Preparing Americas Future

1
The High School Agendaand Perkins
Reauthorization
Office of Vocational and Adult Education United
States Department of Education, May 2005
2
Fastest Growing Jobs Require Some Education
Beyond High School
3
Disconnect Between Student Aspirations and High
School Preparation
Students
Source NCES, The Condition of Education, 2000,
p. 151.
4
Every high school diploma must mean that our
graduates are prepared for jobs, for college,
and for success. President George W. Bush
5
American Diploma Project

• Successful preparation for both postsecondary
  education and employment requires learning the
  same rigorous English and mathematics content and
  skills. No longer do students planning to go to
  work after high school need a different and less
  rigorous curriculum than those planning to go to
  college.

6
President Bushs New Education Proposals, 2005

• 1.5 billion for High School Intervention and
  State Assessments, includes.
• 1.2 billion for flexible intervention funding
• 250 million High School Assessments in reading
  and math, grades 9,10, and 11
• 200 million for the Striving Readers Initiative
• 269 million for Mathematics and Science
  Partnership Program (120 million targeted for
  math acceleration)

7
President Bushs New Education Proposals (continue
d)

• 125 million Community College Access Grants
• 52 million Expansion of Advanced Placement
  (AP) programs
• State Scholars expansion
• 1,000 Enhanced Pell Grants for State Scholars
  participants
• 500 phased-in Pell Grant increase

8
The Perkins Act Reauthorization Challenges for
modernizing Career Technical Education
9
Challenges for Modern CTE

• All youth need a high level of core academic
  skills, regardless of their chosen educational
  and career path.
• Many high schools and traditional voc-ed are not
  currently designed to meet this objective
• Millions of adults currently in the workforce
  also need to strengthen and acquire new academic
  and technical skills.
• Connections between high schools, college and
  employers must be strengthened.

10
Perkins ReauthorizationKey Issues

• Accountability
• Link to NCLB Assessments (at the proficiency
  level) and NCLB graduation rate methodology.
• Require valid and reliable indicators.
• Indicators should not be solely developed by
  states.
• Link technical skills to recognized industry
  standards.
• Create separate secondary and postsecondary
  indicators.
• Require local accountability for results

11
Perkins ReauthorizationKey Issues

• Program Rigor
• Require states to identify a secondary academic
  core that prepares for postsecondary education
  and work readiness.
• Define CTE, Tech Prep as culminating in a
  postsecondary degree or recognized credential.
  Dont water down postsecondary expectations.
• Encourage Career Pathways/Model Sequence of
  Courses.
• Phase-out and merge Tech Prep into the general
  program.
• Allow linkages to baccalaureate programs but
  target funds at secondary programs and
  sub-baccalaureate programs.

12
Perkins ReauthorizationEmerging Consensus

• Career Pathway Programs
• (Model Sequence of Courses)
• Encourage linkages between high schools and
  postsecondary institutions.
• Includes a challenging academic core.
• Offers non-duplicative technical courses leading
  to degree or certificate.
• Focuses on career pathways that are in-demand and
  lead to economic self-sufficiency.
• Each local grant recipient operates at least one
  career pathway program.
• State helps develop and approves career pathways.

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Perkins ReauthorizationLegislative Status

• H.R. 366. Introduced on 1/26/05
• Based closely on H.R. 4496 from the 108th
  Congress.
• Passed by the Committee on March 9, 2005.
• Awaiting full House action.
• S. 250. Introduced on 2/1/05
• Based closely on S. 2686 from the 108th Congress.
• Passed by Committee on March 9, 2005.
• Passed by the full Senate on March 10, 2005.

15
The High School Agendaand Perkins
Reauthorization
Office of Vocational and Adult Education United
States Department of Education, May 2005