Technical Education

Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 Reauthorization

Background
Congress is required to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 this year.  The U.S. Chamber has previously adopted principles regarding vocational education.  The proposed principles focus on vocational education issues relevant to the business community which include:

• More jobs now require some postsecondary education, but not necessarily a 4-year degree.
• During the last 30 years, the workforce has changed dramatically, demanding that all students complete high school possessing a core set of academic skills needed for postsecondary education and high-wage jobs.
• Shortages of skilled workers exist in certain technical fields, such as health care and manufacturing, with looming retirements ahead.
• Economic development relies on quality education and career preparation programs to develop a skilled workforce.

The following statement of principles addresses issues of state standards, employer needs, comprehensive state plans, regional labor market information, alignment with No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and dual enrollment programs.

U.S. Chamber Position
The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act funds programs in high schools and community colleges to enhance skills necessary for participation in the workforce.  These programs need to be restructured so that they integrate academic excellence with skill acquisition and enable students to successfully enter postsecondary education or the workforce without remediation.

The main reason for continued support of career and technical education is economic.  The United States needs, and will continue to need, a highly skilled workforce, with strong academic, occupational, and technical abilities.  Individuals with greater skills and education have higher standards of living. Career and technical education helps students develop occupational and technical skills and achieve success in the labor market.  The following list of economic and labor market trends outlines the value of career and technical education.

• The changing nature of work requires higher literacy, numeracy, and technical skill levels. Nearly half (46%) of all employers reported difficulty in hiring qualified workers in the past year and close to a third (29%) believe they will experience difficulty in hiring in the year ahead despite the slowing economy and increasing unemployment rate (Standing on Shaky Ground, Heldrich, Rutgers University).
• Approximately 36% of adults receive a bachelor's degree; the other 64% need other pathways to gain the technical skills and additional education to be successful in the workforce.
• The skills needed for work and postsecondary education are converging, and increasingly, the academic skills needed to be successful in the workplace are the same ones needed in postsecondary education.

The federal government has an important role to play in leading efforts to reform career and technical education to eliminate vocational education that is unconnected to careers or further learning.  By promoting a message of rigor and relevance for career and technical education students, the federal government can guide states and communities to align their programs with the vision set forth in the NCLB. 

As Congress reviews the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, the following principles should be considered. To create a stronger vocational-technical education system that addresses the needs of employers and regional economic development, and the importance of postsecondary education to success in the workplace, states must be held accountable through a comprehensive state plan that targets the uses of federal vocational funds and aligns with the goals of the NCLB.  The plan must be based on state and regional labor market needs, define appropriate outcomes including employability, and contain the following elements:

• Student performance requirements that comply with state standards.
• A core set of academic courses for all secondary students aligned with NCLB to reduce the need for remediation beyond high school.
• Core sets of technical skills for postsecondary education programs based on employer needs in specific industry sectors.
• Description of a competitive grant process by which secondary and postsecondary education institutions secure funds to develop programs that lead to high-wage, high-skill jobs in high-demand occupations and industries, that reflect regional business needs. The process should encourage joint proposals between secondary and postsecondary education institutions.
• Incentives to design dual enrollment programs that allow students to complete high school and pursue technical skill training, associate degrees, apprenticeship experience, or certificate programs simultaneously as one means to reduce dropout rates and link to postsecondary education/career pathways.
• Alternative routes to teacher certification that do not jeopardize compliance with NCLB.