Career Technical Education (CTE) was in the spotlight this week. Read below for an update on the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) and on the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) appropriations process.
Senate Committee Marks Up Perkins, Favorably Reports Nomination of Scott Stump for Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical and Adult Education 
Today, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to mark up the Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act for the 21st Century Act, which would reauthorize Perkins. The four Senators who were lead negotiators on the bipartisan bill, Senators Alexander (R-TN), Murray (D-WA), Enzi (R-WY) and Casey (D-PA) all spoke favorably of the bill, noting the importance of CTE in their states. Senators Bennet (D-CO), Young (R-IN), Smith (D-MN), Murkowski (R-AK), Baldwin (D-WI) and Kaine (D-VA) also spoke about the bill, noting provisions they saw as particularly important. Amendments to the bill were not offered and the bill passed out of committee on a unanimous voice vote. You can find the joint Advance CTE-ACTE statement on the mark up here. Advance CTE and ACTE will provide a summary and analysis of the bill as soon as possible. The U.S. House of Representatives passed its Perkins reauthorization bill, H.R. 2353, on June 22, 2017 on a voice vote without any objections (you can find the joint Advance CTE-ACTE statement on H.R. 2353 here and you can find all of Advance CTE’s Perkins resources on our website).
During the same hearing today, the Committee also considered the nomination of Scott Stump to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education (you can find our statement of support for Scott Stump’s nomination here). Also on a unanimous voice vote, the Committee agreed to favorably report his nomination.
House Appropriations Subcommittee Proposes $115 Million Increase for the Federal Investment in CTE, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Proposes Level Funding 
Earlier this month, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies marked up its FY19 spending bill. This bill proposes a $102 million increase (above the level Congress provided in FY18) for the Perkins Basic State Grants for FY19 and an additional $13 million for National Programs. During the markup, the Subcommittee’s Chairman, Representative Cole (R-OK) noted in his opening statement that, “For the first time in many years, we’ve increased funding for Career and Technical Education programs by $115 million in response to Member interest.” The bill also proposed increases for some other key programs like Student Support and Academic Enrichment state grants authorized under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and apprenticeship opportunities. The bill proposed maintaining FY18 funding levels for Title II of ESSA, state formula grants provided through Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Adult Education State Grants. The Full Appropriations Committee markup of the bill has been postponed.
Today, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies marked up their Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) spending bill. The bill proposed maintaining the FY18 funding level for the Perkins Basic State Grants and proposed increases for Support and Academic Enrichment state grants authorized under Title IV-A of ESSA, Adult Education State Grants and apprenticeship opportunities. Advance CTE will provide additional details on the bill as they become available. The bill is scheduled to be marked up by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on June 28. The FY19 Appropriations process is in the early stages and differences between FY19 spending bills in the House and Senate will be reconciled as the process moves forward.
Kathryn Zekus, Senior Associate, Federal Policy