This week brings news from Congress, remarks on Career Technical Education (CTE) from the Administration, questions about when states will release report cards required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and a report on food insecurity on college campuses. Read below to learn more about these updates.
New Members on the House Committee on Education and Labor
On January 23, House Republicans named the members that will serve on the House Committee on Education and Labor for the 116th Congress. This finalizes the composition of the Committee, which has 28 Democrats, 14 of whom are new to the Committee, and 22 Republicans, 10 of whom are new to the Committee. As the Committee begins its work, Advance CTE will continue to provide updates on hearings, votes and more.
Secretary DeVos Focuses Remarks on CTE at Conference of Mayors
On January 24, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos spoke at the annual United States Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, emphasizing the theme of “rethinking” education throughout her speech. She highlighted that mayors can help build relationships between educators and industry and how this can happen through Perkins V planning efforts. During her remarks, she highlighted CTE programs across the country that offer opportunities like apprenticeships, the ability for high school students to earn associate’s degrees and business partnerships that offer upskilling opportunities through community colleges.
When Are States Publishing ESSA Report Cards?
Shortly after the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was passed, the Obama administration developed regulations requiring states to publish their performance report cards by December 31, 2018. When Congress overturned those rules in early 2017, it left states without clear guidance on the deadline to release their report cards. While several states have published information on 2017-18 student performance, many have yet to do so. Significantly, more than 30 states are measuring career readiness on their state, district and high school report cards, some for the first time. Looking for more information about ESSA and the career-ready indicators states are using? Check out the ESSA pageon Advance CTE’s website.
In Case You Missed It: New Report on Food Insecurity Among College Students
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), in response to a 2017 request by Senate Democrats, released Food Insecurity: Better Information Could Help Eligible College Students Access Federal Food Assistance Benefits, a report that looks into 31 studies on food insecurity among college students. This report found that in 2016 about two million students eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) did not receive benefits and that income level was the biggest indicator of food insecurity. The report discusses what was previously considered to be a typical college experience and how the college student population has changed. The report comes at a time when the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act is considered a top priority for this Congress.
Kathryn Zekus, Senior Associate for Federal Policy, Austin Estes, Senior Policy Associate & Meredith Hills, Policy Associate