Archive for June, 2009

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Shape of Obama “job training, vocational education and community college” Plan Emerging

Monday, June 29th, 2009

You will recall that earlier this year President Obama mentioned that he was undertaking a “fundamental rethinking of our job training, vocational education, and community college programs”.  Earlier this month, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel reinforced this idea, noting that there would soon be a “major announcement”. 

While an announcement has not been officially made, details of a draft plan have emerged.  A story reported by Inside Higher Ed on June 29 focuses on four major elements of the draft.  The following description of what the draft includes is taken from the Inside Higher Ed article.  If you would like to read the entire article you can go to http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/29/ccplan

Online classes:  “According to the draft materials from the administration, the program would support the development of 20-25 “high quality” courses a year, with a mix of high school and community college courses. Initial preference would go to “career oriented” courses. The courses would be owned by the government and would be free for anyone to take. Courses would be selected competitively, through peer review, for support.”

National Skills College: “Under the plan, the government would also support a “National Skills College” at a community college that would, among other things, work to develop examinations that could be given at the end of the courses so that colleges, employers and students could judge how much learning had taken place. Course developers would be asked to consult with colleges on standards, so that the offerings could be created with the goal of having credit transferred to many institutions.”

Job Training Programs: “The discussion draft for the job training program calls for spending $500 million a year in the first five years of the program, during which grants would be awarded competitively to community colleges, and $1.3 billion after that, at which point 50 percent of funds would be awarded by formula to states, 25 percent awarded to those states showing high performance programs, and 25 percent to community colleges, awarded competitively.  To be eligible, community colleges would need to agree to track and report on student outcomes, and to set targets for graduation rates and “employment-related outcomes,” while also serving “high need populations.”

Loan Fund for Facilities: “The loan fund for community college facilities would receive $10 billion under the plan. The loans would be for 10 years for repairs and renovations and 25 years for construction, and the plan calls for the loans to be “zero or low interest.” The funds would first be distributed to states, which would have to pledge that these funds would not cause states to cut funds for the colleges. States would distribute funds based on “demonstrated need,” with an emphasis on expanding capacity in programs that “meet employer needs in the areas of health care, green jobs, science, engineering and technology.”

 Specifics of this plan may still change as final adjustments are made, but a formal announcement of this plan may come as early as later this month.

 

By admin in Public Policy
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CTE: Education for a Strong Economy

Friday, June 26th, 2009

We collaborated with ACTE to produce “CTE: Education for a Strong Economy,” a leave behind that we will use to inform legislators and their staff on the Hill about the benefits of CTE and how CTE can help build and sustain our economy.  You can access it here.

It begins with a brief overview of the beginnings of CTE and how the 2006 reauthorization changed the landscape of CTE.  It then delves into the benefits of CTE – both for students and for the economy.  These include dropout prevention, better career prospects, preparation for 21st century careers, and helping the unemployed.   Please feel free to use this document to inform policymakers and legislators in your state about the benefits of CTE!

By Nancy in NASDCTEc Resources
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Secretary Duncan In The News

Friday, June 26th, 2009

This week Education Secretary Arne Duncan mentioned the role of career and technical education in two separate instances. His comments are worthy of your consideration.
In a blog post earlier this week we shared with you the announcement OVAE and the NRCCET made regarding technical assistance for five states to develop green programs of study. Connected to this announcement the Secretary was quoted as saying: “Green programs of study support the Administration’s goal of expanding a green workforce by preparing students for high-skill, high-wage jobs in a clean energy economy.” This comment, and the focus on green programs of study, should be a reminder to all of us that this administration, not just within the Education Department but across all Departments, are continually focusing on the importance of making things greener. It is of course also encouraging that the Secretary recognizes by his words the impact CTE programs can have on the green economy.

Yesterday the Secretary appeared on the Diane Rehm show on National Public Radio. He was interviewed for an entire one hour segment. Early on in the interview Ms. Rehm specifically asked the Secretary about the importance of “vocational” education and training. Within the context of the Secretary addressing college access and increasing college going Ms Rehm asked if everyone really needs four years of college. She pointed out that years ago vocational opportunities were readily available for people but the systems over the years seem to be moving away from that. The Secretary’s response, I think, was a positive one. In his response he said that he “is a big fan” of technical and vocational training programs. He said he wants to work on and give students lots of options and that we have to “find our way again” on these programs and “we” have a lot of interest in them. Later on the Secretary lauded the role of community colleges noting that they can have a huge role in getting our economy back on its feet and referred to the institutions as “an undervalued, under-recognized gem”.

During his interview the following topics were also discussed: early childhood, charter schools, college access, the drop out crisis, class size, charter schools, and accountability. If you would like to listen to the entire interview you can go to the NPR website at http://wamu.org/programs/dr/09/06/25.php#26159. The conversation regarding CTE begins about three and a half minutes into the interview and lasts for about two minutes.

By admin in Public Policy
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Green Program of Study Technical Assistance Announced

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Every day we become more and more familiar with the growing movement to focus on making things green.   The Education Department and the NRCCTE announced earlier this week that five states will have the opportunity to concentrate on green-focused programs of study through their participation in an NRCCTE Technical Assistance Academy.

 The following states will receive guidance from a facilitator and access to content experts as they develop their green programs of study in the following areas:

·         Georgia:  energy, construction and transportation

·         Illinois: energy, utilities and waste management

·         New Jersey: various industries

·         Ohio: energy, biotech and agriculture

·         Oregon: wind, solar and energy

 

NASDCTEc is a partner along with AED and MPR in delivering this Academy which provides an outstanding vehicle to help these states develop their programs of study and provides a platform for their hard work and findings to be shared nationally.  The academy participants will be involved in this process for 14 months.

By admin in NASDCTEc Announcements, Public Policy
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CTE and School Counseling Webinar

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

NASDCTEc hosted CTE and School Counseling: Partners in Student Success, a webinar which highlighted state examples from Nebraska, Missouri and Utah that are models of effective collaboration between CTE and comprehensive guidance and counseling.  Presenters included:

  • Donna Vrbka, School Counseling Specialist, Nebraska Department of Education (powerpoint)
  • Bragg Stanley, Director of Guidance and Placement, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (powerpoint)
  • Dawn Stevenson, Coordinator of K-12 School Counseling, Career Awareness and Student Services, Utah State Office of Education (powerpoint)

This was a hot topic, as close to 100 people attended.  If you missed it, don’t worry!  You can access an archived version of the webinar at: https://cisco.webex.com/ciscosales/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=39887552&rKey=35d029beddf0056a

By Nancy in NASDCTEc Resources
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Global Competition – Not Just a Fad

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

apec-logo_new_vertical300dpiYesterday, I spoke before the Human Resource Development Working Group of APEC – the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation in Chicago. APEC is celebrating its 20th year and is comprised of countries that touch the Pacific Ocean. As the host country, the United States representative (Alan Ginsburg from the U.S. Department of Education) got to select the special focus topic of which I spoke about – new models of CTE. I shared information and resources about career clusters.

The purpose of my presentation was to juxtapose what the US is doing related to programs of study and career clusters against many other countries, like Singapore, which are moving more in the direction of deliberating tracking students and taking “non college” bound students or the bottom 25% and giving them skills needed by the country’s economy.  New Zealand shared their national competency model/framework, which is comprised of national standards, stackable competency assessments that allow a student to test out of a competency at any time – not limited to end of course, program or any other timeframe.

China also spoke on my panel. Interesting, they are adopting a sort of clusters’ approach with 8 groups of occupations that break down into 66 subindustry groups/pathways, 400 career areas and 2028 jobs. As a country, they are investing heavily in transition their workforce from being predominantly unskilled (66.3% or 194,000,000) to a more skilled technician level workforce (currently 6.2% of their workforce of 18,100,000). In addition, they have a national strategy to “migrant” nearly 9 million rural workers to the cities and engage them in the industrial workforce.
I have read about global competition (Friedman’s The World Is Flat) but this meeting really brought it home for me. Countries from the Phillipines, Korea, Thailand and Malaysia to New Zealand and Australia or Peru and Chile are investing heavily, in many cases making it a national priority, to build a technically literate, competitive, flexible workforce. They are talking about national standards, national assessments, and portable credentials. Conversations we in the United States have been having for years. And while our system is more locally governed, I had to ask myself whether our competitiveness is being challenged by our willingness to let a thousand flowers bloom.  Will the common standards movement get us to where we need to be? Does the American public really believe global competition is real? I know I do.

By Kimberly in Career Clusters
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Highly Qualifed & CTE: Tough Economic Times Creating New Options

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

As I have traveled the country, one of the most common questions I get is about how NCLB highly qualified teacher (HQT) requirements impact CTE. NCLB statute and regulations do not require CTE teachers to meet the same requirements as academic teachers, in large part because so many CTE teachers come from industry and through alternative routes. States some latitude to define what highly qualifed means for CTE.  However, the HQT regulations related to academic teachers have had the unintendend consequence of limiting states’ ability to allow CTE courses to garner academic credit because if academic credit is awarded then the teacher teaching that class must meet academic HQT requirements.  Several states have developed innovative approaches to this challenge. Idaho invested in funding to CTE teachers certified in academic areas. New York negotiated a waiver to allow academic and CTE team teaching (strictly regulated) to meet the requirements. California is the latest state to offer up another option given challenges districts are facing due to tough economic times.

Below is a recently published article that summarizes the California option quite nicely.  This article was written by Allen Young of The Cabinet Report, a subscribers-only daily news source published by School Innovations & Advocacy . 

“LEAs have options on tech instructors meeting NCLB qualifications
By Allen Young

With districts looking for creative ways to address staffing needs, the California Department of Education issued advice this week reminding local educational agencies that a career technical education instructor can qualify as a ‘highly qualified teacher’ with authorization from the school board.

The issue has been raised repeatedly by districts that are struggling under the current budget crisis to match diminishing instructional resources with ever growing student needs and still meet federal goals under the No Child Left Behind Act.

 

“Amid massive layoffs throughout the state, people are trying to save their jobs and find out what they are credentialed for,” said Lynda Nichols, NCLB coordinator at CDE. “When a district decides to have one of these classes and the board approves it as a graduation requirement, it throws the non-NCLB course into NCLB [requirements].”  The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing said that if a school is granting graduation credit for a CTE class, then the instructor need only carry a CTE credential.

To qualify as a “highly qualified teacher,” the instructor must have a four-year college degree and hold a proper credential in their CTE subject area.

There are many examples of crossover classes that provide alternate forms of graduation credit. The CDE has clarified on their website the sections in law that describe the classes and credentials needed for career tech teachers to provide graduation credit and fulfill UC admission requirements.   

Here is a summary. 

  • To be NCLB compliant, a business education instructor that has a single subject or standard secondary credentialed in business education can satisfy the economics requirement and does not need a history-social science credential.

  • The same applies for an agriculture instructor majored in agriculture business or education and credentialed with a single subject or standard secondary in agriculture.

  • A home economics instructor who majored in nutrition, dietetics, or food science with a single subject or standard secondary credential in home economics education can satisfy biological science and does not need a biology science credential.

  • Biology science can also be taught by a health instructor that posses a single subject credentialed in health science education.

  • A home economics instructor with a major in apparel design and merchandising and appropriately credentialed in home economics can satisfy the visual and performing arts requirement.

  • Finally, industrial and technology education teachers majored in either manufacturing technology or industrial technology can satisfy the physical sciences with a single subject or standard secondary ITE credential and would not need one in chemistry or physics science.

The CDE guidance for CTE instructors satisfying NCLB is available here:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/nclb/sr/tq/documents/ctenclbhqtprvision.doc

The CTE Frequently Asked Questions are available here:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/nclb/sr/tq/faqctenclbhqt.asp.”

 

 

By Kimberly in Public Policy
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CTE: A Gateway to the Middle Class

Friday, June 19th, 2009

In his remarks at the Green Jobs Summit (June 17, 2009), Vice President Biden commented “a job is more than a paycheck. A job is about pride. A job is about dignity. A job is about respect.”  He made these comments in the context of sharing information about the Middle Class Taskforce  he is leading.

After the summit, the word respect kept lingering in my mind and inspired me to write this blog post. Remember Rodney Dangerfield’s infamous saying  I get “no respect.”  CTE also doesn’t get the respect that it deserves.  Still burdened with the yoke of the image of dirty shop class where you send other people’s kids, CTE is too often portrayed in the sterotypical way.  And then there is Arthea Franklin’s toe-tapping song “R-E-S-P-E-C-T“; what do we have to do to earn “just a little bit?”  Perhaps we in CTE can use this opportunity to rally our efforts, be proactive and help the Vice President achieve his goal for more Americans to gain access to the middle class and earn ‘a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T’ while we are at it.

So here is what I propose –  a message to Vice President Biden –

Mr. Vice President, 

We agree with your comments made at the Green Jobs Summit. We must help more Americans realize your goal of finding jobs that offer pride, dignity and respect and give them a chance at being part of the middle class.

Career technical education (CTE) has helped millions of Americans find pride, dignity and respect through a career that provides a family sustaining wage. We stand ready to do more but we need your help.

Help us change the perception of the careers that keep America strong. Careers like those in fields of transportation, manufacturing, construction, and health care. These are all careers that support our nation’s security, ensure quality of life and stimulate our economy. Help us help more Americans achieve your goal by investing in CTE! 

By Kimberly in Public Policy
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Green Jobs Summit

Friday, June 19th, 2009

On Wednesday, I attended the Green Jobs Summit hosted by the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee. The goal of the summit was to bring together a “diverse cross-section of businesses and organizational that are investing in clean energy and to make America the engine of innovation in the 21st Century.”  Why was CTE at this table?  To achieve the goals of energy independence and “green” our economy, it is clear that our nation needs a pipeline of new technical workers, as well as a means of retraining existing workers – and CTE can help!

The Senate Democrats came out in full force. Summit speakers included Vice President Biden, Senators Reid (NV), Stabenow (MI), Boxer, (CA), Brown (OH), Cantwell (WA), Dorgan (ND), Murray (WA), Sanders (VT), Merkley (OR), Udall (CO), and Klobuchar (MN).  And another 10 or so senators stopped in on the summit.  This was pretty amazing given that that day the Senate HELP committee was marking up the health care bill and The American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 was passed out of committee that morning.

Several questions/comments, including one from an IBEW member in WA and someone representing adult education, raised the importance of investing in education and training programs to transform the current workforce to capably meet the needs of the ‘green economy.’   While there seemed to be universal agreement on this point (lots of head nodding), no significant attention was paid to the topic.  Senator Patty Murray did talk about career pathways in her remarks and Senator Brown highlighted work being done at Moraine Valley Community College.

While we are making progress on getting policymakers to understand that education is an important driver in the economy (we were invited to attend this event), it still seems to take a back seat to regulations and tax policies and incentives.

By Kimberly in Public Policy
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A White House Community College Initiative and An OVAE Assistant Secretary?

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

On June 17, during the Democratic Leadership Conference  policy forum, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel announced that in the next few weeks the President would be making a major announcement on community colleges. He said there will be a “rewriting of all legislation related to job training and vocational education, but most importantly in the area of community colleges.”  This appears to be a follow up to the statement made by the President on May 8. Emanuel said that “a lot of people, when we talk about education, talk about universities. What has been forgotten is how important the community-college system is to our economy, our ability to compete in a global economy. It is literally the conveyor belt to allow people to upgrade their skills when they are going from X job to Y career.” Emanuel inferred that a new infusion of resources to community colleges was likely to be part of the announcement. The Workforce Investment Act reauthorization is pending and seems to be the likely vehicle to carry forward this sort of legislative change.

Today, at a meeting of education stakeholders , U.S. Department of Education officials tasked with higher education responsibilities were asked about this proposal and responded that they are not familiar with the specifics of the President’s proposal.

A rumor making its way around town is that the announcement of the OVAE Assistant Secretary is imminent.  While no names have been released, the rumor mills has bets on someone who has an adult education background.

By Kimberly in Public Policy
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