Tools to Build Support for Career and Technical Education

One of the Association for Career and Technical Education’s (ACTE) most effective advocacy tools is you! Becoming an advocate for career and technical education (CTE) is one of the most important actions you can take. ACTE has developed a ready-to-use toolkit to assist you in your advocacy activities, keep you informed, and promote ongoing support for CTE. With your help, we can ensure the strength and future of career and technical education.

I. How to be an Advocate for CTE

Building Relationships with Policymakers
For tips and guidelines on how to develop a relationship with your legislators.

Visiting Your Members of Congress
Here are some tools to help you arrange and prepare for a meeting with your legislators and a Hill Visit Report Form to inform ACTE about your visit.  

Corresponding with Your Members of Congress
Want to write, e-mail, fax or call your legislators? Here are some tools to help you compose and deliver an effective message.

Hosting Site Visits for Policymakers
Invite your legislators to visit your program. Here are some steps to arrange and host a site visit. 

Testifying Before Congress
Tips on preparing and delivering testimony before a congressional committee. 

Building Community Support
Want to increase community support of CTE? Here are some tools to help you build partnerships and coalitions within your community.

Targeting the Media
Want to get your message out using the media? Here are some tools to help you organize and connect with the media and develop news releases, PSAs, Op-Eds, and letters to the editor.

II. ACTE Advocacy Resources

Advocacy Models
Want to know how other states promote CTE? Here are some successful state advocacy models you and your state can use to generate ideas and build on advocacy efforts. 

Talking Points
Here are some sample talking points and key messages about CTE to use during your advocacy efforts.

Using Research to Support CTE - COMING SOON!!
A guide on using research as an advocacy resource.

Fact Sheets and Leave Behinds
Here are some helpful fact sheets and handouts on CTE that you can leave behind after your meetings.