Providing a glimpse into what the White House would like to see in the overhaul of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, President Barack Obama today proposed to tie Title I funds with requirements for states to implement college- and career-ready standards.
President Obama pitched his proposal at the White House this morning to the National Governors Association, which is spearheading a college- and career-ready national standards reform movement. The White House proposal is of particular interest to the CTE community as the definition of career ready remains varied across education groups.
President Obama said the standards would address the shortcomings found in the most recent iteration of ESEA, which he said allowed states to set varied standards and achievement expectations for the nation’s children. The new standards proposal would allow states to again set their own standards, however they must demonstrate that students who meet them are ready for higher education, he said.
CTE, through comprehensive programs of study, can play a strong role in achieving both of President Obama’s college- and career-ready goals as they provide students with career pathways and skill development, and a charted transition to postsecondary education. The resources and strategies to meet these new standards are available if states are seeking how to answer to the President’s proposal.