Bringing CTE skills to Capitol Hill.

Lynch, Sean

ACTE'S NATIONAL POLICY SEMINAR (NPS) is the premiere opportunity for advocates from the CTE community to come together in our nation's capital to make their voices heard. The three-day event brings together delegations of ACTE members from all across the country to learn about the education issues that will affect educators and students nationwide.

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Equipped with the latest information about the Capitol Hill landscape and policy topics under consideration, these leaders then made the trip to the Hill to share their views and first-hand knowledge of the power of CTE with their law-makers. It can be tough to build support for an issue from both sides of the aisle, but NPS attendees had the skills to make it happen on Capitol Hill.

Learning the Landscape

NPS kicks off every year with a day of deep-dives into the mechanics of Washington and the federal policies that affect CTE programs most. State delegations chose to split up to have participants in each of the subsequent sessions, which included breakouts on how best to work with freshman Members of Congress, how to integrate media relations into your CTE awareness strategy and how to involve leaders from business and industry in political advocacy. Attendees then reconvened for the event's opening general session featuring Chief Washington Correspondent Carl Hulse from The New York Times.

Hulse entertained the crowd with his dry wit and unique blend of insider knowledge about Washington's goings on. Known as the "Mayor of Capitol Hill," Hulse has covered Congress since 2001, and his years of experience have provided him with a personal insight into what's driving decision-making among policy-makers and their staff. Hulse described how the November elections changed the dynamic on Capitol Hill as the Republican party assumed majority status of both chambers of Congress, as well as how lawmakers will likely proceed on a variety of hot-button topics in education policy, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.

Later that afternoon, Mitch Coppes, ACTE legislative and regulatory affairs manager, led an expert panel of leaders from the education policy community to discuss the inner workings of the federal funding process for fiscal year 2016. This year, ACTE members are working to strengthen federal investment in the Perkins Act to $1.123 billion, which would provide CTE professionals with vital resources to meet the needs of employers and students nationwide. Leaders from the National Skills Coalition, Education-Counsel LLC and the Committee for Education Eunding made their forecasts for the months to come, predicting stormy seas as Congress tries to balance the Republicans' priority of deficit reduction against the need for federal investments in social programs.

Joel Packer, executive director of the Committee for Education Funding, cautioned NPS attendees during this panel discussion that advocating for increased spending in a climate of relative fiscal austerity would be an uphill battle, but emphasized that it is still important to voice the need for Congress to invest in our nation's education system.

After examining some of the foundational issues related to CTE policy, attendees broke into individual sessions to learn more about key legislation impacting education--one session related to ESEA, and the other to the Higher Education Act (HEA). Both acts are likely to be high-priority topics of discussion in the months to come on Capitol Hill and in classrooms alike, and will set the tone for future discussions about other pieces of education legislation.

In the 114th Congress, lawmakers have set an ambitious pace for work on ESEA, the signature piece of federal K-12 legislation, and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander has made ESEA a personal priority for the committee. ESEA session panelists included Jessica Cardichon of the Alliance for Excellent Education and Christin Driscoll of the National Education Association, both of whom emphasized the need for public input and advocacy to ensure that this critical legislation meets the needs of America's students and educators. While congressional staff wrestles with the details of the legislation, the panelists expressed optimism that a deal could be reached to move the bill forward.

In addition, the HEA panel discussion garnered significant interest from attendees who are passionate about postsecondary education issues. HEA affects a wide swath of institutions, including community colleges and non-degree-granting programs, all of which are gaining attention as awareness builds around the growing skills gap that threatens America's economic competitiveness.

HEA is a critical piece of education policy, and it is widely anticipated to be the next big move that Congress will make after ESEA. ACTE Director of Public Policy Alisha Hyslop moderated the discussion on how ACTE members can ensure that CTE priorities are taken into account in HEA negotiations, as well as what advocates can expect on Capitol Hill.

Taking Skills to the Hill

Day two of NPS began with a rousing panel discussion titled "CTE to the Rescue! National Interest in CTE," which featured several high-profile education voices on the role of CTE. Panelists included Stephen Bowen of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), Sandy Boyd of Achieve, Cheryl Oldham of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). From CCSSO's recent report on strategies to improve career preparation to AFT's activism on CTE issues, the panel had plenty to discuss when exploring what Washington and the rest of the country can expect for the future of CTE.

After the panel, ACTE members took to Capitol Hill for a session in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center to hear from policymakers and their staff firsthand. A congressional staff panel gave attendees the inside scoop on the latest in ESEA negotiations and what's happening in the world of federal funding, as well as how CTE fits into their respective office's strategies and priorities.

Attendees later welcomed Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), one of two recipients of ACTE's Policymaker of the Year Award which he earned for his distinguished leadership and continued work on CTE policy.

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"Senator Kaine has been a tireless advocate for CTE over the past year--and even before that as well--co-chairing the launch of the Senate CTE Caucus, hosting and speaking at events to promote CTE and sponsoring key legislation," said ACTE President Sarah Heath to the full room as she presented the award. "Senator Kaine's passion and enthusiasm for CTE have brought tremendous positive attention to our issues, and I am very pleased to honor him today."

Upon receiving the award, Kaine took a moment to express his gratitude and appreciation to the crowd.

"You are what's cool about education today. You are what's sexy!" Kaine said with a grin. He expounded on his work with the Senate CTE Caucus to raise awareness of CTE, as well as how his experiences as the son of an ironworker and running a school as a missionary in Honduras have given him a deeper understanding of the value and potential of CTE.

In addition to Kaine, Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) was recognized in absentia as the second recipient of ACTE's Policy-maker of the Year award. "Senator Rob Portman from Ohio has been a long-time supporter of CTE, and joined Senator Kaine in launching the Senate CTE Caucus last year," Heath said. "He has also helped to co-sponsor legislation and host events throughout the year, including a roundtable at the Live Oaks campus of Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development in Milford, Ohio.... He has been an invaluable partner in our work to support and promote CTE."

After the session at the Capitol Visitors Center, attendees broke into groups to take their message to their lawmakers. ACTE members advocated for their leaders in Congress to join the CTE caucuses in the House and Senate, pushed for increased federal investment in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and called for consideration of CTE in the reauthorization of ESEA and HEA.

Putting the Pieces Together

The final day of NPS began with the session "Building Our Next Perkins Act," wherein attendees brainstormed on specific components of Perkins and its implementation--from career and guidance counseling to programs of study. The session proved to be a uniquely interactive opportunity to share best practices and examples of how each attendee's experiences shaped his or her impressions.

Later in the day, several leaders from the Obama Administration took to the stage to share their impressions and insights related to CTE in their work. Byron Zuidema, deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration; Johan Uvin, acting assistant secretary of the Department of Education's Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education; and Paige Shevlin, special assistant to the president for economic policy with the National Economic Council spoke about the Administration's new regulatory language related to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (VVIOA), as well as efforts to strengthen CTE through initiatives like America's College Promise.

Taking It to the Streets

Though their time on the Hill had come to an end, NPS attendees returned home with a renewed sense of commitment and depth of knowledge to make a difference for CTE in their hometowns. Through their continued efforts and partnership with ACTE, Capitol Hill will remember the importance of CTE skills. Tech

Sean Lynch is the legislative and public affairs manager at ACTE. E-mail him at slynch@acteonline.org.

By Sean Lynch

EXPLORE MORE

Mark your calendars for ACTE's National Policy Seminar 2016 from February 29-March 2, in Crystal City, Virginia.