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Legislative Update: FY14 Perkins Estimates, FY14 Budget, ESEA Hearing

May 10th, 2013

FY 2014 Perkins Estimates

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education shared state-by-state budget tables for all programs under its jurisdiction. This includes estimates for both FY13 and FY14.  At the time of the release, the tables included incorrect information for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins). The tables have now been updated and can be found here. Perkins information can be found on page 21.

The FY13 estimates reflect sequestration reductions. It is important to note that the estimates for FY14 assume the President’s budget request is approved, which restores funds to pre-sequestration levels and for Perkins, assumes enactment of the U.S. Department of Education’s Investing in America’s Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education. This proposal withholds $100 million in funds from the states to create an innovation fund managed by the federal government. The authority to withhold these funds and create the innovation fund would have to be enacted into law before it could occur; therefore, NASDCTEc recommends against using the FY14 estimates for planning purposes.

For more information on the President’s FY14 budget proposal and its potential impact on CTE, revisit this blog post and this blog post.

FY 2014 Budget Update

Last month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) called for the creation of a budget conference committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate budgets. As reported in previous blog posts, the House budget would lead to an 11.7 percent reduction in nondefense discretionary spending for FY14 which would result in significant reductions to Perkins funding. The Senate budget would repeal the sequester and restore funding to Perkins and other nondefense programs.

This week, Senators Reid and Patty Murray (D-WA) attempted again on the Senate floor to appoint conferees on the Budget Resolution. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) objected. Staff will continue to monitor any progress made on the FY14 budget.

House ESEA Hearing Discusses CTE

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has been eligible for reauthorization for more than six years, and members of Congress are again looking at how the expired law can be updated and improved. This week, the House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing called “Raising the Bar: Exploring State and Local Efforts to Improve Accountability” to discuss the federal role in accountability for education.

CTE became part of the discussion when Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) highlighted the importance of preparing students who are both college and career ready by aligning CTE and academic courses. Education stakeholders who provided testimony at the hearing included Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, John White, and Superintendent of Northfield, Minnesota Public Schools, Chris Richardson. White and Richardson agreed that better alignment between CTE and traditional academic courses is necessary. White described Louisiana’s efforts to include more measures – including dual enrollment credit, employment attainment, and Advanced Placement scores – in addition to using proficiency and graduation rates.

Another panelist, Eric Gordon of Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Ohio, discussed his district’s commitment to preparing students for postsecondary education and careers through CTE.

The discussion at this hearing on academic and technical skill integration illustrates the need for greater alignment between ESEA and Perkins. Some Members of Congress have indicated that ESEA reauthorization will begin in late summer, and staff will continue to provide details as they become available.

Kara Herbertson, Research and Policy Manager

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Community Colleges in the Spotlight

May 8th, 2013

This week, the National Center for Education and the Economy released a new report at a day-long event in Washington, DC. The report – “What Does It Mean to Be College and Work Ready?” –  explores the first-year expectations for students across nine different disciplines (Accounting, Automotive Technology, Biotech/Electrical Technology, Business, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Information Technology/Computer Programming, Nursing, and General Studies) in mathematics and English Language Arts, and finds that there is a misalignment between what students learn in high school and what they need to know for success in their first year at community college.

Specifically in mathematics, the report finds that the first-year expectations are rarely above the Algebra I bar and largely focus on mathematics taught in middle school. The report identifies some key content areas that are typically untaught in high school, namely schematics, geometric visualization, and complex applications of measurement. One recommendation is to refocus K-12 mathematics instruction so students can gain a deeper conceptual understanding of the foundational knowledge and skills in elementary and middle school mathematics rather than rushing them to, and through, advanced course-taking in high school.

In English, the report finds that while the texts assigned in the first-year of community college programs are at the 11th and 12th grade level, the assignments and tests demand little from students by way of reading comprehension or writing – or, in other words, there is high text complexity but low test rigor. The Common Core State Standards’ focus on discipline-specific literacy, reading informational texts, and writing from evidence should help shore up students’ abilities in these areas, but community colleges will need to adjust their instruction in kind.

Over the course of six panel discussions, a number of topics were explored, but two themes came up time and again, the first being the tradeoff between community colleges shifting their mission away from providing open access to all students to the accountability-driven goal of retaining students. The question was raised, but largely unanswered, of whether this shift has led community colleges to lower their expectations and standards for incoming students to ensure more stay enrolled and complete. On the other hand, remediation has long been an issue among community colleges and hasn’t dramatically improved since institutions have begun to focus on completion.

The other major theme discussed was the need for more curricular pathways for students in high school, particularly in mathematics. While the report recommends that Algebra II no longer be required for all students, most of the panelists agreed that Algebra II still had value to students, but that there need to be more contextualized learning opportunities for students, based on their learning styles and post-high school interests.

What struck me about the event is that Career Technical Education (CTE) has long been tackling the challenges and opportunities raised in the report and event including building partnerships between K-12 and community college and between community colleges and employers, and offering contextualized learning pathways to students. While CTE was barely mentioned (explicitly) over the course of the day – and is not mentioned at all in the report – it is a major component of any strategy to address students’ readiness for college and careers.

Click here to read the report and watch video from the release event.

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

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On Track & Moving Forward: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Update

April 26th, 2013

On April 25, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) hosted a briefing in Washington, DC, on the progress of the 26-state consortium.

Smarter Balanced is one of the two Race to the Top-funded consortia of states working to develop K-12 assessment systems aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The assessments – in mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy – will be administered online and will provide students with an early signal of their readiness for college-level credit-bearing courses. The Smarter Balanced assessment system will include required summative assessments, optional interim assessments to be administered locally through each school year, and a series of formative tools and processes to be used at the classroom level.  The summative assessments will utilize computer-adaptive testing with the goal of providing greater precision and efficiency in measuring students’ proficiency on the Common Core State Standards.

Joe Willhoft, Executive Director of Smarter Balanced, provided an overview of the assessment system, including an update on the pilot test occurring right now in over 5,000 schools and reaching about 1 million students. Willhoft also shared newly released cost estimates that peg the cost per student to be approximately $22.50 for just the summative assessment, which is actually less than what about two-thirds of Smarter Balanced states currently spend on assessments. He noted that about 70 percent of the cost will go towards the (human) scoring of the performance-based items included in the assessment used to measure problem solving and deeper analytical skills.

Willhoft also discussed the option states and districts will have to use paper-and-pencil tests for the first three years of administration as a strategy of easing the transition to the computer-based assessments, noting that the results from the paper test will be comparable with the online assessments.

Jacqueline King, Director of Higher Education Collaboration for Smarter Balanced, spoke on the role higher education has been playing throughout the design and development process. Specifically, she pointed to the college content-readiness policy released last month that will facilitate the use of the high school assessments by institutions of higher education. Students who score a three or above on the high school summative assessment will have a portable score that can be used by colleges and universities to exempt them from remedial education and place them into credit-bearing courses. Looking ahead, Smarter Balanced will continue to engage with higher education to build awareness and support for the assessment system.

King also mentioned that Smarter Balanced would be exploring the idea of what the assessments mean insofar as students’ academic “career readiness” in coming months.

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

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Florida Legislature Passes Bill Introducing College-Ready and Career-Ready Tracks

April 23rd, 2013

Florida Governor Rick Scott of signed a bill this week, restructuring the state’s graduation requirements.

At the heart of the legislation is the repeal of the state’s current high school graduation requirements – adopted in 2010 to be fully implemented with the graduating class of 2016 – which required all students to complete four years of mathematics, including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II (in alignment with the state’s adopted Common Core State Standards) and three years of science, including Biology and Chemistry or Physics.

Under the new requirements, to impact the graduating class of 2014, students can choose a career pathway that would allow them to be waived from Algebra II, Chemistry and Physics courses, as well as the end-of-course assessments in those subjects and take more Career Technical Education (CTE) courses or other work-based learning experiences in their place. The Florida State Board of Education will determine which courses will be allowed to substitute the waived academic courses. If students take the new minimum requirements and earn one or more industry certification, they will receive a “merit” designation.

Or, students can earn “scholar” designation if they complete the current graduation requirements, with the goal of this pathway preparing students for a four-year degree.

The legislation includes a strong focus on career exploration and articulates that districts should work with local workforce boards, business and industry, and postsecondary institutions to create partnerships and career-focused courses, which would then need to be approved by the State Board of Education.

The legislation also changes Florida’s assessment requirements by making the currently high-stakes biology and geometry end-of-course assessments count as 30 percent of a student’s grade rather than a requirement for graduation. The Algebra I and English 10 exams will still be required for all students, but also count as 30 percent of the student’s final grade rather than be fully high stakes.  Finally, the bill ensures the current economics course requirement includes an emphasis on financial literacy.

The bill aims to provide students with more flexibility and better align high school with workforce demands and many of the provisions will achieve that. However, there is valid concern that the new graduation requirements will mean not all students will be expected to learn – and therefore will have access to – the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The concern is largely around the fact that, unless the approved CTE courses, credentials and experiences are indeed rigorous both in terms of the technical expectations and academic expectations, some students will be tracked into less rigorous pathways, limiting their postsecondary and career options in the long term.

We’ll be tracking the issue and particularly the work of the State Board of Education moving forward.

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

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Legislative Update: Appropriations, Community College Grants

April 22nd, 2013

Secretary Duncan Testifies Before Appropriations Subcommittees

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently spoke before both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Other Related Agencies about President Obama’s FY14 budget proposal, which includes a number of proposals related to Career Technical Education (CTE).

Secretary Duncan’s written statement for the House Subcommittee contained a section called Supporting Career-Readiness for All which supports President Obama’s request to restore FY12 funding levels for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins). Secretary Duncan also described the Administration’s request for $300 million to support the High School Redesign program and $42 million for the development of dual enrollment programs that align with career pathways and local workforce needs. The delayed release of the President’s budget, which is traditionally released in February, will likely mean it holds less influence than it normally would in affecting spending and policy changes, because the House and the Senate have already passed their own budgets, but it is still very important.

Community College Grants

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor announced the third round of grant funding for the Trade Adjustment Community College and Career Training program. The latest grant makes available $474.5 million to help community colleges strengthen training partnerships with employers and will invest in innovative and evidence-based training models that include strong partnerships with local employers and employer organizations.

The grant is part of President Obama’s plan to ensure every American has at least one year of postsecondary education. Consortia or institutions that are interested in applying for funding can find more details here.

Representatives Thompson and Langevin Call for More Career Technical Education Funding

Today, Representatives Thompson (R-PA-5) and Langevin (D-RI-2) sent a Dear Colleague letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Other Related Agencies requesting level funding for Perkins in FY14. The letter highlights the importance of CTE programs in ensuring workers are prepared to hold jobs in high-wage, high-skill and high-demand sectors. The letter has been co-signed by 61 members of the U.S. House of Representatives; the list can be found at the end of this post.

The leadership from these representatives in promoting CTE in the current financial climate is commendable, and we encourage you to send a note of thanks, particularly if one of the representatives listed is based in your state. If you wish to express your appreciation to Representatives Langevin or Thompson for their leadership in organizing this Dear Colleague letter, you can contact them at their Washington D.C. offices at (202) 225-2735 or (202) 225-5121 respectively.

Arizona

Representative Raul Grijalva (D)

California

Representative Ami Berra (D)

Representative Lois Capps (D)

Representative Tony Cardenas (D)

Representative John Garamendi (D)

Representative Jared Huffman (D)

Representative Jerry McNerney (D)

Representative Linda Sanchez (D)

Representative Mark Takano (D)

Representative Juan Vargas (D)

Colorado

Representative Jared Polis (D)

Connecticut

Representative Joe Courtney (D)

District of Columbia

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D)

Florida

Representative Patrick E. Murphy (D)

Guam

Representative Madelaine Bordallo (D)

Hawaii

Representative Colleen Hanabusa (D)

Illinois

Representative Bill Foster (D)

Representative Janice Schakowsky (D)

Indiana

Representative Larry Buschon (R)

Representative Andre Carson (D)

Iowa

Representative David Loebsack (D)

Kentucky

Representative John Yarmuth (D)

Maine

Representative Michael Michaud (D)

Representative Chellie Pingree (D)

Maryland

Representative Chris Van Hollen (D)

Massachusetts

Representative Michael Capuano (D)

Representative William Keating (D)

Michigan

Representative John Conyers Jr. (D)

Representative John Dingell (D)

Representative Sander Levin (D)

Representative Gary Peters (D)

Minnesota

Representative Timothy Walz (D)

Representative Rick Nolan (D)

Missouri

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D)

New Hampshire

Representative Carol Shea-Porter (D)

New Jersey

Representative Rush Holt (D)

Representative Bill Pascrell (D)

Representative Albio Sires (D)

New Mexico

Representative Ben Ray Lujan (D)

New York

Representative William Owens (D)

Representative Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D)

Representative Paul Tonko (D)

Representative Charles Wrangel (D)

North Carolina

Representative Mike McIntyre (D)

Northern Marianas

Gregorio Kilili Camacho (D)

Oregon

Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D)

Representative Peter DeFazio (D)

Pennsylvania

Representative Matt Cartwright (D)

Representative Allyson Schwartz (D)

Rhode Island

Representative David Cicilline (D)

Texas

Representative Joaquin Castro (D)

Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (D)

Representative Mark Veasey (D)

Vermont

Representative Peter Welch (D)

Virginia

Representative Gerald Connolly (D)

Washington

Representative Suzan DelBene (D)

Representative Denny Heck (D)

Representative Rick Larsen (D)

West Virginia

Representative Nick Rahall (D)

Wisconsin

Representative Thomas Petri (R)

Representative Mark Pocan (D)

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Spring Meeting Recap: What is Career Readiness?

April 19th, 2013

Earlier this week, the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) held its annual Spring Meeting, where the notion of ‘career readiness’ was front and center. One session squarely focused on the work of the Career Readiness Partnership Council (CRPC) in convening a broad group of partners to develop a common definition of Career Readiness (which can be found at www.careerreadynow.org) and potential next steps for the partnership and the definition itself.

The urgency behind the CRPC and the development of a common understanding of what career readiness was driven by a number of factors, and Patrick Ainsworth, who coordinated much of the work of the CRPC pointed out a few: the ongoing development of the Common Core Technical Core, the widespread adoption of the college- and career-ready Common Core State Standards (which cover only the academic foundation of career readiness), and the lack of understanding of what career readiness means and looks like across the nation. The CRPC, therefore, aimed to create a “north star” for each of the participating organizations around career readiness to help guide and drive policy and practice.

The other two panelists, representing partnership organizations, each discussed what compelled them to join the CRPC and what the definition will mean for them moving ahead. Martin Simon of the National Governors’ Association described how governors are concerned not only about the skills gap but also the coordination gap between educators and workforce investment boards. He discussed the need for a more comprehensive system to better link education, training and workforce needs that will build career pathways, not just training for jobs. About half of all governors discussed career pathways or Career and Technical Education (CTE) in their 2013 state of the state addresses, demonstrating they not only care about these issues but consider them to be priorities.

Andrew Moore from the National League of Cities described the unique role mayors can play in connecting and convening the education and business communities. Mayors are deeply concerned about the skills gap and the extremely high unemployment rates among teenagers.

After the panelists’ remarks, the participants were asked how they might use the career readiness definition moving forward. Some responses included:

  • Identify ways to apply the definition to key audiences, included, but not limited to: policymakers, business and industry, high school educators, higher education, parents, students, and community-based organizations and service providers.
  • Formalize the definition and identify how it can be embedded in state policy.
  • Engage governors to embrace the definition as a framework for coordinating CTE, workforce development and economic development initiatives.
  • Embed the definition in Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act reauthorization.
  • Provide the definition as a model for districts to use in whole or as a starting point when developing their own definitions of career readiness.

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

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Spring Meeting Recap: A View from the Hill – Federal Policy Impacting Career Technical Education

April 19th, 2013

Earlier this week, the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) held its annual Spring Meeting. One of the featured sessions had representatives from several Congressional offices and a legislative liaison from Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) discussing current and future Career Technical Education (CTE) related activity on the Hill.

U.S. Senator Mark Begich (D-AR) has introduced three bills supporting CTE and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM): the Professional Development for Educators Act (S.441), Career and Technical Education Facilities Modernization Act (S.439), and the Counseling for Career Choice Act (S.282). The Counseling for Career Choice Act, in particular, focuses on developing a strong framework for career counseling that promotes local pathways, a full array of postsecondary options, and the alignment of curriculum to locally-available jobs.

Sam Morgante from Congressman Jim Langevin’s (D-RI) office – who co-chairs the CTE Caucus – described the drivers of the Congressman’s interest in CTE and actions he currently is taking to put Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) reauthorization at the forefront. Congressman Langevin is working to coordinate a letter, signed by over 50 members of Congress, calling for Perkins to be fully funded in the 2014 budget, given the increased demand at the local level and the skills gap, which is impacting Rhode Island in particular as the state with the second highest unemployment rate in the nation.

Beth Meloy, representing U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-MN), discussed the skills gap and the Senator’s interest in promoting opportunities for students to have more integrated academic and technical experiences. Senator Franken plans to introduce legislation that will incentivize partnerships between community colleges and local businesses. Members of the audience cautioned against focusing only on community colleges as using such narrow language can exclude other degree- and certificate-granting institutions and technical centers that are not formally considered “community colleges.”

Brendan Desetti, a legislative liaison from the ACTE, noted that given the fact that Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) ESEA, Perkins, and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) – and soon to be the Higher Education Act (HEA) – are all up for reauthorization, there is a good chance that these bills will be better aligned, in terms of language, programs, and accountability measures, than ever before. Of course, this is still dependent on movement from Congress, which all panelists noted is still an uphill battle given the perpetual budget “crises” that are taking up most of the Congress’ and media’s attention. Throughout the entire NASDCTEc Spring Meeting, participant consistently discussed how the range of definitions – and interpretations of definitions – in Perkins and related programs is an ongoing challenge.

Finally, Brendan also raised the issue of other laws and regulations that may not be directly related to CTE but still can have a direct impact on state’s and district’s ability to deliver CTE, such as the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act, which has the potential to negatively impact Family and Consumer Sciences programs.

The session ended with the panelists encouraging the participants to reach out to their senators and representatives to build relationships with staffers, communicate the importance of CTE, and highlight how programs are benefiting students and the state’s economic development. ACTE has an Action Center to facilitate direct communications between individuals and their members of Congress.

Kate Blosveren, Associate Executive Director

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Spring Meeting Recap: A View From the Hill – Appropriations

April 19th, 2013

This week at our spring meeting, we held a panel titled A View from the Hill – Appropriations. The panelists were Joel Packer, the Executive Director of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF); Emily Bouck, a Legislative Aide for Senator Rubio (R-FL); and Kevin McDermott, the Legislative Director for Representative Tierney (D-MA-6).

The panel discussed the fiscal context in Congress, the effect of the sequestration process and how both have affected Career Technical Education (CTE). Joel expressed the view that unless Congress repeals the sequester, funding for education and CTE will be significantly reduced and will have highly negative consequences for how states deliver CTE.

Kevin agreed with Joel and went on to say that while the negative effects of sequestration are not immediately apparent, organizations such as the CEF should continue to raise awareness of the cuts. Finally, Emily acknowledged the difficult financial circumstances for CTE and said that the money should be focused on those who need it the most.

NASDCTEc is a member of the CEF and is actively engaged in the budget, appropriations and sequestration discussions.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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Obama FY14 Budget Proposal: Impact on CTE

April 11th, 2013

President Obama yesterday released his budget for FY14 which detailed his vision and priorities for the year. Career Technical Education (CTE) played a significant part in his proposals, in the U.S. Department of Education (summarized yesterday on our blog) , the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The budget details a $12.1 billion investment for discretionary spending in the DOL, which is a 3.2 percent, or $400 million, decrease from the current fiscal year. The delayed release of the President’s budget, which is traditionally released in February, will likely mean it holds less influence than it normally would because the House and the Senate have already passed their own budgets, but it is still very important. Below are key elements of the budget proposal that would impact CTE. A more detailed summary of the DOL’s proposed budget can be found here.

Impact of Proposed Budget on CTE: U.S. Department of Labor

$8 Billion for a Community College to Career Fund: The budget calls for $4 billion in mandatory spending under the DOL for a Community College to Career Fund to begin in FY15. An additional $4 billion would be authorized under the U.S. Department of Education and the program would be jointly administered by both federal agencies. The fund would aim to:

  • Forge new partnerships between community colleges and businesses to train two million workers for high-paying jobs in high-growth and high-demand industries such as health care, transportation and advanced manufacturing.
  • Emphasize strong employer engagement in the development of postsecondary programs to ensure that programs deliver students that meet employer needs. The Community College to Career Fund would provide support for regional or national industry sectors to develop skills consortia that will identify pressing workforce needs.
  • Expand work-based training and other “earn and learn” opportunities that allow students to earn credit while gaining relevant employment experience in a high-wage, high-skill field. It also aims to promote and expand efforts to make data on student outcomes, including employment and earning, available by program of study.

$3.4 billion for Training and Employment Services: This funding includes programs and policy changes intended to spur innovation in the way training is delivered for workers. Aspects of this program that would impact CTE include:

  • $150 million for the Workforce Innovation Fund. The Workforce Innovation Fund tests new ideas from states and regions to drive forward systemic reforms and to replicate evidence-based strategies for training and helping workers find jobs. Within the fund, $10 million is dedicated to building knowledge about which interventions are most effective for disconnected youth, and the DOL would continue to work with agencies that support educational and employment strategies.
  • $80 million set aside for Workforce Investment Act formula grants for states. This funding would increase the statewide reserve allocation from 5 percent to 7.5 percent without reducing the amount of funding allocated to local areas.
  • $6 million for the Workforce Data Quality Initiative. This funding would be used to support up to six states in expanding their workforce data systems. The funding aims to support the development or expansion of longitudinal administrative databases that would integrate workforce data and link to education data from pre-K through postsecondary education and the workforce.

Impact of Proposed Budget on CTE: U.S. Department of Commerce

$1 billion for Regional Manufacturing Innovation Institutes: A one-off investment of $1 billion has been included to create up to 15 Regional Manufacturing Innovation Institutes that would bring together companies, universities, government, and community colleges to invest in the development of cutting-edge manufacturing. Leveraging the strengths of a particular region, the Institutes will be based on a pilot launched in Youngstown, Ohio, in August 2012.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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NASDCTEc and ACTE Release Response to President’s Budget

April 11th, 2013

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     ACTE CONTACT: Ashley Parker
April 11, 2013                                                       703-683-9312; [email protected]

NASDCTEc CONTACT: David Beckett

301-588-9630; [email protected]

President’s Proposed Budget Restores Career Tech Ed Funding but Still Falls Short of Need

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) are encouraged that the Administration’s proposed $1.1 billion level funding of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) restores cuts made in FY 2013 as a result of sequestration. However, we are concerned that Washington has not prioritized investments in career and technical education (CTE) to meet the growing demand for education and skills in today’s economy.

The Perkins Act is the primary source of federal support for CTE, delivered at both the secondary and postsecondary level, and is a critical investment in developing a highly qualified, globally competitive American workforce. CTE programs utilize Perkins funding to evolve and expand to provide students with the knowledge and skills that are essential for success in high-wage, high-skill and high-demand careers.

Unfortunately, recent cuts to the Perkins Act have had a negative impact on CTE programs’ ability to meet student needs. The Perkins FY 2011 allocation was reduced by $140 million, with additional reductions occurring in FY 2012. As a result of sequestration, Perkins will be further reduced by $58 million in FY 2013. The erosion of Perkins has negatively impacted high schools, CTE centers, community and technical colleges, employers and millions of CTE students nationwide.

According to LeAnn Wilson, ACTE Executive Director, “Failing to provide a robust federal investment in Perkins is detrimental to the 12 million CTE students nationwide, the business community that relies on a qualified workforce, and the future economic competitiveness of our country.”

Kimberly Green, Executive Director of NASDCTEc, said, “The President’s proposal to return Perkins funding to pre-sequester levels is a step in the right direction. However, with pressures of the global economy intensifying, greater investment in CTE is needed to bolster the U.S. economy, close the skills gap, and help more students be college and career ready. The existing funding for Perkins falls short of meeting the needs of communities across the country, where employers are still struggling to find well-qualified technicians and students often face waiting lists or find that CTE programs have closed due to lack of funding.”

While several new programs proposed in the Administration’s budget have the potential to benefit CTE programs and provide students robust career readiness skills—such as the high school redesign program, STEM initiatives and Community College to Career Fund – scarce resources would be better directed toward proven programs like Perkins that increase all students’ access to high-quality CTE.

CTE is working with business and industry partners to help fill positions that are available today while preparing a qualified workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. If further reductions to Perkins continue, many effective education and employment training opportunities will disappear. In order to meet the needs of students, educators and employers, Congress must make investing in Perkins a top priority.

About ACTE

The Association for Career and Technical Education is the largest national association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. For 85 years, we have been committed to enhancing the job performance and satisfaction of our members, to increasing public awareness and appreciation of career and technical programs, and to assuring growth in local, state and federal funding for these programs by communicating and working with legislators and government leaders.

About NASDCTEc

The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education (NASDCTEc) was established in 1920 to represent the state and territory heads of secondary, postsecondary and adult career technical education (CTE) across the nation. NASDCTEc, through leadership, advocacy and partnerships, aims to support an innovative CTE system that prepares individuals to succeed in education and their careers, and poises the United States to flourish a global, dynamic economy.

David Beckett, Advocacy Manager

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