Perkins Reauthorization Update

With Congress’s recent return to session, there is some slight buzz that Perkins may have new life in early 2016. The Senate HELP Committee has expressed interest in receiving organization’s/coalition’s specific policy recommendations to potentially supplement the Perkins reauthorization process. The Committee is asking organization(s) interested in submitting specific text recommendations based on the following seven agreed-upon bipartisan principles for reauthorization:

1. Make it easier for States and locals to run their CTE programs to serve all students who desire to gain access to CTE coursework, including students with disabilities;
2. Increase access to, and support of, career counseling for all CTE students;
3. Maintain CTE as a formula program; Align with ESEA and WIOA (where applicable) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the education and workforce development programs;
4. Support the expansion of public/private collaborations with secondary and post-secondary programs, including alignment with State or locally-determined in-demand industries and occupations;
5. Support efforts to integrate into and strengthen career pathways at the state and local levels;
6. Address unfunded programs;
7. Improve evaluation and research to support innovation and best practices.

Organizations interested in submitting recommendations based on the principles above and in the form of specific changes to current law, should submit such recommendations to CTE@help.senate.gov by 2 pm on Wednesday, October 28.

In addition, the House Committee on Education and Workforce will hold a hearing on Perkins reauthorization and under-served students on Tuesday, October 27, at 10 am EST. “Improving Career and Technical Education to Help Students Succeed in the Workforce” will take place in room 2261 of the Rayburn House Office Building. It will also be live streamed at. http://edworkforce.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=399578