The Community College Research Center (CCRC) recently released multiple publications covering the effects of community college finance systems, college-credit-in-high-school programs and the role of information inequality in postsecondary outcomes.

Budgets as Value Statements: Mapping How Finance Systems Drive or Reduce Inequities in Community Colleges: This publication underlines the importance of community colleges for postsecondary education and workforce training but notes that these institutions’ potential for improving economic outcomes and equity of opportunity remains unrealized due to inadequate funding and ineffective finance systems. To remedy this and find potential solutions, the CCRC researchers analyzed the funding mechanisms of community colleges in California, Ohio and Texas. Researchers found the following:

• The finance systems of all three states are tied to enrollment incentives, particularly in California where 80% of the financing relates to enrollment.
• The percentage of revenue tied to student outcomes is lowest in Texas (3%) and highest in Ohio (42%).
• Incentives for equitable student outcomes were strongest in Ohio.

The researchers recommend that states begin by mapping their existing revenue streams and related policies as part of efforts to help community colleges better meet goals for postsecondary attainment and career preparation.

Assessing College-Credit-in-High-School Programs as On-Ramps to Postsecondary Career Pathways for Underrepresented Students: In this report, CCRC researchers analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of earning postsecondary credit in high school through the five most common models – AP, IB, dual enrollment, early college high schools and P-TECH schools, and high school CTE programs – to assess how well they serve their intended purposes. The point of this brief is not to select the best model but rather to analyze these models’ strengths and weaknesses to allow practitioners in the field to identify areas for improvement.

Researchers reviewed relevant research and concluded the following about high school CTE:

• There is evidence that CTE programs impact college-going, with concentrators being 7% more likely than non-concentrators to graduate high school and 10% more likely to enroll in a postsecondary program within two years.
• CTE produces strong labor market outcomes, with career academy participants being likely to earn sustainable salaries post-graduation.
• College credit in high school earned through CTE does not always transfer to postsecondary institutions, which speaks to the need for regional CTE networks to improve articulation across secondary and postsecondary programs.

Researchers also encouraged practitioners to consider other factors such as outreach, advising, quality teaching and academic support as part of a multifaceted solution for improving postsecondary outcomes for students, especially those from an underrepresented background.

Choice Is Not Always Good: Reducing the Role of Informational Inequality in Producing and Legitimating Higher Education Inequality: This CCRC report analyzes the societal inequalities that are perpetuated when students make uninformed choices about postsecondary pathways. The researchers emphasize that students from underrepresented backgrounds are more likely to fall victim to the problem of informational inequity when making their postsecondary pathway choices. In this report, they seek to help educators and administrators better understand this inequity gap and ultimately lessen it, to help more students find the right paths for them. The researchers make the following recommendations as potential solutions:

• Expanding college and career advising is crucial: According to a 2011 survey by the College Board, in schools where 75% or more of students were receiving free or reduced-price school lunch, the average student-to-counselor ratio was 427-to-1 while schools with wealthier students have a 352-to-1 ratio.
• Implementing “choice architecture” such as guided pathways could simplify the choices students have to make and nudge them toward pathways that are a better fit.
• Tracking student progress could enable practitioners and counselors to intervene when needed.

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) recently released a report on youth and young adult pathway changes. More specifically, the report sought to identify 10 pathway changes with “the greatest potential to improve employment outcomes” for this population, considering the impact that pathway changes could have on a person’s future during critical junctures of their lives.

The 10 pathway changes involve a variety of initiatives such as increasing educational attainment toward a certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree; specializing in CTE at the high school level; working in the skilled trades; and working in STEM fields. For this analysis, CEW researchers created the Pathways-to-Career policy simulation model that uses longitudinal data to identify the pathway changes that would best increase a student’s chances of working a “good job.” The report defines a “good job” as one that pays at least $38,000 for younger workers and at least $49,000 for workers 45 and older in 2020 dollars, with 30-year-old workers with good jobs earning a median salary of $57,000.

The overarching takeaway from the analysis is that layered pathway changes are almost twice as effective as any individual pathway change, therefore it is important to invest across all three domains: educational attainment, career training and work experience.

When it comes to specializing in CTE in high school, this pathway change was the most likely to lead to good jobs for youth who are expected to graduate from high school but do not plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree by age 22. CTE was also a particularly effective pathway change for white learners, male students and low socioeconomic status (SES) learners; somewhat effective for Black/African American learners; and not effective for Hispanic/Latino learners.

In addition, the analysis shows that pathway changes produce different effects based on students’ race/ethnicity, gender and SES:

• The single most effective pathway change leading to “good jobs” is earning a bachelor’s degree by age 22.
• Most pathway changes are more effective for men than for women, particularly for men without a high school diploma in low-wage jobs who transition to skilled trades occupations.
• For Black students, earning a bachelor’s degree and working in a STEM or other high-paying occupation are the most effective pathway changes.
• For Hispanic/Latino learners, the most effective pathway changes are earning a certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree.

Researchers noted the importance of prioritizing pathway changes considering both effectiveness and the total number of individuals who could be affected by a particular change as well as differential impacts across race/ethnicity, gender and class. The best approach is to make strategically targeted interventions for underserved groups over a one-size-fits-all solution. For instance, the findings above suggest value in promoting CTE pathways that incorporate postsecondary credentials and lead to high-paying jobs for all learners and particularly for Black/African American students and Hispanic/Latino students.

One important caveat to this analysis is that it is based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, an ongoing study that tracks the outcomes of a nationally representative sample of individuals who were aged 12-16 in the late 1990s. Therefore, this data predates many innovations in CTE program offerings and delivery that have occurred in the past 25 years. The researchers acknowledge that their analysis may understate the current impact of CTE on increasing access to good jobs.

Earlier this week, nominations were opened for a set of 15 national advisory groups that will help to provide input into potential changes to the National Career Clusters Framework. See the message below from Advance CTE for more information and instructions on how to apply:

When Advance CTE began the initiative to modernize the National Career Clusters Framework® (the Framework), the Advance CTE Boards of Directors approved the following purpose statement as a north star to guide changes to the Framework: “The National Career Clusters Framework® provides structural alignment and a common language to bridge education and work, empowering each learner to explore, decide and prepare for dynamic and evolving careers.”

To better stand up the Framework as a responsive bridge between education and work, the national project team is organizing 15 Industry Advisory Groups (IAGs) to serve as sector-specific representatives. The IAGs will consist of approximately 20-30 industry stakeholders representing a diverse range of attributes including company profile, geography, and racial diversity. The IAGs will meet virtually three times over the next year to help inform and validate potential changes to the Framework, provide key insights into additional stakeholder engagement and champion the future direction of the Framework. We anticipate the overall time commitment to not exceed a cumulative 10 hours.

To nominate yourself or someone you feel would be well-qualified for these groups and to view additional information about nomination qualifications, please visit this nomination form. Our national partners Indigo Education and WestEd will select the eventual participants for the IAGs; chosen nominees will be notified in late June, and not every nominee will be selected for participation. 

This form is open to the public and shareable; you may make as many nominations in as many fields as you would like. The form will close on Friday, June 9. 

This is one of several upcoming opportunities for all stakeholders to provide input to the National Career Clusters Framework modernization process. We hope you stay connected with our updates and this process to find additional ways to participate in the future.

For additional information, including methodology for determining the IAGs, please visit careertech.org/the-framework or email careerclusters@careertech.org. 

The primary focus in Washington this week was negotiations between President Biden and bipartisan congressional leadership meetings to tackle the debt ceiling impasse. In addition, preparation for Farm Bill reauthorization began with bi-partisan meetings at the White House, and hearings were held on appropriations and WIOA reauthorization. Both chambers will be in session next week, and in addition to a continued focus on the debt ceiling, they are also expected to cover the humanitarian crisis at the U.S. border. As we continue to monitor developments across a variety of subjects, here are the news items from this week in Washington:

• Secretary Cardona Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Committee on FY24 Budget Request: On May 11, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. This hearing focused on President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request for the Department of Education, and included significant CTE content. . Read more about the hearing here.

• Career-Z Challenge Resources Available: The Career Z Challenge, a $2.5 million prize competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) to support work-based learning, has extended its application deadline to June 6, 2023, at 6:00PM ET. Additional new materials can be accessed on the Challenge website.

• Department of Education Announces 2023 CTE Presidential Scholars: On May 10, the U.S. Department of Education announced its 2023 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, including 20 CTE students. Read more about the winners here.

• Debt Limit Negotiations May Impact CTE Programs: Congress has made little progress in reaching a deal to extend the national debt limit and avoid default. Despite a meeting on Tuesday at the White House between President Biden and bi-partisan congressional leadership, no solution appears imminent. Read more about the implications for CTE here.

• Meet Jimmy Koch, ACTE's New Manager of Government Relations: Jimmy Koch has joined ACTE as our new Government Relations Manager. Read more about Jimmy here.

• House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee Holds WIOA Hearing: On May 11, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Examining America’s Workforce Challenges: Looking for Ways to Improve Skills Development.” The hearing focused primarily on potential reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Read more about the hearing here.

• RAISE Act Reintroduced: On May 11, the Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators Act, or RAISE Act, was reintroduced. The bill would provide all eligible educators with a $1,000 refundable tax credit, with an additional credit of up to $15,000 for teachers in under-resourced schools and communities. It would also double the educator tax deduction to $500 to offset the cost of school supplies. ACTE has endorsed the legislation.

• RETAIN Act Introduced: On May 11, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tina Smith (D-MN), introduced the Retaining Educators Takes Added Investment Now (RETAIN) Act, which would also provide tax credits to improve teacher retention. ACTE has endorsed this legislation as well.

• Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act Introduced: On May 11, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), with Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), introduced the Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act, a bi-partisan bill that creates a 5-year grant program at the Department of Labor to support community colleges and CTE centers in developing education and training programs for workforce development utilizing immersive technology including augmented and virtual reality. ACTE has endorsed this legislation.

• Departments of Commerce, Labor and Education Announce SelectTalentUSA, New Partnership to Increase Quality Jobs through FDI: Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su have announced the launch of SelectTalentUSA, a joint initiative to help build a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the growing workforce needs of foreign multinationals as they establish operations in the United States. Read more about the initiative here.

• Department of Education Officials Visit Career Pathway Programs: On May 4, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona traveled to Miami, Florida, with Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) to highlight William H. Turner Technical Arts High School’s medical, construction, and agricultural magnet programs. On May 8, the Secretary traveled to Hampton, Virginia, with House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott to highlight high-quality career readiness programs at Bethel High School. In addition, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten continued the “Raise the Bar: Lead the World” tour in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, which uses STEM education to accelerate learning and deliver comprehensive and rigorous instruction. You can read more about the visits by viewing Tweets from our Twitter page.

• Rehabilitation Services Administration Invites Applications for Improving Pre-Employment Transition Services for Youth with Disabilities: The U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration has announced a notice inviting applications for the Disability Innovation Fund, Pathways to Partnerships Innovative Model Demonstration Project (Pathways to Partnerships). The application deadline is June 5, 2023. The Notice Inviting Applications and additional information, including the Application Package, can be found here.

• Department of Labor Announces Funding for Pathways to Good Infrastructure Jobs: The Department of Labor has announced the availability of $80 million in funding through its Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program. Read more here.

• Department of Labor Awards Grants for Nursing Workforce Programs: The Department of Labor has announced the award of over $78 million in grants to support workforce training programs in 17 states and address staffing challenges nursing professionals face in the care economy. Read more about the awards here.

On May 11, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Examining America’s Workforce Challenges: Looking for Ways to Improve Skills Development.” The hearing focused primarily on potential reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was last reauthorized in 2014. Witnesses from higher education, career support agencies and national workforce development stakeholders participated in the hearing.

Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Chairman of the Subcommittee, expressed frustration with the workforce system as it stands in his opening statement.

“Employers across the country are searching for talent, and good-paying jobs are available for those who possess the right skills,” said Rep. Owens. “Only about one-third of those participating in WIOA engage in any type of skills development. Less than 100,000 individuals nationwide completed their program in the most recent year. We’re not going to close the skills gap if we stay on this trajectory.”

Lydia Logan, IBM’s Vice President for Global Education and Workforce Development, shared insights from the company’s perspective and outlined their workforce initiatives.

“To help close the skills gap, we offer a range of education, skills, and career readiness programs to U.S. students and job seekers at no cost,” said Logan. “Our programs help Americans get on the path to technology careers by reskilling people in early or mid-career job roles via our registered apprenticeship program or through collaborative partnerships with nonprofit organizations, education systems and skilling programs. Today, we have more than 30 different apprenticeship job roles, from cybersecurity to AI to digital design.”

Bruce Ferguson, CEO of CareerSource Northeast Florida, highlighted the need to simplify WIOA paperwork and offer additional support during the application process in order to ensure small businesses are not discouraged from participating in WIOA.

Dr. Harry Holzer, Professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University, outlined how chronically low levels of investment in WIOA are hampering its efforts. “The core programs in Titles I and II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) – the formula funding streams for adult, displaced worker and youth services plus adult basic education – receive just $4B in federal funding per year,” said Dr. Holzer. “Total funding levels for Titles I and II are now about $6B. In an economy whose Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $25T, and with over 150 million adult workers, these levels are extremely low.”

The witnesses also shared several recommendations for any WIOA reauthorization:

• Aligning education and workforce systems
• Reforming the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL)
• Making work-based learning a higher priority
• Boosting funding for career guidance and other support services for trainees
• Obtaining data on WIOA training providers, outcomes and labor market skill needs

The chairwoman of the full House Education and the Workforce Committee, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), also noted that career exploration must begin earlier than high school for students, while other Members of the Subcommittee highlighted the benefits of community colleges as training partners and called for additional funding for them – including for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program.

Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) asked how program quality could be ensured if a short-term Pell proposal is signed into law, and Dr. Holzer noted that data would be critical to that effort, and that short-term Pell could serve as a supplement for existing workforce development funding.

You can watch the full hearing at the link here.

On May 11, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. This hearing focused on President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request for the Department of Education and was wide-ranging. It covered many topics including restarting student loan payments, addressing teacher shortages and funding for Title I schools, as well as significant content on CTE. 

Chairwoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) opened the hearing by highlighting how the recent passage of the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) would negatively affect education funding and called for more funding for the department, including Perkins.   

Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) also stressed CTE in her opening remarks, stating that the federal government should continue to invest in programs like Perkins CTE State Grants and explore how higher education programs can better support students seeking meaningful work-based learning opportunities. Capito also highlighted the areas of agreement between herself and the Biden administration, which include short-term Pell Grants. 

In his testimony, Cardona highlighted that the President’s budget provides $1.47 billion for the Perkins CTE State Grants Program, which is an increase of $43 million over the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. He stated that the goal is “to expand and build new models for workforce development starting in middle and high school.” He also highlighted the $200 million competitive grant program proposed in the budget – the Career-connected High Schools initiative, and added, “These pipelines are critical to providing more good-paying jobs for all Americans – and giving students a clear pathway to compete in an ever-changing economy.” 

In addition to the statements made on CTE, one of the key moments for the hearing came when Sen. Baldwin questioned the Secretary. She asked about how the Secretary’s request for the Career-connected High Schools program would connect and leverage resources provided through the core Perkins Basic State Grant program. While the Secretary did not really address the connection between the two funding streams, he said that it is important for high schools and institutions of higher education to form relationships and partnerships so they can expand their reach. When they can work together, then they can create more options for students, which create more pathways or students to succeed. He also said that states should be systematizing the work. That means that states should lift up good programs and use them as models for high schools to evolve.  

Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (R-MS) used her time to ask about how to increase CTE programs in rural communities. Cardona said that industry partners should be connected to both high schools and institutions of higher education, so that schools are aware of the careers and industries that are available to their students. He then noted that rural communities often feel as if they are not being listened to as much, and he added that it is important for the department to continue to engage with rural communities so that they are aware of the resources that are available to them.. 

You can view our coverage of President Biden’s FY 2024 budget request here, our statement about the budget here, as well as the full hearing here. 

As the appropriations process continues, stay tuned to CTE Policy Watch for the most up-to-date information that may affect the CTE community. 

On May 10, the U.S. Department of Education announced its 2023 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, including 20 CTE students. The Presidential Scholars program is designed to recognize top-performing high school seniors across the country, and was expanded in 2015 to include an “at-large” category for students who “demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.”

CTE students are nominated by their states and then narrowed through a rigorous selection process. This year’s class of CTE Presidential Scholars includes:

• Tej Sandeep Desai, Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix, Arizona
• Sezen S. Musa, Adrian C. Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, California
• Katherine Jordan Little, Thomas Jefferson High School, Denver, Colorado
• Samra Iman Iqbal, Caesar Rodney High School, Camden, Delaware
• Puiyee Kong, Caesar Rodney High School, Camden, Delaware
• Sahil Sood, Lambert High School, Suwanee, Georgia
• Aira Dani, Northview High School, Duluth, Georgia
• Vaeanui Paiarii Peck, Kahuku High School, Kahuku, Hawaii
• Eshaan S. Chandani, Johnston High School, Johnston, Iowa
• Maxwell L. Neri, Waubonsie Valley High School, Aurora, Illinois
• Cecelia Ann Rogers, Nelson County High School, Bardstown, Kentucky
• Henry C. Knox, Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational High School, Bourne, Massachusetts
• Alijandro Ian Mendoza, Worcester Vocational High School, Worcester, Massachusetts
• Hannah N. Rice, Brunswick R-II High School, Brunswick, Missouri
• Josiah Hailey Young, Hickory Ridge High School, Harrisburg, North Carolina
• Kaylee Mae Kirkeby, Grand Forks Central High School, Grand Forks, North Dakota
• Amy Park, West Career and Technical Academy, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Jay G. Patel, Butler Tech Bioscience Center, West Chester Township, Ohio
• Aaron Wang, Skyline High School, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Isabella Mackenzie Herrod, Liberty High School, Clarksburg, West Virginia