach higher technical skills and incumbent workers. We need to upskill and reskill the current workforce.
• Community colleges are underfunded.
• Colleges and universities are disconnected from workforce education. 

“We have a disconnect between work and learning,” said Bonvillian. “We have school on one side and work on the other, but few clear routes from school to job. They are disconnected.” 

Dr. Jose-Marie Griffiths, president of Dakota State University, pointed to stackable, industry-recognized credentials as another way to rapidly skill, reskill and upskill workers to fill open positions in the defense industry. 

ACTE recently updated its Sector Sheet on the aerospace and defense industries. ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously sponsored by Pearson. 

You can watch the full hearing here.

Research Round-up: Equity in Dual Enrollment Programs, Understanding Inequities in CTE and STEM, Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Employment Rates

Creating Equity in Dual Enrollment Programs: Many CTE programs that offer dual credit opportunities face gaps in alignment between secondary and postsecondary learner levels that lead to quality and equity inconsistencies in these programs, according to new research from Advance CTE. This policy brief is the second in a series designed to offer strategies to help CTE programs overcome the barriers to participation in early postsecondary opportunities and credit transfer so learners can have access to high-skill, high-wage and in-demand careers. The policy brief offers four key strategies for states to use to overcome these barriers, and provides best practice examples from Ohio, Tennessee and Utah.  

Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Employment Rates: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated youth unemployment rates and youth have experienced unique challenges in employment during the pandemic, according to a new report from the Center for Promise at America’s Promise Alliance. The researchers surveyed 16–24-year-olds about their professional journeys over the past year and wrote about five key findings: 

• Young workers are facing challenges with finances and mental health, and are facing significant barriers to employment 
• The pandemic has increased concern about the future workforce 
• Young people are experiencing pervasive race- and gender-based discrimination in the workforce 
• Professional connections and support networks help these youth reach their work goals 
• Only half of the youth have hope about the future workforce  

Promoting Economic Mobility in Postsecondary Institutions: Following earlier work on analyzing ways to measure economic outcomes, a new report continues exploring these topics to promote economic mobility and social justice in postsecondary institutions. The researchers call on postsecondary institutions to provide more information to help students make more informed decisions about going to a postsecondary institution, eliminate completion gaps and remove affordability as an indicator of institutional value. The report also addresses the inequities students face based on race, socioeconomic and gender status, as well as the gaps in completion rates, retention rates and income later in life. 

Exploring the Root Causes for Inequities in CTE and STEM: The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) released a new resource exploring the root causes of inequities in CTE and STEM programs and providing strategies on how to overcome these barriers. Included in the resource is a literature summary and infographic framework of a system of equity in CTE and STEM. The framework provides four different interdependent elements to examine how individual learners are affected by the dynamics within education, careers and community.  The researchers also provide theories and strategies aimed at identifying and addressing the elements that perpetuate inequities to promote sustainable and equitable change.   

Research on Equitable Education Practices to Improve Student Outcomes: A new research report investigates educational technology practices that are positively influencing the educational outcomes of specific racial and ethnic groups. By identifying institutional, instructional and educational practices, the researchers want more programs to better understand how equitable and inclusive learning experiences can be implemented across postsecondary institutions. The researchers analyzed peer-reviewed studies and came up with recommendations for different postsecondary populations, such as administrators and staff, faculty and instructors, and students. 

Economic Impact of Racial and Socioeconomic Inequities in Postsecondary Institutions: The U.S. economy loses hundreds of billions of dollars every year due to racial and socioeconomic inequities in postsecondary education, according to a report from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. The report hypothesizes what would happen if the bottom 40 percent of earners received postsecondary degrees at the same rate as the top 60 percent and if postsecondary attainment was the same across all racial groups. Testing this theory, the researchers found that over half the population would have postsecondary degrees, and postsecondary attainment would significantly increase for low-income, Black, Latino and Asian American populations. The authors argue that more people earning more degrees would increase tax revenue because there would be more spending. The authors also argue that postsecondary attainment correlates with lower incarceration rates and better health outcomes, leading to less annual spending on the criminal justice system, public health benefits and public assistance programs. 

Research Round-up: Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Youth, Virtual Learning Barriers, Using Data Systems for Credential Transparency, 2020 Dual Enrollment Policies

2020 Dual Enrollment Policies: The College in High School Alliance found 195 bills last year introduced in 36 states related to college in high school programs, which resulted in 21 new laws in 14 states. The two most common policy topics for 2020 were finance and course access and availability. The report includes a map of college in high school policies in each state, along with a summary of every new college in high school law passed in 2020.

Most Common Credentials Earned in Virginia: A new report on CTE credentials that Virginia high school graduates most commonly earned between 2011 to 2017 found that the top five credentials were W!se Financial Literacy Certification, Workplace Readiness Skills assessments, Customer Service and Sales Certification, Microsoft Office Specialist Word, and Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint examinations. The researchers found that the top credentials earned did not align specifically to a certain occupation or industry. In addition, the analysis concluded that English learners and students with disabilities earned these credentials at lower rates than other graduates.

Best Practices for Special Populations: The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) released a new resource with best practices for serving the nine special population groups that are defined in Perkins V. The researchers compiled these practices to help states address the equity gaps for special populations that were uncovered during the comprehensive local needs assessment, and can be used to create strategies in addressing these gaps.

Findings from a Pilot to Increase STEM & CTE Participation: NAPE, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, released findings from a pilot program that implemented the Intermountain STEM network (IM STEM) network. The IM Network consisted of state and local partners across six states--Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming--that used a collective impact model to create system-wide changes to increase access and opportunities to participate and succeed in STEM and CTE. Key findings are summarized, as well as recommendations for using a collective impact model to create systemic changes.

Using Data Systems for Credential Transparency: Credential Engine’s new brief, Credential Transparency & P-20W: Aligning Education and Employment Information to Meet State Goals, describes how a connected, open-access data network, and an understanding of how to better align data to aid in decision-making, can support statewide postsecondary credential goals. In order for states to be transparent about the skills and credentials needed for the workforce, states will need to invest in better education and workforce data systems to enable users to analyze and successfully utilize the data.

Reforming Federal Laws to Create Pathways to Good Jobs: In order to create effective and equitable pathways from education and training to the workforce, the federal government must break down policy barriers between the sectors and establish a shared set of definitions, rules and practices applied equally across all laws, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress. The brief offers five recommendations for Congress to consider:

• Align the reauthorization schedule with federal education and workforce development laws without creating legislative gridlock.
• Create a common set of rules and practices around defining quality.
• Create parameters for job quality that are included in federal education and workforce development laws.
• Align key legislative elements of federal education and workforce development laws with good jobs.
• Require states to implement federal education and workforce development laws collaboratively across the education and workforce training systems.

Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Youth: The Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education released a summary of comments provided in response to a request for information on Work-Based Learning (WBL) Opportunities for Youth. Comments were provided by a diverse group of stakeholders, including ACTE. Suggested strategies address how to utilize strategic partners to expand participation in WBL, essential components for success, and metrics to measure WBL outcomes.

Virtual Learning Barriers: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce has found that, although K-12 students’ access to a computer for educational purposes has improved during the pandemic, lower-income students are experiencing a greater challenge in accessing the internet. These students have less contact with their teachers, whether that contact is in person, by phone or by video, compared to higher-income students. The researchers warn that this technological gap for lower-income students could lead to negative long-term implications for student learning.

Legislation to Expand STEM Exposure for Young Children Passes Committee

During the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee mark up last week, legislation aimed at expanding STEM opportunities was reported favorably out of committee and is poised to be considered on the Senate floor.

The Building Blocks of STEM Act, S. 737, introduced by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), would create and expand upon STEM education initiatives at the National Science Foundation (NSF) for young children, according to the lawmaker. More specifically, it would direct NSF to award research grants to increase understanding of the factors that contribute to the participation of females in STEM activities at younger ages and to develop interventions in pre-K and elementary school classrooms to increase the participation of females in computer science.

Identical legislation has also been introduced in the House by Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN) – who are the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s Subcommittee on Research and Technology. ACTE will continue working with Members of Congress in both parties to address workforce shortages in a variety of industries that transcend the American economy.

Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Introduced to Address Cybersecurity Workforce

A group of bipartisan members in the House and Senate have introduced identical legislation to address workforce shortages within the cybersecurity field. The Cyber Ready Workforce Act was introduced by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in the Senate, and Congresswomen Susie Lee (D-NV) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) in the House. Among other things, the bill directs the Secretary of Labor to award grants to workforce intermediaries to support the creation, implementation and expansion of registered apprenticeship programs in cybersecurity, according to the lawmakers.

The prospects of the Cyber Ready Workforce Act are uncertain, as its bipartisan nature is promising but few Members of Congress have thus far signed on. ACTE will continue working with Members of Congress in both parties to address workforce shortages in a variety of industries that transcend the American economy.

White House STEM Announcement

On Tuesday, the White House unveiled a STEM strategic plan intended to guide the next five years: Charting a Course of Success: America's Strategy for STEM Education. Having identified STEM skills as critical in the 21st century economy, the goal is to increase STEM opportunities for students nationwide. This is the second five-year STEM plan released by a presidential administration, with the Obama Administration first releasing one in 2013.

The plan is described as "an urgent call to action for nationwide collaboration with learners, families, educators, communities, and employers." As U.S. News & World Report highlights, the administration's three main goals are for Americans to acquire basic STEM concepts, increase STEM access to underserved students, and encourage the pursuit of STEM careers.

The plan was developed by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Science and Technology Council Committee on STEM Education. Embedded in the plan is a reinforcement of the importance of things like project-based learning and CTE, with the report noting that "[e]ducation systems that combing high-quality career and technical training with college preparatory curriculum are particularly effective at preparing students for both employment and post-secondary study, especially when training required to obtain industry-recognized credentials is embedded in the coursework."

In terms of the federal government's role, the report notes that "Federal agencies can help post-secondary institutions better align their programs with secondary school STEM and CTE curricula through meetings and workshops, studies, and grant funding." The report also noted teacher pipeline issues in STEM and the resulting challenges it has presented. This of course is an issue across CTE that ACTE continues to work to address.

ACTE understands that STEM is an important part of CTE, and has held a "STEM is CTE" symposium at CareerTech VISION for the past three years.