Moving in the Right Direction

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 5587) continues to gain positive reaction from education leaders and job creators. Introduced by Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Katherine Clark (D-MA), the bill will help more students acquire the skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce by improving federal support for career and technical education.

Stanley S. Litlow, a vice president at IBM and former deputy chancellor of the New York City public schools, has penned an op-ed that applauds members on the Education and the Workforce Committee for their unanimous support of the legislation. Outlining the positive reforms in the bill, Litlow writes:

CTE programs must now be economically relevant … The revised Perkins Act will provide incentives for strong business sector engagement with high schools and colleges. [H.R. 5587] also will provide for experiential learning so young people are truly career ready with both strong academic skills and the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.

As Litlow emphasizes, all of these factors are essential to ensure America’s students are prepared for high-skilled jobs:

Workforce opportunities continue to change, and education and skills programs need to change too. It is critical that all of our young people have opportunities to prepare for high-wage, 21st century jobs, regardless of who they are or where they come from. Such preparation is essential for the economic growth and strength of our nation … Passage of the legislation will be critical to the future of American education and our economic competitiveness.

Highlighting what he describes as a “historic” vote to advance the bill, Litlow went on to explain the importance of this moment, writing:

It happened because Americans now understand the critical need for intelligent investment in reforming education. It happened because economically relevant career and technical education (CTE) programs—what we used to call “vocational” education—are proving themselves to be clear pathways to middle-class employment for young people. And it happened because it’s time to prepare our nation’s youth with the skills needed for the 21st century economy.

And that’s why the committee will continue working to advance the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act and deliver Americans—particularly younger Americans—solutions that:

• Empower state and local community leaders by simplifying the application process for receiving federal funds and providing more flexibility to use federal resources to respond to changing education and economic needs.
  
  
• Improve alignment with in-demand jobs by supporting innovative learning opportunities, building better community partnerships, and encouraging stronger engagement with employers.
  
  
• Increase transparency and accountability by streamlining performance measures to ensure CTE programs deliver results and empowering parents, students, and stakeholders with a voice in setting performance goals and evaluating the effectiveness of local programs.
  
  
• Ensure a limited federal role by reining in the secretary of education’s authority, limiting federal intervention, and preventing political favoritism.
  
  

To learn more about the bill, click here.

To read the full op-ed, click here.