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Getting to Know the Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows

January 26th, 2022

In November, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the inaugural cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE—Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows include representation across multiple demographic categories which emphasizes the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in CTE that closes racial representation gaps, and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement.

Over the next few months, this blog series will introduce each Fellow participating in the inaugural cohort of emerging leaders from 12 states, including 13 professionals of color.

Jean Claude Mbomeda (California) has over a decade of experience as a data and program coordinator at postsecondary institutions, and currently serves as Perkins Program Lead for the Workforce and Economic Development division at the California Community Colleges, Chancellor Office.  He earned master’s degrees in Information Technology and Economic Planning and Development from American Intercontinental University and the United Nations Institute of Economic and Development, respectively.

 

Justin Chin (Oregon) has two decades of experience in education as an instructor and student and career support specialist at the secondary and postsecondary level, and currently serves as Director of High School Connections at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. He received a bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in Education from Western Oregon University. He is a current Governor’s appointee to the Eastern Oregon Regional Economic Recovery Council and serves as Vice Chair for Oregon Humanities.

 

Dr. Kristin Corkhill (Georgia) has over a decade of program support and partnership experience in secondary and postsecondary education, and currently serves as Director of High School Initiatives at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. A dual-enrollment graduate, she earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in History from the University of Florida and a doctorate in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University.

 

 

Click here to learn more about the Fellowship and each Fellow.

Brittany Cannady, Senior Associate Digital Media

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Legislative Update: The Road Ahead for FY22, Guidance for Postsecondary and CTE included in Discretionary Grant Priorities

January 21st, 2022

Over the last two weeks Congress has continued to debate Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) appropriations as the Senate advances a key Career Technical Education (CTE) nominee out of committee. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department (Treasury) issued a final rule for $350 billion in coronavirus pandemic aid to states and localities, while other federal agencies make important announcements related to broadband funding, updated guidance for postsecondary institutions, new discretionary grant priorities, and efforts to overhaul higher education regulations. 

Lawmakers Still Seeking a Path Forward on the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget

Last autumn, Congressional lawmakers were unable to find agreement on full-year funding for FY22 which began on October 1, 2021. Since that time, Congress has passed a series of short-term funding extensions of current fiscal year 2021 funding levels to continue federal government operations past this date. The most recent of these measures, known as a continuing resolution (CR), is set to expire on February 18. To avert a government shutdown and lapse in appropriations for programs like the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), lawmakers have continued to negotiate a longer-term funding package to cover the remainder of FY22.

Despite the need for full-year funding, the pathway forward for lawmakers to complete work on FY22 funding remains unclear. Last week the top four lawmakers in Congress responsible for appropriations formally met for the first time since last November. These appropriations leaders emerged from the meeting calling the talks “constructive” and striking a tentatively optimistic tone regarding the likelihood of a full-year FY22 funding bill. Rep. DeLauro (D-CT), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, briefed House Democrats this week on these talks, insisting that the current February 18 deadline is still the goal for wrapping up current negotiations. As these efforts get more fully underway, Advance CTE will continue to work with Congress to ensure that the FY22 appropriations process meets the significant funding needs of the CTE community.

Senate HELP Committee Advances CTE Nominee

Last Thursday, January 13, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee re-considered the nominations of several Biden Administration nominees, including Dr. Amy Loyd, to serve as the next Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of Career, Adult, and Technical Education (OCTAE). While the HELP Committee approved Loyd similarly last year, the full Senate did not formally confirm her prior to the end of the first session of the current 117th Congress. As a consequence, President Biden was required to re-nominate Loyd for this position in the new year. Following a short discussion, the committee approved Loyd’s nomination by voice vote, advancing her for consideration by the full Senate sometime in the near future. Advance CTE has endorsed Dr. Loyd’s nomination and looks forward to a swift confirmation process later this year. 

Treasury Department Finalizes ARP Rule 

Earlier this month the Treasury Department announced that it had finalized and adopted a rule for implementing the American Rescue Plan’s (ARP) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF). The $350 billion SLFRF provides financial support to state, local, and Tribal governments to help with their responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Among other eligible uses of these funds, recipients may use these resources for “responding to negative economic impacts,” caused by the public health crisis. In the final rule Treasury has made clear that workforce development activities for eligible individuals will be an eligible use of these funds. Earlier today, January 21, President Biden strongly emphasized this allowable use of funding to the nation’s Mayors, saying in part, “I urge every Mayor in America to  . . . use your [SLFRF resources] to build pathways to better jobs, through [apprenticeship programs] and on-the-job training . . . to give people in every zip code a chance to deal themselves into this booming economy.” The Department also enumerated several other potential eligible uses of these funds, including for K-12 schools, broadband connectivity, and early learning. The final rule goes into effect April 1, 2022 and can be viewed here. A related overview can be found here. 

ED Includes CTE in Discretionary Grant Priorities 

As we have shared previously, ED recently published the agency’s final supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs in the Federal Register. These priorities will be used by ED to guide decisions regarding specific policy areas and related needs that will be prioritized as part of discretionary grant competitions in the future. Advance CTE submitted comments to the Department ahead of this announcement, requesting that CTE be more prominently embedded as part of these priorities. With regards to the ED’s second priority–  Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities– the Department has now included CTE as an important dimension for projects seeking to promote equitable access to educational opportunities. 

FCC Launches Seventh Wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund Commitments

Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a seventh wave of funding commitments totaling over $361 million as part of the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). The $7.2 billion ECF program was authorized as part of the ARP passage last year and allows eligible schools and libraries to apply for financial support to purchase connected devices like laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity to serve unmet needs of students, school staff, and library patrons at home during the ongoing pandemic. Securing initial funding for the ECF was one of Advance CTE’s top legislative priorities over the past year as a key way to respond to the Homework Gap. This round of commitments will support 802 schools, 49 libraries, and 8 consortia to receive nearly 654,000 internet-capable devices and over 313,000 broadband connections. More information on the announcement can be found here. 

ED Announces New Details for Negotiated Rulemaking

ED recently publicized plans for its next round of negotiated rulemaking to make changes to several rules governing programs authorized by the Higher Education Act. This round of negotiated rulemaking is intended to focus thematically on the issue of accountability within higher education. Over the next few months the Department hopes to address a number of issues in this space including gainful employment regulations, 90/10 calculations, and ability to benefit provisions among others. A full list of negotiators, related issue briefs, and other materials are available here. The first negotiation sessions began this week, with negotiators unanimously voting to add an additional civil rights representative to the panel while rejecting a proposal to add an additional negotiator slot for for-profit postsecondary institutions. 

ED Issues New HEERF Guidance and Makes New Funding Available 

On Thursday, January 20, ED published updated guidance for implementing and making use of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF)– resources that were provided to postsecondary institutions as part of the ARP legislation to help support their recovery. The updated guidance clarifies several frequently asked questions including articulating additional uses of these funds and how best to support learners’ needs more holistically. The new guidance can be found here. 

At the same time as ED published this guidance, First Lady Jill Biden and U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona visited Bergen Community College in New Jersey to announce the availability of nearly $200 million in additional competitive funding for postsecondary institutions via HEERF. Community colleges and postsecondary institutions in rural areas that serve high percentages of low-income learners and have experienced declines in enrollment will be given priority for this latest tranche of funding. Institutions applying for these resources are encouraged to address students’ basic needs, particularly in ways aligned to the new guidance noted above, to reduce barriers to success for more learners.

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor

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Getting to Know Advance CTE and State Technical Assistance

January 20th, 2022

The “Getting to Know” blog series will feature the work of State CTE Directors, state and federal policies, innovative programs and new initiatives from the Advance CTE staff. Learn more about each one of these topics and the unique contributions to advancing Career Technical Education (CTE) that Advance CTE’s members work on every day.

Meet Nithya Govindasamy! Nithya is a Senior Advisor at Advance CTE; she recently joined the organization in October 2021. Nithya leads and manages major organization-wide, highly visible initiatives that support, promote and increase equitable access to and success in high-quality CTE, which includes: workforce development, education and equity initiatives; technical assistance (TA) for Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education (CTE Without Limits); efforts to maximize the stimulus investments; and Advance CTE’s external equity strategy. 

In this month’s edition of the CTEWorks Newsletter, we share resources, tools and supports to foster continuous improvement and collaboration among stakeholders in the career preparation ecosystem. This work includes the TA Advance CTE will deliver to states implementing CTE Without Limits. Learn more in the interview with Nithya below: 

Q: How does the shared vision, CTE Without Limits, promote the value of collaboration, equity and innovation in states? 

A: CTE Without Limits lays out a bold vision for a cohesive, flexible, and responsive career preparation ecosystem that will close equity gaps in educational outcomes and workforce readiness, and leverage CTE to ensure that every learner can reach success in the career of their choice. 

The five inter-connected and equally critical principles call for our education and workforce system to collaborate and leverage their assets and take an innovative approach to ensuring that the learner can achieve career success. 

Q: What are the benefits of statewide structures that increase collaboration and coordination across K-12, postsecondary and workforce development to support a career preparation ecosystem?

A: States that invest in structures and systems to increase strategic collaboration and coordination across the K-12, postsecondary and workforce development continuum will be able to better serve the needs of each learner and the employer community. 

Each partner within the statewide structure serves a unique role in the career preparation ecosystem and greater connectivity means learners can access the support they need at any of the entry points. Collaboration between the education and workforce system also provides an avenue for industry to connect with future talent in a systematic way. Statewide structures that build these meaningful interconnections can benefit by accessing additional non-traditional funding and resources that are targeted towards incentivizing collaboration and establishing and meeting aligned goals.  

As a benefit all CTE leaders across the 50 states and territories, Advance CTE shares best practices and policy innovations from exemplar states (and partnering organizations) that have successfully embraced collaboration and partnerships, coordinated services, and support to benefit each learner (especially those from historically marginalized populations).

Q: As the organization begins to provide technical assistance to the cohort of states, what are the objectives and goals that Advance CTE hopes to achieve? 

A: Advance CTE hopes to assist states and our members to advance and implement the principles in CTE Without Limits within their state. Our goal is to support states, and their cross-sector teams, to bridge gaps in their systems to ensure all learners have equitable access to and can benefit from high-quality CTE. Through the community of practice that will be launched this February, we hope to identify and lift up best practices among states and inspire leaders and practitioners to take bold actions to design and implement a new career preparation ecosystem that is learner-focused and can offer endless opportunities.   

Q: How will the TA help build capacity within states to develop and strengthen their cohesive, flexible and responsive career preparation ecosystems?

A: The TA delivered will provide states an opportunity to engage in a deeper needs assessment that will identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as well as the root causes for gaps and barriers that exist in their current systems. Each state will have access to a dedicated coach as part of this initiative who will work with the state team to develop a strategic and solutions-oriented plan to address the specific needs and priorities expressed by each state. 

Q: Are there resources and supports for state and local leaders outside of the TA cohort who are beginning to implement the principles outlined in CTE Without Limits? 

A: Yes! The community of practice that will be part of this initiative will be open to all states and not just the TA cohort states. The community of practice will be a great opportunity for states to engage in discussion with other states about how they are tackling various components within the vision as well as learn from fellow members. Advance CTE will also continue to host webinars and post blogs that will focus on CTE Without Limits and share strategies and approaches with state leaders to help implement vision principles broadly across systems. States can also reach me directly at ngovindasamy@careertech.org if there’s a need for specific guidance or assistance.

Brittany Cannady, Senior Associate Digital Media

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Coronavirus Relief Funds: States Leverage Federal Funds to Provide Re-Skilling, Up-Skilling, and Job Training for Displaced Workers

January 5th, 2022

This blog series examines trends in state uses of federal stimulus funding for Career Technical Education (CTE). Stimulus funds were appropriated for emergency relief related to the coronavirus pandemic through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act; the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA); and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. The five major stimulus funding streams for states and educational institutions include the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), and Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

During a time of mass economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, preparing displaced workers and learners for high-quality, long-term job opportunities is essential to close the skills gap and address shifting labor market demands. Job and income losses resulting from the pandemic have disproportionately impacted women, Black and Latinx workers, and low-wage and non-college educated workers. These populations will be key to target with federal coronavirus relief funds. 

Some states are already investing federal funds in establishing and expanding credential and training programs to address critical skills shortages and build a highly-skilled, resilient workforce for the future. South Dakota invested $2.2 million in GEER funding to launch UpSkill, a program to support workers displaced by the pandemic through 24 fully- or partially-funded certificate programs within the state’s four technical colleges. There is a clear pathway for participants to earn an Associate of Applied Science or bachelor’s degree, and the programs are offered in virtual, in-person or hybrid modalities and aligned with labor market demand.

Similarly, Delaware leveraged $10 million of the state’s CRF allocation to create the Rapid Workforce Training and Redeployment Initiative, which creates a process for establishing fully-funded training and certification programs for individuals who are unemployed or underemployed. These programs, developed by the Delaware Workforce Development Board in consultation with the state Department of Labor, will provide necessary skills for in-demand occupations and connect learners to employers and open opportunities in the state labor market.

Finally, Texas created new and innovative credential programs. The state used GEER to fund $25 million in Texas Reskilling and Upskilling for Education (TRUE) Institutional Capacity Grants for community, state and technical colleges to support efforts to create, expand or redesign high-value postsecondary workforce credential programs. Proposed programs must be under six months long, aligned to industry needs, and developed alongside key stakeholders to qualify for these competitively-awarded grants. Texas also focused on re-engaging learners through a $46.5 million GEER allocation toward financial aid for individuals enrolled in programs centered on up-skilling or re-skilling displaced workers for in-demand fields. The initiative targets learners who have earned some college credit to ensure that they remain on track to attain a postsecondary credential.

These state efforts will ensure that displaced workers and learners who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic can connect with meaningful CTE opportunities and career pathways. What is notable about these initiatives is that they not only connect displaced workers with job opportunities, addressing immediate unemployment concerns, but help workers access better opportunities that are in demand and offer high wages. By strategically investing federal relief funds to build and scale short-term training programs that are driven by labor market demand, states can leverage the current crisis to build a stronger workforce and more economic opportunity for the future. Coronavirus relief funds continue to provide a valuable means of investment in establishing and expanding high-quality CTE programs for long-term learner success in a continually shifting labor market.

To learn more about how states have spent federal relief funds on CTE, please stay tuned for future Coronavirus Relief Funds blog posts and visit Advance CTE’s coronavirus resource page for additional resources.

Allie Pearce, Graduate Fellow

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Getting to Know the Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows

January 4th, 2022

In November, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the inaugural cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE—Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows include representation across multiple demographic categories which emphasizes the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in CTE that closes racial representation gaps, and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement. 

Over the next few months, this blog series will introduce each Fellow participating in the inaugural cohort of emerging leaders from 12 states, including 13 professionals of color.

 

Donald Walker (Michigan) has over three decades of experience in broadcast and digital media production and education, and currently serves as Director of Multimedia at the Detroit School of Arts in Detroit, Michigan. He earned multiple credentials from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts, a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Detroit-Mercy and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

 

 

 

Heather Covington (North Carolina) began her CTE journey as a National Board Certified business and marketing instructor and career development coordinator, and currently serves as Assistant Principal at Alston Ridge Middle School in Cary, North Carolina. She is a first-generation graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Information Technology and Business Education  from East Carolina University, an Education specialist degree from Old Dominion University, and  two master’s degrees in Instructional Technology and School Administration from North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina, respectively. 

 

Janelle Washington (Illinois) previously held multiple positions in the criminal justice system prior to pursuing a career in higher education, and currently serves as a Director for Career and Technical Education at the Illinois Community College Board. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and master’s degrees in Public Administration and College Student Personnel Administration from University of Illinois Springfield and Illinois State University, respectively.

 

 

Click here to learn more about the Fellowship and each Fellow.

Brittany Cannady, Senior Associate Digital Media 

 

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Welcome Candace Williams to Advance CTE!

December 21st, 2021

My name is Candace Williams and I’m thrilled to be joining the talented team at Advance CTE! In my role as Senior Research Associate, I’ll be supporting Advance CTE’s data quality and research initiatives. I’ll be working on a number of projects, including the Postsecondary Data Initiative, the Credit for Prior Learning Shared Solutions Working Group, and a forthcoming study on state Career Technical Education (CTE) funding. 

I’ve long been passionate about data-driven policymaking. I attended Northeastern University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in applied economics, and pursued my interests in labor economics and the role of government in human capital development. Following my studies, I worked as a legislative aide in the Massachusetts state senate and received hands-on learning on how legislators make policy decisions and act on behalf of their constituents. After spending a full legislative session as an aide, I made the leap to work on postsecondary education policy and research at the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE). In my five years with NEBHE, I had the fortune of finding my niche in supporting state policymakers, higher education and workforce development leaders, and employers in their efforts to increase access to and completion of high-quality, equitable postsecondary education. I led multi-state, grant-funded projects on issues such as credential transparency, recognition of learning, upskilling, employability and micro-credentialing. I’m excited to contribute my experience in the postsecondary education space to support learners reach their education and career goals through CTE.

I’m a native of midcoast Maine and after over ten years of living in Boston, I recently moved to New Hampshire (mostly so that we could get a dog). Outside of work, I keep busy exploring the Seacoast region with my husband and pup, dreaming up renovation projects for our old house, attempting to read every New Yorker issue and being involved in local/state politics. 

Candace Williams, Senior Research Associate 

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Getting to Know the Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows

December 16th, 2021

In November, Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation announced the inaugural cohort of The Postsecondary State Career Technical Education (CTE) Leaders Fellowship at Advance CTE—Sponsored by ECMC Foundation. The Advance CTE – ECMCF Fellows include representation across multiple demographic categories which emphasizes the Fellowship’s goal of intentionally building a postsecondary leadership pipeline for underserved populations in CTE that closes racial representation gaps and removes equity barriers to postsecondary leadership advancement. 

Over the next few months, this blog series will introduce each Fellow who represents 12 states and are 13 professionals of color.

 

Carlos Lopez (Colorado) has over a decade of experience as an instructor, program coordinator and academic advisor at secondary and postsecondary institutions focused on historically marginalized learners. Carlos currently serves as the Associate Dean for the College of Health Sciences and Administration at Emily Griffith Technical College. They earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Metropolitan State University of Denver and master’s degrees in Liberal Arts and Education Leadership and Policy Studies, Higher Education from St. John’s College – Santa Fe and University of Texas – San Antonio, respectively.

 

Curtis Scales (Arkansas) began his career in management training in the healthcare industry and translated his passion for wellness and supporting underserved populations into a career in education. He currently serves as the Program Manager for Special Populations at the Arkansas Department of Education. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration from the University of Arkansas, and master’s degrees in Management and Leadership and Human Resource Management from Webster University.

 

 

Dr. Dimitria Harding (Minnesota) has over 15 years of experience in the CTE field working as a cytotechnologist before pursuing a career in higher education. Dr. Harding currently serves as a Dean of Health Sciences and Career and Technical Education at Minnesota State College. She received a bachelor’s degree in Health Science and a master’s degree in Community Health from Old Dominion University, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership.

 

 

 

Click here to learn more about the Fellowship and each Fellow.

Brittany Cannady, Senior Associate Digital Media

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Standardizing Youth Apprenticeship Data to Effectively Measure Impact in Kentucky

December 8th, 2021

This is the second blog in a series published in partnership with New America through the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA). The blog series will highlight how PAYA network sites are using data to improve youth apprenticeship quality and equity. 

Youth apprenticeship programs provide learners with the opportunity to receive paid work experience during their high school years as a way to explore a possible career-focused pathway that can lead them to a family-sustaining wage. These programs also provide secondary and postsecondary credit providing an on ramp into pursuing additional education. 

Since youth apprenticeships often cut across multiple systems and sectors, states should align secondary, postsecondary and workforce data systems and clarify which entities are responsible for collecting, sharing and/or reporting data. The Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky (TRACK) youth apprenticeship program is an example of a statewide program that has developed a consistent framework for defining, collecting and using youth apprenticeship data.

History of Data Collection in Kentucky TRACK 

The Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky (TRACK) youth apprenticeship program is a partnership between the Kentucky Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education and the Kentucky Office of Apprenticeship to provide secondary learners with seamless pathways into Registered Apprenticeship opportunities. Starting in 2013 as a pilot with three employers and seven apprentices, the program has expanded exponentially, recording around 400 apprentices and over 70 employers in the spring of 2020. 

In order to tell the story of the KY TRACK program, there is a need for a consistent process of collecting and utilizing youth apprenticeship data. The KY TRACK agreement and completion forms are the primary vehicles for tracking data. This is how the state is able to gather information about the learners and the types of youth apprenticeship experiences they are moving through. Kentucky also provides implementation documents to guide intermediaries, secondary schools and employers through the youth apprenticeship process. 

There are numerous systems that work together to create the data infrastructure for the TRACK program, including Infinite Campus, a technical education database system, the Office of Career and Technical Education’s in-house tracking database and an assessment system. All systems work off the same standardization of data elements and include extensive data monitoring practices. It is clear that Kentucky does not do anything without backing it up with the numbers. 

Kentucky’s longitudinal data system, KY STATS, links high school and college data, including data on youth apprenticeship programs. Having access to this data allows apprenticeship programs to be recognized as a valuable postsecondary option for learners.

It is evident through the data that the TRACK program works. One year after graduation, 86 percent of learners who are not enrolled in a postsecondary institution are employed with a median salary of $22,241. What is more impressive is that the same group of learners three years after graduation are employed at a rate of 100 percent with a median salary of $41,539. 

Win-Win for Learners and Employers

The data shows that TRACK participants that either enroll in postsecondary education or enter the workforce right after graduation both gain value from their experience in a youth apprenticeship program. Learners have the opportunity to move through a paid career pathway that is regulated and overseen by the state, which ensures employers meet specific standards for the work learners are participating in. The end result of the youth apprenticeship is a nationally-recognized portable credential allowing learners to take their investment to the next level by gaining credit for prior learning at a postsecondary institution or entering the workforce as a valuable asset to employers.

Employer Connector 

In November 2020, KY STATS built a report focused on student enrollment in various CTE career pathways. Employers can quickly search to locate schools within a geographic area that offer career pathways closely aligned with their industry sector. The report also allows employers to search for TRACK youth apprenticeship programs, addressing employers’ requests for information to connect with school districts and learners. School districts can also use the report to evaluate their programs and utilize that information alongside labor market data to project the needs of employers in the future.

Accountability & monitoring in TRACK 

Kentucky selected recognized postsecondary credential attainment as its Perkins V secondary CTE program quality indicator. The state plans to count TRACK certificates towards its credential attainment number. Learners awarded these certificates will have successfully completed an apprenticeship pathway and will be considered career ready by the state. A copy of TRACK certificates and industry certifications must be kept on record at the school/district for monitoring purposes.

Advice For Other Youth Apprenticeship Programs

Kentucky’s advice for states and intermediaries moving forward in this work is to start small. Youth apprenticeship leaders should bring together the right program experts, including individuals with extensive knowledge on data, to facilitate a discussion on the work and build the key components of the data infrastructure. They should also offer professional development to stakeholders engaged in the work including level setting webinars on entering data into the new infrastructure. 

Additional blog posts in this series can be accessed here. For additional resources on data and accountability, please visit Advance CTE’s Learning that Works Resource Center.

Jeran Culina, Senior Policy Associate 

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Legislative Update: House Passes BBBA and New Guidance from ED

November 23rd, 2021

Democratic lawmakers in Congress have made progress on a domestic spending package aimed at investing in the nation’s human capital infrastructure, including Career Technical Education (CTE). Meanwhile, a House subcommittee recently examined how states and school districts are making use of education-related pandemic aid while the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued new nonregulatory guidance, announced changes to civil rights data collections and more.  

House Passes Build Back Better Act (BBBA)

After months of intense debate and negotiations, House Democrats successfully passed the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) on November 19. The passage of this legislation is an important next step in Congressional Democrats’ ongoing efforts to pass a wide-ranging domestic spending package to complement the recently passed and enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). While the IIJA was passed via the regular legislative process, Congressional Democrats are making use of the budget reconciliation process which allows certain legislation, like the BBBA,  to be passed by simple majorities in both Chambers of Congress (thereby avoiding a likely Republican filibuster of the legislation). 

In the lead up to the BBBA’s passage in the House, the Congressional Budget Office released an official “scoring” of the legislation, including for the bill’s education and workforce development provisions. This was a key point of contention for some House Democrats who wanted this score prior to a formal vote. Following the release of this score, the BBBA was passed narrowly along party lines by a margin of 220-213. The BBBA now heads to the Senate where the lawmakers in the upper chamber are widely expected to make additional changes to the legislation in the coming weeks ahead. 

As shared previously, this version of the BBBA would provide $600 million for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act’s (Perkins V) basic state grant formula program and $100 million for the law’s Innovation and Modernization competitive grant program. If enacted, the legislation would address a host of Advance CTE’s policy priorities and would also provide $5 billion for Community College and Industry Partnership grants while also ensuring that certain Area Technical Centers are eligible to apply for this funding. As the BBBA works its way further through the legislative process, Advance CTE will continue to advocate for these important investments as part of a final package which is widely expected to be complete by the end of the year. 

House Subcommittee Examine Pandemic Aid Spending

On November 17 the House Education and Labor’s Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and its Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee held a joint hearing titled “Examining the Implementation of COVID-19 Education Funds.” ED’s second highest ranking official, Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, along with James Kvaal, ED’s top official for postsecondary education, provided testimony and answered questions as part of this hearing. The purpose of the hearing was to scrutinize state, district and institutions’ use of over $160 billion in collective pandemic-related funding provided since March 2020 to help the nation’s educational systems respond to and recover from the public health crisis. 

The nearly four hour hearing explored a wide range of topics including ED’s ongoing efforts to monitor and oversee how these funds are being used by states, school districts and postsecondary institutions. In addition, lawmakers expressed a strong desire to ensure that this monitoring and oversight process ensures these funds are being spent in ways Congress intended. Relatedly, lawmakers also discussed efforts to develop reliable measures of student performance to more accurately assess the impact of programs and initiatives being funded with these pandemic relief resources. An archived webcast of the hearing, including witness testimony, can be found here. 

ED Issues New Guidance Related to Student Transportation 

This month, ED published new guidance related to the use of pandemic aid dollars for student transportation. The guidance, in the form of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), provides answers to several questions related to the use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funding to provide transportation services to eligible students. Of note for the CTE community, this guidance affirms that school districts are permitted to use these funds, in certain circumstances, to provide transportation for students participating in after-school learning and enrichment programs. The full guidance can be found here. 

MOU Signed to Expand Apprenticeship Programs 

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) as part of a series of events and announcements marking the nation’s 7th annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW). The MOU will expand and make wider use of apprenticeships among Swiss companies operating in the United States. More information on the announcement can be found here. 

ED Soliciting Feedback Regarding Civil Rights Data Collection 

On November 18, ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that it has submitted to the Federal Register for public comment a proposed Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Information Collection Request package for the 2021–22 school year. OCR plans to introduce new data categories by proposing the following data which were informed by listening sessions with stakeholders:

  • The addition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) data elements to learn the extent to which schools are offering remote and/or in-person instruction to students during the school year;
  • Revisions to restraint and seclusion definitions;
  • The restoration and expansion of data about preschool students and teachers, including data elements regarding preschool students with disabilities who receive special education and related services and those who are English Learners; the extent to which schools have teachers with one or two years of experience; and teacher certification status; and
  • The addition of a nonbinary option to male/female data categories for those schools and districts that already collect that data, to ensure the CRDC captures accurate and inclusive information about all student identities and student experiences, where the data are available.

Comments regarding these proposed changes to the CRDC information collection are due by January 18, 2022. The full announcement, including the portal to submit input, can be found here. 

Odds & Ends 

  • ED approved Puerto Rico’s plan for using $990 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding on November 18 to support K-12 schools and students. More information about the plan is located here. 
  • President Biden announced plans to nominate Glenna Gallo to serve as Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Ms. Gallo currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Special Education for the Washington state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor

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Posted in COVID-19 and CTE, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Legislative Update: House Passes BBBA and New Guidance from ED

Welcome Marcette Kilgore as the New State CTE Director in Texas

November 23rd, 2021

Advance CTE commits to investing in formal leadership development for our members. The New State Director Institute (NSDI) uses a cohort model to welcome and support first-year State Career Technical Education (CTE) Directors. Each cohort is connected with mentors and other national leaders; provided leadership tools and resources; and offered instructional workshops designed to assist them as they develop and implement their state-wide visions for CTE. This and upcoming blogs in the Getting to Know blog series will introduce you to the Fall 2021 NSDI cohort! 

Welcome Marcette Kilgore as the new State CTE Director in Texas. The Texas Education Agency, which serves as the state’s Perkins eligible agency, houses the team Marcette leads. Marcette brings a wealth of knowledge of industry to her position. During her time in the insurance industry, Marcette learned about the power of CTE. This interest and passion resulted in her pursuing a second career in education. She became a CTE instructor, then progressed along the career ladder from assistant principal to director of human resources to district CTE coordinator to her current position. 

Marcette’s early priorities include onboarding new staff, while also immersing herself in the multiple large scale projects such as a standards validation and alignment process to ensure all learners are prepared with the skills that industry leaders are requiring. Another major, related priority is the state’s work to ensure approved industry recognized credentials are both rigorous and provide learners with a pathway into a high-wage, high-demand career. 

Marcette identified key areas of growth for the Texas CTE system including more intentional alignment with locals on statewide projects, streamlining of professional development for CTE and non-CTE educators and administrators and expanded partnerships with industry to strengthen career pathway alignment to labor market needs. 

What motivates Marcette to do this work? She believes strongly in ensuring that learners have access to and the opportunity to align their interests, passion and talents with career pathways that provide an opportunity to earn a family-sustaining wage. 

When away from the office, you can catch Marcette traveling across the country to sneak in some cuddles with her grandchildren. 

Please join us in welcoming Marcette to Advance CTE!

Learn more about the work in Texas by viewing their CTE state profile and the state resource page in the Learning that Works Resource Center.

Jeran Culina, Senior Policy Associate 

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