April 30, 2019 – Silver Spring, Maryland –  ACTE and Advance CTE released the following joint statement in response to funding for Career Technical Education (CTE) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations bill from the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
 

“While the Subcommittee made important investments in many education programs, the investment in CTE fell short. In the context of an over 6% increase to federal education programs, the increase to the Perkins Basic State Grant program of less than 3% shortchanges CTE and fails to recognize the critical role it plays for students and employers across the country.

“If total Perkins funding to states from FY 2004, its highest recent level, had merely kept pace with inflation, Perkins Basic State Grant funding today would be $1.75B, yet the proposed marginal increase to total Perkins funding falls approximately $450M below this level. Further, last year Congress prioritized CTE with the unanimous reauthorization of the Perkins CTE Act, recognizing the growing need for high-quality CTE programs across the country. The reauthorization included new requirements for states and local CTE providers like community and technical colleges and local school districts, but this bill falls woefully short in providing the resources needed for programs to fully implement the new priorities in the law.

“Additionally, earlier this year a bipartisan coalition of 162 House Members signed a letter urging the Appropriations Committee to appropriate “robust funding” for Perkins, and the marginal increase in the bill does not meet this objective. We are extremely disappointed that the Subcommittee’s bill does not reflect the bipartisan view of more than one-third of House Members who understand the importance of making significant investments in CTE.

“To address the growing skills gap and ensure that all learners have access to high-quality CTE programs that prepare them for both educational and career success, we urge the full Appropriations Committee to include a significant increase in funding for the Perkins CTE Basic State Grant program in its FY 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill.”

###

About ACTE
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of education. ACTE is committed to excellence in providing advocacy, public awareness and access to resources, professional development and leadership opportunities.