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Bipartisan Cooperation Moving CTE Forward

by Melanie Anderson   •  

On July 7, 2016, the House Education and Workforce committees advanced the bipartisan “Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act,” a bill that reauthorizes and updates the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The bill was approved by a vote of 37-0 and will now move to the House floor for a vote.

Opportunity Nation supports updates to CTE that will: increase alignment, collaboration and coordination among programs of study and various providers; target programming to those most in need; and include innovative strategies and activities to help ensure more students enter the workforce with the skills they need to compete for 21st century jobs.

We are pleased that the bill was introduced with bipartisan cosponsors and look forward to working with the Committee on updating CTE to provide students with the academic and technical skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education, training and employment.

In addition to a letter of support that Opportunity Nation sent to the Committee, we joined 210 companies and organizations, led by IBM, supporting the bill and urging members of Congress to complete work on the bill this year.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is currently working on a bipartisan Senate version of the legislation. While there are few legislative days left on the calendar this year, we remain hopeful that the Senate will introduce a bill soon and that the full House will consider the bill after returning from August recess.

Join us in supporting CTE reauthorization and bipartisan cooperation.

Melanie Anderson Melanie Anderson is the Director of Government and External Affairs at Opportunity Nation. She directs the campaign’s government relations and policy efforts. Read Melanie's bio.

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