Congress is back in session this week and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies started off the week with a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Budget for the U.S. Department of Education. Read below to find out more about hearing, Advance CTE’s advocacy on the federal investment in Career Technical Education (CTE), remarks Secretary DeVos gave this week and a new fact sheet on the role of a State CTE Director.
Secretary DeVos Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee 
On June 5, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing ,”Review of the FY2019 Budget Request for the Department of Education,” during which U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testified. Members’ questions and comments focused on the level of investment for many federal grant programs and they discussed a number of topics including school safety, accountability, school choice and more. Several members asked about topics related to CTE, including how the Department’s FY19 Budget addresses the skills gap, supports apprenticeship and the need to expand eligibility for Pell Grants to short-term programs. Senator Baldwin (D-WI), co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, asked Secretary DeVos about the President’s FY19 Budget Request including flat-funding (at the level Congress provided for FY17) for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins). When Secretary DeVos emphasized that level-funding for programs means they are a “top priority” for the Administration, Senator Baldwin (D-WI) noted that this was “disappointing.”
Advance CTE Participates in Committee for Education Funding Advocacy Event
On June 5, the Committee for Education Funding hosted an event for Congressional staff to learn about and discuss the federal investment in the full continuum of education programs. Advance CTE participated in the event and shared resources on the need to increase the federal investment in Perkins with attendees. Looking for resources to share about the federal investment in CTE? Check them out on our website.
Secretary DeVos Speaks at International Congress on Vocational & Professional Training
On June 7, Secretary DeVos provided remarks at the International Congress on Vocational & Professional Training in Zurich, Switzerland. Secretary DeVos discussed the connection between education and the economy and the need to adapt over time, apprenticeships and more. She noted that, “students must be prepared to anticipate and adapt. They need to acquire and master broadly transferrable and versatile educational competencies like critical thinking. Collaboration. Communication. Creativity. Cultural intelligence.” You can find Secretary DeVos’ prepared remarks here.
New Resource: Getting to Know the State CTE Director Role
Advance CTE released a new fact sheet that highlights the responsibilities of the State CTE Director, what factors might impact this role and how this can promote cross-system collaboration.
Kathryn Zekus, Senior Associate, Federal Policy