On May 4, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Education Reform held the second and final hearing on vocational and technical education as it prepares to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (P.L. 105-332). The first hearing took place on April 27 (see The Source, 4/30/04).
Explaining that technology and economic competition “are combining in ways that are changing the nature of work and are redefining the American workplace,” Chair Mike Castle (R-DE) stated, “The skills needed to be successful in postsecondary education are similar to the skills that are required by employers. The need for a strong academic and technical background makes it imperative that the current vocational and technical education system adapt in order to provide the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.”
Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) expressed his concern that other industrialized countries are gaining on the United States in the high-tech industry. He said that if improvements in career and technical education (CTE) are not made, the United States could lose its ranking as “the most creative and innovative” nation.
Betsy Brand of the American Youth Policy Forum offered a number of recommendations on how to reauthorize the Perkins Act “so that CTE programs at the high school level result in improved academic and labor market outcomes and more engaged students.” They include career preparation as a goal of CTE programs, the elimination of a statutory restriction that allows funding only for those programs that lead to less than a baccalaureate degree, support for academically rigorous programs of study that build on career academics and career clusters, and the formation of a competitive grant for CTE programs instead of the current entitlement funding.
Testifying on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, Sandra Dunkel highlighted the importance of career clusters in career and technical education, stating, “Representing professions in all industry sectors, such as education, law, public safety and health, Career Clusters extend beyond the traditional program areas associated with career technical education. This broadened focus ensures that students have the opportunity to learn about an array of careers rather than just specific jobs.” Ms. Dunkel also said that career clusters are a valuable tool in breaking down gender stereotypes for certain careers. She explained that female students would dominate a licensed practical nurse program, but a student in a health occupations program would “be exposed to all careers in the health field, including nurses, physicians, surgeons, surgical technicians, radiologists, medical lab technicians, etc. All students enrolled in a health career cluster program are exposed to all careers, thus supporting enrollment and completion in non-traditional programs of study. This enlarged focus and expanded skill attainment helps students become aware of the many pathways and options available in their chosen career area.”
Ms. Dunkel explained that the 1998 reauthorization eliminated $1 million for gender equity and programs for single parents and displaced homemakers and replaced the provision with an accountability measure for participation of students pursuing nontraditional careers. Explaining that Illinois had discontinued the gender equity projects that were in place before the reauthorization, she highlighted a new project in Illinois that “works with secondary and postsecondary partnerships as they study their programs and design strategies to support students pursuing nontraditional careers. Projects were developed to recruit men in healthcare and women in information technology careers, recognizing the high-skill, high-wage careers that drive our economy in Illinois.”
William Ihlenfeldt of Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Clair, Wisconsin, said that community colleges “provide the gateway to this nation’s workforce by serving as the vital linkage between secondary schools and senior post-secondary institutions to expedite technical education and training,” adding, “Services at community colleges are designed for a wide range of students. They include those who have not succeeded in high school, those who have been out of school for many years and need a career change, and those who are interested in new high technology careers like nanotechnology. Imagine the support systems that are necessary for that range of preparation. That…is the reason why Perkins funding is critical at the community college level. No, it is critical to the future of the economy of the United States to keep that funding available to the students at our nation’s community colleges.”
Brenda Quinn of Intelink expressed her opinion that Career and Technical Student Organizations are one of “the most important features of career and technical education” because they help students learn and practice their employability, technical and academic skills; they connect students to their instructors, to their communities, and to each other; and they form partnerships with businesses. She urged Congress to support the organizations and to provide more funding for CTE programs in the next reauthorization bill.
