Key Legislation 

• Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization 

Latest News 

• CTE Is Dead? We Don’t Think So: A Response Post 1/27/12 
• ACTE Participates in National Career Readiness Partner Council 1/27/12 
• State of the Union Focuses on Skills, Education Issues 1/25/12 
• Quality Counts Looks at Global Education 1/13/12 
• House Ed and Workforce Committee Releases New ESEA Bills 1/10/12 
• School Counselors Can Drive College and Career Readiness 1/4/11 
• New Race to the Top Grants Announced 12/27/11 
• SBAC Releases Latest Version of Content Specifications for Comment 12/12/11 
• Personalizing High School Webinar Looks at Student Engagement 12/2/11 
• Seven States Remain in Race to the Top Round Three 11/29/11 
• Department of Education Releases i3 Grant Finalists 11/18/11 
• More National High School Center CTE Coverage 11/17/11 
• House Ed and Workforce Committee Holds Hearing on Education Research 11/16/11 
• National Survey of School Counselors Released 11/16/11 
• PARCC Releases Final Common Core Content Frameworks 11/14/11 

ACTE Resources, Positions and Statements 

• ACTE Letter on Senate Committee ESEA Legislation11/1/11 
• ACTE Policy Paper "What Is 'Career Ready'?" April 2010 
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act Blueprint Webinar With the Department of Education
       View the archived Webinar (playback option recommended)
       Download the PowerPoint presentation 
• ACTE ESEA Reauthorization Priorities 
• ACTE Response to Administration's ESEA Blueprint 3/26/10 
• ACTE's Response to Proposed Title I Regulations 6/23/08 
• ACTE's Testimony at the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor Hearing on "Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965" 9/10/07 

Sign-on Letters:

• In Support of Greater ESEA Focus on Secondary Schools 5/4/10 
• CTE Coalition Letter in Opposition to Perkins Transferability 1/31/07 
• In Support of GRADUATES Act 8/1/07 

Issue Briefs:

• CTE's Role in Dropout Prevention and Recovery June 2007 
• The Role of Career Academies in School Improvement March 2009 

Reinventing the American High School for the 21st Century
In 2006, ACTE released a position statement on high school reform, "Reinventing the American High School for the 21st Century," outlining the organization’s vision on what high schools should be and how CTE can contribute to reform and redesign efforts. ACTE advocates for clearly focusing American high schools on the new purpose of preparing every student for full participation in a spectrum of postsecondary education opportunities, meaningful work, career advancement and active citizenship. In the position statement, ACTE promotes a number of CTE strengths and resources that will help improve the nation’s high schools and help prepare students for postsecondary education and the 21st century workforce. Below you will find the paper, executive summary and additional information, including tools to help you use this position statement to promote CTE’s involvement in high school reform in your state and community.

• Full text 
• Executive Summary 
• Talking Points 
• Tip Sheet on State Level Promotion Strategies 
• PowerPoint Presentation 
• Crosswalk Comparison 
• News Release 
• Sample Letter to the Editor 
• Sample Letter to Members of Congress 
• Listen to the Media Briefing (Windows Media Audio file: 10.9 MB)
  Click on the link to play the audio file or right click and choose "Save Target As..." to download the file. 

External Resources 

• "Restructuring Rural High Schools—A Career Academy Model"
  Testimony for Public Hearing Gillette College Tech Center, June 23, 2010 by Dr. Lyn Velle, CTE Coordinator for Campbell County School District
   
• Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond
  American Youth Policy Forum, October 2009
   
• Transforming the High School Experience: How New York City's New Small Schools Are Boosting Student Achievement and Graduation Rates
  MDRC, June 2010 

Visit the following organizations for additional information:

• Alliance for Excellent Education 
• American Diploma Project 
• American Youth Policy Forum 
• Commission on No Child Left Behind 
• Council of Chief State School Officers 
• Education Commission of the States 
• MDRC 
• National Governors Association 
• National High School Alliance 
• National High School Center 
• Public Education Network 
• Southern Regional Education Board 
• U.S. Department of Education 
• U.S. House Education and Labor Committee 
• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee