As House Prepares to Approve Federal CTE Law, Some Worry That Senate Provision Could Incentivize States to Lower Their Goals for Students
President Trump has signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, marking a significant change to federal education law under his presidency. The bill, which reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, gives states the ability to establish their own career and technical education goals. Trump stated that the legislation will help prepare students for the changing job market and assist employers in finding skilled workers. The House and Senate both passed the bill with bipartisan support, which is a rare accomplishment in today’s divided Congress. The legislation aims to address misconceptions about the value and rigor of career education compared to traditional higher education. CTE programs have evolved to meet the needs of modern industry, with a focus on bridging the skills gap for workers. The bill allows state agencies to set performance targets for their CTE programs and gives the Secretary of Education the power to reduce grant funding for states that fail to meet those targets. Advocates are cautioning against setting lower targets for CTE students to avoid unintended consequences. Overall, the legislation is seen as an investment in students and workers, providing them with the education, skills, and training needed for better jobs and higher wages.
Although both versions of the bill aim to decrease federal supervision, the Senate’s version goes beyond that by imposing more regulations on how states will formulate their Perkins implementation plans. This includes allowing a 60-day period for public comment on the plan and incorporating those comments into the final submission to the Education Department.
One significant contrast between the two versions is the authorized funding for the grants. However, it is worth noting that it is the appropriations committees in both chambers that ultimately allocate the funds for the grants on an annual basis. The House Appropriations Committee has approved $1.3 billion for CTE funding in fiscal year 2019, whereas the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $1.2 billion.
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