Silver Spring, MD – Recently, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 6157 (115), which includes the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.  The bill contains a $70 million increase in the federal investment in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) Act’s Basic State Grants. The following statement can be attributed to Kimberly Green, Executive Director of Advance CTE and LeAnn Wilson, Executive Director of ACTE.

“We appreciate efforts to increase the federal investment in CTE. This important investment will boost state and local leaders’ efforts to provide high-quality CTE programs of study to learners across the country, preparing them for in-demand, living wage careers. This increase is a strong step forward in recognizing the importance of CTE in closing the skills gap for employers large and small across the nation. However, it still falls short of the pre-recession funding level for CTE programs.”

“Other notable increases in the bill include additional support for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant authorized under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), apprenticeship grants and a $100 increase in a student’s maximum Pell grant award.

“Because it takes systems and programs working together to fully support every learner’s success, we look forward to working with state and local leaders to coordinate these additional investments under the new Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) to meet the needs of the 21st century American workforce.”

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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.  Advance CTE was formerly known as the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc).