Silver Spring, MD – ACTE and Advance CTE released the following joint statement in response to the passage of S. 3217, the Senate bill reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins).

“We thank the Committee for its dedication and commitment to reauthorizing Perkins, in a bipartisan manner and for working with us during this process to improve the bill so that it can better meet the needs of states, local communities and CTE students. There are aspects of the bill that will positively impact the Career Technical Education (CTE) system that we are pleased to see included such as largely retaining the current law’s focus on quality and system improvement through programs of study. Additionally, the bill increases the reserve fund and expands career exploration into the middle grades. However, the bill falls short of fully addressing our legislative priorities and includes some potentially troubling provisions we expect to be clarified in report language and through implementation supports.

“Should the Senate-passed bill be adopted by the House and signed by the President, we look forward to working with the Committees in both chambers to clarify the legislative language to ensure that there are no unintended consequences that result in setting unambitious performance targets, lower academic standards for CTE students, or force states and programs to meet onerous administrative requirements instead of focusing on providing high-quality CTE programs.

“We look forward to working with the Committee to clarify key legislative provisions, as well as to being our partners during the implementation of this important law. Together we can support states and locals so they can effectively and efficiently use these resources to promote equity and access to high-quality CTE programs that meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s learners and economy. We again thank the Committee for its hard work and willingness to engage with us to improve to the bill.”

ACTE and Advance CTE will hold a joint press call at 9:30AM on Tuesday, July 24 to discuss the bill and answer questions. Please RSVP to Katie Fitzgerald at [email protected] for call-in information.

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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.

About Advance CTE
Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice on national policy to promote academic and technical excellence that ensures a career-ready workforce.