[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
REVIVING OUR ECONOMY: HOW
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
CAN STRENGTHEN THE WORKFORCE
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
AND THE WORKFORCE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
HEARING HELD IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, MARCH 18, 2014
__________
Serial No. 113-52
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and the Workforce
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/
committee.action?chamber=house&committee=education
or
Committee address: http://edworkforce.house.gov
________________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
87-139 PDF WASHINGTON : 2015
_________________________________________________________________________________
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office,
Internet:bookstore.gpo.gov. Phone:toll free (866)512-1800;DC area (202)512-1800
Fax:(202) 512-2104 Mail:Stop IDCC,Washington,DC 20402-001
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
JOHN KLINE, Minnesota, Chairman
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin George Miller, California,
Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Senior Democratic Member
California Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott,
Joe Wilson, South Carolina Virginia
Virginia Foxx, North Carolina Ruben Hinojosa, Texas
Tom Price, Georgia Carolyn McCarthy, New York
Kenny Marchant, Texas John F. Tierney, Massachusetts
Duncan Hunter, California Rush Holt, New Jersey
David P. Roe, Tennessee Susan A. Davis, California
Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona
Tim Walberg, Michigan Timothy H. Bishop, New York
Matt Salmon, Arizona David Loebsack, Iowa
Brett Guthrie, Kentucky Joe Courtney, Connecticut
Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio
Todd Rokita, Indiana Jared Polis, Colorado
Larry Bucshon, Indiana Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,
Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Northern Mariana Islands
Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Frederica S. Wilson, Florida
Martha Roby, Alabama Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon
Joseph J. Heck, Nevada Mark Pocan, Wisconsin
Susan W. Brooks, Indiana
Richard Hudson, North Carolina
Luke Messer, Indiana
Juliane Sullivan, Staff Director
Jody Calemine, Minority Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Hearing held on March 18, 2014................................... 1
Statement of Members:
Heck, Hon. Joseph, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Nevada............................................ 2
Prepared statement of.................................... 4
Hinojosa, Hon. Ruben, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Texas............................................. 8
Prepared statement of.................................... 8
Kline, Hon. John, Chairman, Committee on Education and the
Workforce.................................................. 1
Prepared statement of.................................... 9
Scott, Hon. Robert, C. "Bobby", a Representative in Congress
from the State of Virginia................................. 5
Prepared statement of.................................... 7
Statement of Witnesses:
Nemcek, Felicia, Principal, Southwest Career and Technical
Academy, Las Vegas, NV..................................... 10
Prepared statement of.................................... 13
Spangler, Michael, PH.D., School of Advanced and Applied
Technologies, College of Southern Nevada, North Las Vegas,
NV......................................................... 17
Prepared statement of.................................... 19
Qua, Kacy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Qualifyor,
Las Vegas, NV.............................................. 24
Prepared statement of.................................... 27
Aleman, Alan, Student, College of Southern Nevada, North Las
Vegas, NV.................................................. 35
Prepared statement of.................................... 37
Morrison, Visiting Professor, William S. Boyd School of Law,
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV........................ 40
Prepared statement of.................................... 42
Woodbeck, Frank, R., Director, Nevada Department of
Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, North Las Vegas,
NV......................................................... 47
Prepared statement of.................................... 50
Additional Submissions:
Mr. Spangler: Perking Grant Funding Received to Support
Workforce Development at the College of Southern Nevada.... 70
Reviving Our Economy: How Career and Technical Education Can Strengthen
the Workforce
----------
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
House of Representatives
Committee on Education and the Workforce
Washington, D.C.
----------
The committee met, pursuant to call, at 1:00 p.m., at the
Southwest Career and Technical Academy, Coyote Ballroom, 7050
West Shelburne Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada, John Kline [chairman
of the committee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Kline, Heck, Scott, and Hinojosa.
Also present: Representatives Titus and Horsford.
Staff Present: Janelle Belland, Coalitions and Member
Services Coordinator; Marvin Kaplan, Workforce Policy Counsel;
Rosemary Lahasky, Professional Staff Member; Dan Shorts,
Legislative Assistant; Alex Sollberger, Communications
Director; Jacque Chevelier, Minority Education Policy Advisor;
and Brian Kennedy, Minority Senior Counsel.
Chairman Kline. A quorum being present, the committee will
come to order. Good morning. Welcome. I am glad to be here in
Nevada's 3rd District with my good friend and colleague, Joe
Heck. Joe, thanks for letting us come visit.
Mr. Heck. Thank you.
Chairman Kline. Thank you to Southwest Career and Technical
Academy for hosting our field hearing and to our guests and
witnesses for joining us today. We are here to discuss ways
schools, States, and the Federal government can work together
to strengthen career and technical education and help more
Americans gain valuable job skills.
Our economy faces many challenges. Millions remain out of
work, and the labor participation rate has declined to 30-year
lows. Here in the Silver State, families struggle with 8.8
percent unemployment, one of the highest unemployment rates in
the country. I think we determined this morning it is second.
Voice. Second.
Chairman Kline. Unemployment among young people ages 16 to
19 is even higher at 29 percent. We need to do more to help
these families rebuild and recover from the lingering effects
of the recession. One of the House Education and Workforce
Committee's priorities for the 113th Congress has been
strengthening the Nation's network of job training services.
Last year, the House approved the Supporting Knowledge and
Investing in Lifelong Skills Act, legislation that revamped the
Federal workforce development system and helped more workers
learn in-demand skills.
The committee is now examining career and technical
education, or CTE, in preparation for the upcoming
reauthorization of the Perkins Act. As you may know, the
Perkins Act provides Federal funding and supports States to
support CTE programs that allow high school and community
college students to access valuable training programs and
hands-on experience necessary to gain an edge in the local
workforce.
There are a number of great CTE schools in Nevada, and we
are fortunate to be holding today's field hearing at one of the
best. The Southwest Career and Technical Academy is renowned
for its rigorous coursework and hands-on training in a number
of fields, including nursing, culinary arts, automotive
technology, and web design, just to name a few. I believe my
colleagues and I have the opportunity after the hearing to take
a tour of the school, and I look forward to meeting with
students, visiting the classrooms, and seeing firsthand the
quality training available here at the academy.
As the committee works to strengthen career and technical
education, it is important that we hear from students,
educators, and State and local leaders in the business and
education communities about the challenges and opportunities
facing CTE programs. Your feedback helps inform and strengthen
our work in Washington, and we are grateful for your
participation and your input.
Once again, I would like to thank our witnesses for joining
us today and helping us have a productive conversation on this
important issue.
I would like now to yield to Mr. Heck for his opening
remarks.
Mr. Heck. Well, thank you, Chairman Kline, and welcome to
Las Vegas and to Southwest Career Technical Academy. And I also
want to thank Mr. Scott and Mr. Hinojosa for participating
today. Of course I want to thank the committee staff for all
the hard work that goes into putting on a field hearing, and of
course our hosts here at Southwest Career Technical Academy, I
think one of the shining stars of the Clark County School
District.
You know, I recently visited Southwest a few months back
after meeting with some of the DECA students from Southwest in
Washington, D.C. And I was so impressed by them, I said, you
know what, when I am back in the district, I am going to have
to come and check out your school. So next time I was back in
the district we came for a tour, and it was just incredible to
see the amount of energy that was harnessed here amongst the
students in participating in CTE education.
They are eager to do well and graduate. They are eager to
learn skills they know are in demand right now, and they are
eager to take those skills into the working world or onto
college. I am sure all of those who may stick around to take
the tour after the hearing will be duly impressed by the
incredible facilities that are present here at Southwest Career
and Technical Academy.
And I want to point out that Southwest is just one of a
number of highly successful schools in the Clark County School
District offering students educational opportunities in fields
ranging from computer science, to information technology, to
law enforcement, and nursing. In fact, Clark County School
District has over 25 magnet schools and career technical
academies dedicated to providing students a variety of pathways
leading to both careers and higher education. Seventeen of
these schools, including Southwest, was recently recognized as
either a School of Excellence or a School of Distinction by the
National Organization of Magnet Schools of America.
During the 2012 school year, nearly 40,000 students in the
Clark County School District were enrolled in career and
technical education courses, representing 44 percent of the
high school population. They have demonstrated themselves to be
high performing and highly motivated. They are engaged, and
they very much want to be prepared to be college or career
ready upon their graduation.
CTE programs prepare students for critically important
careers in public service. Communities need individuals well-
schooled in these programs, especially here in southern Nevada.
Finally, career and technical education extends all these
opportunities to those who have been disproportionately
affected by the recession and the slow pace of our economic
recovery. Sixty-one percent of CTE students in the Clark County
School District are minority students. Clearly career and
technical education academies are critically important now more
than ever, and our students strive to be part of them.
You know, the reason why I also wanted to have this field
hearing here, and I appreciate the chairman's indulgence, is
because we face some unique challenges here in Clark County
when it comes to CTE funding. Included within the President's
budget proposal, the guaranteed formula funding for CTE
programs in Nevada would be cut by nearly 50 percent while CTE
programs in other States would only be cut by less than 1
percent.
The large disparity in cuts is caused by the outdated
funding formula included in the 2006 Carl T. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act. The bill established a funding formula
largely based on population and poverty. However, in States
that saw large growth spurts during the 2000s, that funding
formula really does not hold true and represent the large
populations that we have seen.
So I joined with Congressman Raul Grijalva, my Democratic
committee colleague from Arizona, an area that also saw
explosive growth during this timeframe, to introduce the Career
and Technical Education Equity Act, which protects critical CTE
funding by requiring States to receive at least 90 percent of
the funding amount allocated the previous years so there are no
precipitous cuts to any program across the country. I am
hopeful we will discuss this critical question of funding for
CTE programs during this hearing.
Again, I thank the chairman for his attention to this issue
and for bringing the hearing to Las Vegas and to Southwest
Career and Technical Academy. I look forward to hearing the
testimony from our distinguished panel of witnesses, and yield
back the balance of my time.
[The statement of Mr. Heck follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Joseph Heck, a Representative in Congress
from the State of Nevada
I recently visited Southwest Career and Technical Academy here in
Nevada's Third District and met with students, teachers, and
administrators to learn about the school and the courses they offer.
I also got the chance to hear firsthand from students about their
experiences with career and technical education and how they think it
will help them in the future.
The overall impression I got from them was clear.
They are eager to do well and graduate. They are eager to learn
skills they know are in- demand right now and they are eager to take
those skills into the working world or on to college.
I even ate lunch provided by the Culinary Arts students and let me
tell you; It was delicious. I am sure all of you who stick around for
the tour of the school will be just as impressed as I was with the
students, the facilities, and the quality of the educational experience
students receive at Southwest.
But Southwest is just one of a number of highly successful schools
here in the Clark County School District offering students educational
opportunities in fields ranging from computer science and information
technology to law enforcement and nursing.
In fact, the Clark County School District is home to 25 Magnet
Schools and Career & Technical Academies dedicated to providing
students a variety of pathways leading to both careers and higher
education.
17 of these schools, including Southwest, were recently recognized
as either a school of excellence or a school of distinction by the
national organization Magnet Schools of America. During the 2012 school
year, nearly 40,000 students in CCSD were enrolled in career and
technical education courses, representing 44% percent of the high
school student population.
Students enrolled in CTE have demonstrated themselves to be high-
performing, highly-motivated individuals who, according to information
we received from Clark County School District, graduate at a higher
rate than their traditional high school peers.
While enrolled, CTE students are choosing courses of study that
will lead them down a path to success in the increasingly-advanced
global economy.
On the Committee, we are always talking about the importance of
STEM education-education focused on science, technology, engineering,
and math.
Well our CTE students have heard the message. Among the most
popular courses of study are information technologies and the skilled
and technical sciences.
And the skills learned in our magnet and career and technical
academies are helping sectors of our economy - like manufacturing and
health care services - erase talent shortages and fill available jobs.
CTE programs also prepare students for critically important careers
in public service. Our communities need individuals well-schooled in
criminal justice, law enforcement, early childhood development, and
emergency medical services.
A competent, highly-trained workforce in these areas will make our
state and our local communities safer and healthier.
Finally, career and technical education extends all of these
opportunities to those who have been disproportionately affected by the
recession and the slow pace of our economic recovery.
Fifty three percent of CTE students are Hispanic and African
American while another 8% are Asian Americans.
These demographic groups are a growing, thriving part of the
diverse culture and economy of the Las Vegas Valley and by enrolling in
CTE programs, these students are learning skills and acquiring
knowledge that will help put them on a path to success as well as
strengthen and diversify our local economy.
Clearly, career and technical education academies are critically
important now more than ever. Our students thrive in them and our
economy relies on them.
Yet as CTE is moving this region's economy forward, a recent
proposal by the Obama Administration threatens to drastically reduce
CTE funding for our state.
Included within the President's budget proposal, guaranteed formula
funding for CTE programs in Nevada would be cut by nearly 50%, while
CTE programs in other states would only be cut by less than 1%.
This large disparity in cuts is caused by an outdated funding
formula included in the 2006 Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act.
The bill established a funding formula largely based on population
and poverty; however, there is also a hold-harmless provision included
within the formula that guarantees states will receive the federal
funding levels provided in 1998.
However, since that time Nevada's population has increased from 1.8
million to more than 2.75 million causing our state to face
disproportionate cuts to federal CTE funding under the current hold-
harmless provision.
Nevada will not be able to adequately fund our thriving CTE
programs on 1998 funding levels and we should not be punished simply
because we have experienced population growth.
So I joined with Congressman Raul Grijalva, my Democratic committee
colleague from Arizona, in introducing the Career and Technical
Education Equity Act which protects critical CTE funding by requiring
states receive at least 90% of the funding amount allocated the
previous year.
This bill will protect CTE funding and continue to provide students
around Nevada and the nation with opportunities to learn the skills to
help them find in-demand jobs. I am hopeful we will discuss the
critical question of funding for CTE programs during this hearing.
______
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman. We are very
fortunate to have two of our Democratic colleagues on the
Education and Workforce Committee joining us today. I would now
like to recognize Mr. Scott of Virginia for any opening remarks
he may have.
Mr. Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank you and the
gentleman from Nevada, Mr. Heck, for calling the hearing. I am
pleased to join my colleague, Mr. Hinojosa, and I believe Mr.
Horsford from the Las Vegas area will be joining us shortly. I
understand he has been detained. I just left the Culinary
Academy of Las Vegas seeing some of the good work that is done
in this area, and I look forward to watching the situation here
because I understand that they have done an excellent job.
The reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act presents this committee with an
opportunity to ensure that all students are equipped with the
skills to succeed in the rapidly evolving 21st century economy.
Today's career and technical education programs, or CTE, are
successfully preparing millions of students for lifelong
learning, bridging the divide between high school and post-
secondary education and training. That education is essential
today because we live in a high tech information-based economy
where most jobs now require education past the high school
level, not necessarily a 4-year college, but community college,
apprentice school, or some education like the ones offered here
at the Academy to provide students with the skills and
knowledge that today's employers demand. Students here can take
courses grounded in an integrated curriculum of core academic
content and real world work-based relevance.
Data shows CTE to be a powerful tool for engaging students,
closing the achievement gap, and improving schools. That makes
sense because students who see the relevance of their education
are much more likely to stay in school.
With the bipartisan reauthorization of the Perkins Act, we
must guarantee equal opportunity to participate in and benefit
from the CTE programs, and all students who have completed CTE
should have an equal opportunity to take what they have learned
to pursue higher education and a career. The opportunity to
thrive with CTE programs increases a student's earning
potential and improves the ability of the student to attain
economic security in the future.
I serve on two committees, Education and Workforce, but
also on the Judiciary Committee, where I see that those who get
a decent education are much less likely to be involved in the
criminal justice system. Youth who are here getting a good
education and good training are much less likely to be involved
in what the Children's Defense Fund calls the cradle to prison
pipeline. They would be in a cradle to career pipeline. This is
great not only for students, but also for the taxpayers because
when students mess up and end up in prison, it is the taxpayers
that have to support them.
The CTE system represents an innovative approach that
allows us to get students involved in hands-on learning and
training, and we know that opportunity must be available to
all. Unfortunately, each year more than 65,000 students
graduate from U.S. high schools, who, through no fault of their
own, are barred from post-secondary education due to
immigration status. These are students who are educated in our
schools, who pledge allegiance to our flag, and who yearn for
the ability to work towards the American Dream and meaningfully
contribute to the American economy. They are known as
``DREAMers.'' This group represents a small percentage of more
than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Now, many DREAMers participate in CTE programs through our
Nation's secondary schools. But unlike their peers, they are
unable to fully benefit from the public investment that we make
in schools such as this one. Without a social security number,
a student cannot take advantage of work-based experiential
training. They are barred from legal employment, and in many
States cannot afford to pursue post-secondary education or job
training because Federal student aid or work study is
unavailable to them.
With more than 40 percent of undocumented families living
in poverty, cost alone puts college out of reach. Here in
Nevada, this lack of opportunity is particularly troubling.
More than 12 percent of the State's workforce is undocumented,
the highest in the country, and some DREAMers right here at the
Academy are learning valuable skills that may never be able to
put to use.
Now, some of us are committed to righting these wrongs.
Unfortunately, comprehensive immigration reform and the DREAM
Act remain stalled in the House. The Obama Administration did
take action on behalf of DREAMers by issuing an executive order
for deferred action for children arrivals, DACA. Although not a
legislative or a sufficient solution, this executive action
allowed thousands of DREAMers to pursue work legally and, in
some cases, qualify for in-state tuition to attend college. On
the other hand, last week the majority in the House passed not
one, but two bills seeking to undermine DACA and return
DREAMers to living in fear of deportation or as a permanent
underclass.
So if we expect all students to benefit from career
training, we must make sure that the 65,000 DREAMers who
graduate this year are not left behind, and for all of the
students we have to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act as well as other legislation that
addresses the training and educational needs of our country,
such as the Workforce Investment Act and the Higher Education
Act. The future of today's students and, therefore, the future
of our Nation depends on what we do.
[The statement of Mr. Scott follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, a Representative in
Congress from the State of Virginia
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also want to thank our distinguished
witness panel for their participation in today's hearing. I look
forward to learning about the great work here in Clark County School
District to graduate all students and ensure that they are college- and
career- ready.
Reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act presents this Committee with an opportunity to ensure ALL
students are equipped with the skills to succeed in a rapidly evolving
21st century economy.
Today's career and technical education programs, or CTE, are
successfully preparing millions of students for lifelong success
bridging the divide between high school and postsecondary education and
training. These programs, like the ones offered here at the Academy,
provide students with the skills and knowledge that today's employers
demand. Students take courses grounded in an integrated curriculum of
core academic content and real-world, work-based relevance.
Data shows CTE to be a powerful tool for engaging students, closing
achievement gaps, and improving schools. In a bipartisan
reauthorization of Perkins, we must guarantee equal opportunity to
participate in - and benefit from - CTE programs. And all students who
have completed CTE should have an equal opportunity to take what they
learned to pursue higher education and a career.
The opportunity to thrive in a CTE program increases a student's
earning potential, improves the ability of a student to attain economic
security in the future, and decreases his or her chances of being
involved in criminal activities. Youth are going to be on the cradle to
career pipeline and make money for themselves, or they will be on what
the Children's Defense Fund has coined as the ``cradle to prison''
pipeline, where TAXPAYERS will be ultimately be obligated to pay for
their incarceration. In fact about 2/3 of all prisoners are high school
dropouts.
The CTE system represents an innovative approach that allows us to
get students involved in hands-on learning and training. But we know
that ALL students aren't afforded this opportunity. Each year more than
65,000 students graduate from U.S. high schools who, through no fault
of their own, are barred from postsecondary success due to immigration
status. These are students who are educated in our schools, who pledge
allegiance to our flag, and who yearn for the ability to work toward
the American dream and meaningfully contribute to the American economy.
Known as DREAMers, this group represents just a small percentage of the
more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
Many DREAMers participate in CTE programs through our nation's
secondary schools. But unlike their peers, they are unable to fully
benefit from the public investment that we make in schools like this
one. Without a social security number, a student cannot take advantage
of work-based experiential learning, is barred from legal employment,
and, in many states, cannot afford to pursue postsecondary education or
job training because federal student aid or work- study is unavailable
to them. With more than 40% of undocumented families living in poverty,
cost alone puts college out of reach.
Here in Nevada, this lack of opportunity is particularly troubling.
More than 12% of this state's workforce is undocumented - the highest
in the country. Some of these DREAMers are right here at the Academy,
learning valuable skills they may never be able to put to use.
President Obama and Congressional Democrats are committed to
righting these wrongs. Unfortunately, comprehensive immigration reform
and the DREAM Act remain stalled in the House. The Administration took
action on behalf of DREAMers by issuing the executive order for
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. Although not a
legislative or sufficient solution, this executive action allowed
thousands of DREAMer students to pursue work legally and, in some
cases, qualify for in-state assistance to attend college.
Just last week, however, House Republicans passed not one, but two
bills seeking to undermine DACA and return DREAMers to living in fear
of deportation or in a permanent underclass. DACA was given as
justification for targeting the President's executive orders.
There are some on the other side of the aisle who claim to support
a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and their families, but vote time
and time again to block or undermine attempts to help these students.
For these young people, every year, every month of inaction on
immigration reform is costly.
I am eager for bipartisan collaboration to reauthorize the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, as well as other
legislation that addresses the training and educational needs of our
country, such as the Workforce Investment Act and the Higher Education
Act.
But I am also eager for Congress to come together to fix the broken
immigration system. We need bipartisan collaboration to allow all
students, including DREAMers, the opportunity to fulfill their
potential and we know that CTE is one approach that allows our nation's
students to thrive. Thank you.
______
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman. I will now recognize
Mr. Hinojosa of Texas, for any opening remarks he may have.
Mr. Hinojosa. Thank you, Chairman Kline. Is this mic on?
Chairman Kline. I think so, yes.
Mr. Hinojosa. Can you hear me in the back? Thank you. I
want to thank the chairman for hosting this field hearing to
discuss ways in which to improve State and local delivery of
career and technical education programs through the
reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Improvement Act of 2006. Furthermore, I wish to thank
Congressman Joe Heck for inviting us to his district and to
hear this panel so that we can better understand the
educational programs in this area and see how we can be of help
to you.
In my view, a bipartisan reauthorization of the Perkins Act
would ensure that students are equipped with the education and
skills to succeed in a rapidly evolving 21st century economy.
Above all, a bipartisan reauthorization of Perkins must
prioritize equity of opportunity for all public school students
to participate in and to benefit from career and technical
education programs.
As you know, many of our Nation's DREAMers participate in
CTE programs through public secondary schools, but cannot fully
utilize this education and training because their immigration
status bars them from doing so. While congressional Democrats
are committed to comprehensive immigration reform and passing
the DREAM Act, the Republican majority has stalled these
efforts. As mentioned by Congressman Scott in his remarks, most
recently the House majority has also passed bills seeking to
undermine deferred action for childhood arrivals under DACA, an
executive order issued by President Obama that allows thousands
of undocumented students to work and remain in the United
States.
Today I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle
to listen closely to Alan Aleman's testimony, to open up their
hearts and minds, and to demonstrate compassion for the
thousands of hardworking DREAMers who know America as their
home and are determined to contribute to our Nation's economy
and workforce. I look forward to hearing our expert panelists
so that I can better understand the successes achieved here in
Nevada.
With that statement, Chairman Kline, I yield back my time.
[The statement of Mr. Hinojosa follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Ruben Hinojosa, a Representative in Congress
from the State of Texas
Thank you, Chairman Kline, for hosting this field hearing to
discuss ways in which to improve state and local delivery of career and
technical education programs through the reauthorization of the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006.
In my view, a bipartisan reauthorization of the ``Perkins'' Act
would ensure students are equipped
with the education and skills to succeed in a rapidly evolving 21st
century economy.
Above all, a bipartisan reauthorization of Perkins must prioritize
equity of opportunity for all public school students to participate
in--and benefit from - career and technical education (CTE) programs.
As you know, many of our nation's DREAMERs participate in CTE
programs through public secondary schools, but cannot fully utilize
this education and training because their immigration status bars them
from doing so.
While Congressional Democrats are committed to comprehensive
immigration reform and passing the DREAM Act, the Republican majority
has stalled these efforts.
Most recently, the House majority has also passed bills seeking to
undermine the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an
executive order issued by President Obama that allows thousands of
undocumented students to work and remain in the United States.
Today, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to
listen closely to Alan Aleman's testimony, to open up their hearts and
minds, and to demonstrate compassion for the thousands of hard working
DREAMERs who know America as their home and are determined to
contribute to our nation's economy and workforce.
______
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman. I expect to be
joined some time during the hearing by two of our colleagues
from Nevada, I think Ms. Titus and Mr. Horsford.
In the meantime, pursuant to committee Rule 7(c), all
committee members will be permitted to submit written
statements to be included in the permanent hearing record. And
without objection the hearing record will remain open for 14
days to allow statements, questions for the record, and other
extraneous material referenced during the hearing to be
submitted in the official hearing record.
[The information follows:]
[The statement of Mr. Kline follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. John Kline, Chairman, Committee on Education
and the Workforce
Our economy faces many challenges. Millions remain out of work, and
the labor participation rate has declined to thirty-year lows. Here in
the Silver State, families struggle with 8.8 percent unemployment - one
of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Unemployment among
young people ages 16 to 19 is even higher, at 29 percent.
We need to do more to help these families rebuild and recover from
the lingering effects of the recession. One of the House Education and
the Workforce Committee's priorities for the 1113th Congress has been
strengthening the nation's network of job training services. Last year,
the House approved the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong
Skills Act, legislation to revamp the federal workforce development
system and help more workers learn in-demand skills.
The committee is now examining career and technical education, or
CTE, in preparation for the upcoming reauthorization of the Perkins
Act. As you may know, the Perkins Act provides federal funding to
states to support CTE programs that allow high school and community
college students to access valuable training programs and hands-on
experience necessary to gain an edge in the local workforce.
There are a number of great CTE schools in Nevada, and we're
fortunate to be holding today's field hearing at one of the best. The
Southwest Career and Technical Academy is renowned for its rigorous
coursework and hands-on training in a number of fields, including
nursing, culinary arts, automotive technology, and web design, just to
name a few.
I believe my colleagues and I have the opportunity after the
hearing to take a tour of the school, and I look forward to meeting
with students, visiting the classrooms, and seeing firsthand the
quality training available here at the academy.
As the committee works to strengthen career and technical
education, it's important we hear from students, educators, and state
and local leaders in the business and education communities about the
challenges and opportunities facing CTE programs. Your feedback helps
inform and strengthen our work in Washington, and we are grateful for
your participation and your input.
______
Chairman Kline. It is now my pleasure to introduce our
distinguished panel of witnesses, starting with Ms. Felicia
Nemcek. She is the principal of the Southwest Career and
Technical Academy, and our hostess, which opened in August
2008. Dr. Michael Spangler is the dean of the School of
Advanced and Applied Technologies at the College of Southern
Nevada. Ms. Kacy Qua is the founder and chief executive officer
of Qualifyor, a for-profit startup that pairs skilled young
apprentices with clients, such as MGM and Zappos to complete
technical and creative projects. Mr. Alan Aleman is a student
at the College of Southern Nevada. He graduated from the
Southeast Career and Technical Academy in 2010. Professor
Angela Morrison is a visiting professor at the William S. Boyd
School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. And Mr.
Frank Woodbeck is the director of the Department of Employment,
Training, and Rehabilitation for the State of Nevada. Welcome
to you all.
Just a little reminder on how our lighting system works
here. We have to get used to it ourselves because this is a
field setup. As I recognize you, you will each have 5 minutes
to present your testimony. When you begin, this light in front
of you will turn green. When one minute is left, the light will
turn yellow, and when your time has expired, the light will
turn red, at which point I would ask you to wrap up your
remarks as best you are able. After everyone has testified,
members will each have 5 minutes to ask questions of the panel,
and we will do our best to remember to orient those lights over
here as we move down that way. If you cannot see it, send us a
signal.
I would now like to recognize Ms. Nemcek for 5 minutes. You
are recognized.
STATEMENT OF FELICIA NEMCEK, PRINCIPAL, SOUTHWEST CAREER AND
TECHNICAL ACADEMY, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Ms. Nemcek. Thank you Chairman Kline, Member Heck, and
members of the Committee. It is an honor and a pleasure to
share with you my perspective on the importance of career and
technical education and its relevance to our economy.
My name is Felicia Nemcek, and I am the founding principal
of the Southwest Career and Technical Academy here in Las
Vegas, Nevada. We are part of the Clark County School District,
the 5th largest district in the Nation. We are one of seven
career and technical academies in southern Nevada, and we are
modeled after our community's original vocational high school,
now known as the Southeast Career and Technical Academy. After
30 years of continuous high graduation rates from Southeast,
our school district and community leadership developed a vision
to build upon this success by opening more career and technical
academies in different parts of the Las Vegas Valley, providing
more access to students.
Here at Southwest Career and Technical Academy, we have
1,475 students enrolled in 11 different programs. For the last
3 years, we have been recognized as an Apple Distinguished
School for our innovative use of educational technology. And
over the last 2 years, we have been named a Magnet School of
Excellence by the Magnet Schools of America.
Since my appointment as principal in August 2008, I have
become a great advocate of career and technical education
because of the successes I have witnessed here in my school, in
Clark County, and across Nevada. From my perspective, we need
to recognize and support the following. First, the role of the
principal has changed. We play an important role in economic
development, and we must develop strong relationships with our
community. In order to educate 21st century learners and to
prepare them to be both college and career ready upon
graduation, we have to value professional development and
connect with industry experts in order to keep current with
local trends and demands.
As a principal, I challenge all students academically to
ensure that college is achievable. I oversee the integration of
core content into our CTE courses to make learning relevant,
but, most importantly, engaging. I provide our teaching staff
with ongoing and focused professional development, and I ensure
that all CTE curriculum evolves with the constant, changing
workplace standards. We can no longer be building principals
working in isolation.
Second, educational technology should be a standard in all
schools and in CTE. Every job is tied to technology, and if we
are to prepare our students to be workforce ready, they need to
be educated in a technology rich environment with appropriate
equipment and software aligned with workplace needs. Here at
Southwest, we are fortunate to have funding through Carl D.
Perkins and State grant programs, to provide industry
appropriate technology as well as the infrastructure that
supports it.
I have many examples of why it is important to make this a
standard, but one of my favorites is a former student named
Jacob. Jacob struggled to graduate, but despite several
barriers, he earned his diploma. After graduation in 2012,
Jacob was able to secure an introductory job as an auto tech
position at a local dealership. After 3 weeks, Jacob was called
into the human resources office. He was offered an opportunity
to train as a hybrid technician because of his ability to adapt
to the newer technology.
Third, business and industry partnerships are vital to our
success. These partnerships provide our schools with advice on
curriculum, our teachers with professional development, and our
students with internships and job shadowing opportunities.
Clark County School District Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky is
especially supportive of these partnerships and their part in
moving career and technical education forward. The inclusion of
community in his plan emphasizes the importance of the role
business and industry partners play in advancing student
achievement both in school and in life.
One example is Jonathan. Jonathan was a student in the web
design and development program. He graduated last June and
began an internship with Qualifyor. Shortly after completion of
his internship, Jonathan was immediately hired by Qualifyor
because of his solid foundation of IT skills, work ethic, and
because he is simply amazing. Jonathan plans to continue
working with Qualifyor while he attends our community college
and later transfers to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Ideally all of our CTE students will continue in the same
career pathway after graduation, but we must recognize that
some students may not choose to pursue post-secondary options
in the same field that they are in right now. And this should
not be considered a failure in Federal accountability systems.
Regardless of the pathway, during their high school years, they
have obtained the necessary skills to be employable, they have
the ability to work in skilled areas and can pay for their own
college tuition, and they have explored careers prior to
enrolling in college, which saves a great deal of time and
money.
In conclusion, I believe that career and technical
education is economic development. Fully funding the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act is essential to the
continued academic success of our CTE programs and our economy.
Here in Nevada, we are still recovering from the great
recession, and through Federal and State support, we have been
able to sustain our current programs. The success of our
academies has created a demand from our community for more,
high quality CTE programs, and we need to build those in our
comprehensive high schools.
The key to reviving our economy? First and foremost,
adequately investing in CTE. Funding at the 2012 pre-
sequestration levels at a minimum, and the removal or revision
of the hold harmless provision so that Nevada can receive its
fair share of funding is critical to our State and the
continuation of our economic growth. And finally, ensuring that
all students in all high schools have access to high quality
programs so that they are prepared to contribute positively to
our economy. Thank you.
[The statement of Ms. Nemcek follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kline. Thank you.
Dr. Spangler, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL SPANGLER, PH.D., SCHOOL OF ADVANCED AND
APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES, COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA, NORTH LAS
VEGAS, NEVADA
Dr. Spangler. Thank you, Chairman Kline and members of the
committee. My name is Michael Spangler. I am the dean of the
School of Advanced and Applied Technologies at the College of
Southern Nevada. CSN is the largest higher education
institution in Nevada and one of the largest in the country. We
offer certificates and degrees in many career and technical
education disciplines.
I am grateful for the opportunity to share with you today
some examples of the interactions between CSN's technical
education programs and our stakeholders in business and
government that illustrate our community's commitment to a
skilled workforce. They also demonstrate the need for continued
support through the Carl Perkins Career and Technical Education
Act, and it is our principal tool to stay active partners with
industry.
I would like to start with a local perspective. Few States
have felt the recession as acutely as Nevada, particularly in
construction, hospitality, and retail. Our constituents want
fulfilling careers and a family sustainable wage. This requires
some form of post-secondary technical education whether it is
through an apprenticeship or, more commonly, the college
technical program. Collaboration among education and employment
partners is critical.
My first example is our electronics program's alliance with
defense contractor, JT3. The JT3 Jumpstart Program is this.
Students who pass a six-course sequence in math and electronics
get an interview with JT3. If they are successful, JT3 will
hire the students and while on the job, send them back to us to
finish their associate degree in engineering tech.
CSN, through Perkins funding, provides state-of-the art
laboratories that directly relate to the skill sets needed by
JT3. And additionally, JT3 engineers serve as part-time
instructors for the program, bringing relevant content to the
classroom for all of our students. The JT3/CSN partnership
works.
Another engineering tech connection is in theater
technology. CSN works with Cirque du Soleil to prepare
technicians for the large venue shows on the Las Vegas Strip.
The technology for a show such as ``O'' at Bellagio requires
skills in automation controls, hydraulics, pneumatics,
electrical power, and computer systems. These skills rival
those at any industrial plant in the country. In fact, the
knowledge base in technical theater transfers very well to
Caterpillar, Boeing, or General Electric. The degree at CSN
exists because Perkins funding equips the laboratories and
because Cirque du Soleil managers guide the program design and
host internships for an unparalleled work-based experience.
The next example I would like to present is a pilot program
we are offering, cooperation between CSN and Clark County
School District. Perkins funds underwrite the instructional
costs for dual credit programs in air conditioning and welding.
These programs are expensive and extremely difficult for high
schools to deliver. Our joint program uses the technical
infrastructure at the college and allows students to
simultaneously accrue high school and college credit, and
acquire industry certification.
My last example is the gas heat pump, GHP, project in air
conditioning technology. Created by a partnership among the
college, Department of Energy, Southwest Gas, and IntelliChoice
Energy, the GHP courses involve natural gas powered heat pumps
for commercial air conditioning. This innovative equipment uses
about 80 percent less electrical energy compared than
conventional cooling systems.
Understandably, CSN is home to the country's premiere air
conditioning program. This is, after all, Las Vegas, and our
local economy depends on ample amounts of cold air and cold
drinks.
[Laughter.]
Dr. Spangler. CSN is the sole provider of skilled
technicians for this new technology because Perkins funds were
leveraged with Department of Energy and private industry
investment.
Shawn Greene, now a graduate of our program, was hired by
IntelliChoice Energy. In his words, ``I got the confidence and
experience I needed at CSN, and it opened doors for me. I love
my job.'' And I love that comment.
To conclude, Nevada's job losses place us at or near the
top of a very undesirable list. My opinion, however, is that
our unemployment is, to a great extent, an issue of under
preparation. CSN's high tech, high demand, high wage
disciplines, such as air conditioning, electronics, IT
networking, enjoy 100 percent placement. Typically, students
are working before they finish their degree. I believe the best
path across our current employment landscape is through career
and technical education, and Perkins funding remains the life
blood of those programs.
I want to thank the committee for your consideration of my
testimony, and I applaud your continued support of technical
programs in this country. Thank you.
[The statement of Dr. Spangler follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kline. Thank you.
Ms. Qua, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF KACY QUA, FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
QUALIFYOR, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Ms. Qua. Thank you, Chairman Kline and members of the
committee. I am Kacy Qua, founder and CEO of Qualifyor, a for-
profit downtown Las Vegas based tech startup that prepares
young people for the workforce by offering a chance to create
dynamic digital portfolios of project work, compete with teams
on real client projects, and demonstrate the adaptability,
technical skills, and soft skills in demand by employers.
We have been in business a little over a year, but I have
been involved in professional education and employment
initiatives for the past decade. My passion for this space
stems from my personal path in which I navigated off the
traditional education path. It started at 13 when I felt that
school was teaching me to be a good student, a skill that would
only be relevant as long as I was in school. I wanted to learn
how to be a good worker, something that would be relevant for
the rest of my life.
I eventually chose to return to formal education, and
entered as an undergraduate at the Cornell University School of
Industrial and Labor Relations and later as an MBA student at
the UCLA Anderson School of Management. But I continued to
struggle with the gap between the very academic learnings that
were occurring in school and the skills that I felt were needed
in the workforce.
This personal experience was combined with professional
insight when I became a labor rep and consultant for Lockheed
Martin Space Systems, a public sector labor consultant, and led
a multimillion dollar prize design aimed at driving
breakthroughs in education and learning.
Finally, I started Qualifyor, which aims to aid a large
number of students in employment readiness. But as a for-profit
startup, our model is really driven by market demands. This
training provides a much-needed alternative to the seemingly
limited options available to most young people, particularly
those for whom affordability of continued education is a
concern. More importantly, this type of skill is demanded by
the modern workforce. Unfortunately, private businesses are not
able to bear the weight of technical training for all young
people.
Today, the speed of technological innovation is
exponential. Billion dollar companies rise and fall seemingly
overnight. The things we learn quickly become irrelevant, and
daily life requires adaptability to ever-changing devices,
platforms, and technologies. The landscape is not only
constantly changing, but changing much more rapidly than it
ever has before. The structure of the current education system
requires long lead time to approve coursework and curriculum.
Where we used to have a sense of what jobs would exist in the
future, we now barely know what will exist a year from now, let
alone several years from now.
At the same time, education is decentralizing with various
online platforms offering e-learning curriculum, improved
software for learning, hybrid online/offline models, badging
capabilities, digital portfolios, and other credentialing
tools. As more individuals opt into the use of these platforms
and the bachelor's degree ceases to be the only viable
credential, companies are facing ever greater stacks of
applicants for whom the quality is uncertain. This means that
people who have hard evidence of their competency and capacity
will have an edge in the labor market.
In the spring of 2012, Zappos CEO and head of the $350
million downtown project, Tony Hsieh, was thinking about how to
educate and prepare the local labor ecosystem for a lot of
investment that he was putting into downtown Las Vegas. And he
provided seed funding for my company, Qualifyor. I came to Las
Vegas with its reputation for struggling education and high
unemployment and began reaching out to educators and employers
to get a firsthand sight of what was really happening here.
What I found shocked me. Not only was there great talent
here, but I also witnessed some of the most progressive
scalable education programs I had ever seen in the form of the
career and technical academies. There are great young minds in
Nevada, but many of them leave the State in favor of better
employment opportunities and never look back.
On the other hand, businesses were not interested in making
hires of unproven young talent that lacked experience. To solve
the no experience, no job, and no job so no experience problem,
we needed to find low risk methods for young people to get
their foot in the door, namely things like competitions and
project work which resulted in a portfolio to show rather than
tell what they could do.
The first school I visited was Southwest Career and
Technical Academy, and I was completely blown away by the level
of talent and professionalism I saw in the students. As Felicia
mentioned, I got to meet Jonathan Cervantes, a web design
major, who confidently shook my hand, showed me his business
card, and an impressive portfolio of web design work. A year
later, Jonathan is here in the audience, and he is an important
member of our staff managing web, marketing materials, social
media, IT, business development, and basically on call for
anything that us older folks do not know how to do.
While Jon is remarkable, he is not alone. In our
recruitment process, we have met dozens of incredible young
people who are leaps and bounds ahead of their peers from an
employability perspective because they have gone through the
CTA curriculum and built portfolios of work under conditions
that mimic the workforce. We had 50 applicants, and we are
unable to accept any of the comprehensive school applicants,
not because they are not bright or passionate, but because they
lacked the portfolio that companies require in order to work
with young people.
The product of our education system currently is not
developed with the customer in mind, meaning employable
graduates are not available going into the workforce. A school
that intends to prepare students for collegiate success will
utilize different curriculum than a school preparing students
for the workforce.
I commend the CTAs and all of you for your work in funding
these incredible types of programs, and hope that as you make a
consideration around this, you think about optimizing the
output of education to benefit the companies that exist in the
country. Thank you.
[The statement of Ms. Qua follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kline. Thank you.
Got to get your microphone there. Mr. Aleman, you are
recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF ALAN ALEMAN, STUDENT, COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA,
NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Mr. Aleman. Chairman Kline, Mr. Scott, and members of the
Committee, thank you for inviting me here today to tell my
story. My name is Alan Aleman, and my American Dream began when
I came to this country at the age of 11. Many opportunities
came into my life. I can say, in my own opinion, that I
attended one of the best high schools here in southern Nevada,
Southeast Career and Technical Academy, SECTA High School.
My parents came to this country looking for a better future
and education, and that was what SECTA High School gave me.
SECTA High School not only gave me an education, but also gave
me the necessary tools to succeed in life and in my career. I
applied to SECTA High School because one of my dreams is to
become a doctor. SECTA had a medical program that I knew would
be great for my career. When I received my acceptance to SECTA,
I was very enthusiastic. I felt like I was finally reaching my
goals.
My freshman year was amazing. I felt welcomed and
appreciated. I came across teachers that cared about me and my
future. They would always be there for me for any questions,
and they would never criticize me for being undocumented.
Instead, they pushed me to pursue my dreams.
Unfortunately in my sophomore year I got the sad news that
I was not going to be able enroll into the medical program
because of the lack of nine digits, a social security number.
Due to this setback, I decided to change to the business
program instead, which was office technology, and I do not
regret it whatsoever.
While I was a business major, there were many internships
available to students that involved my career and technical
skills. I knew I was capable, but many of the internships
required a social security number, and without authorization to
work, I could not participate. It was sad to see that many of
my U.S. citizen friends were taking advantage of these
opportunities, and I was not. I was, however, able to obtain
certifications that I knew were going to help me in an office
job: Microsoft Office Application Specialist in Word, Excel,
and PowerPoint. These are certifications that many office
employers would seek in a potential employee.
I was excited that I graduated from high school in 2010,
but skeptical. I knew I had the necessary skills to obtain a
good job where I could utilize my certifications, but because
of my immigration status, I could not be employed in a job like
that. Despite that, I was determined to pursue college. Luckily
in the State of Nevada, I can go to college without a social
security number. I have to go part time due to working full
time because I am not eligible for financial aid due to my
immigration status. After I graduate from college, I hope to go
on and become a doctor and someday be in the Air Force to serve
my country.
In 2011, I became an executive board member of the Latino
Youth Leadership Alumni, the LYLA, to represent them at the
Latin Chamber of Commerce as a board member. At the beginning I
was nervous because I knew it was a professional environment,
but I knew I was ready thanks to what I learned at my SECTA
High School. In 2010, I was voted to be the youth board member
at the Southern Nevada American Red Cross Chapter. I still
serve on all three boards, and I know I have been successful in
these professional settings due to the skills I learned at
SECTA.
On October 17, 2012 I was approved for DACA, which changed
my life. I was partially given the opportunity to live without
fear, get a decent job, and finally obtain something that I saw
my friends getting in high school, a driver's license.
Hermandad Mexicana Transnacional offered me a job, in which I
was finally applying the skills I learned at SECTA in a real
job. Prior to DACA, I was not working in a job like this.
DACA is temporary and not sufficient. I still do not know
if I am going to be able to enroll in medical school, and DACA
does not give me a path to citizenship. We need a common sense
approach to fix these problems. DREAMers and families are tired
of seeing and listening to unsupportive excuses just to avoid
this topic. Many U.S. citizen students cannot concentrate at
school because they are afraid of their parents being removed
from this country.
It is sad to see that many in the House of Representatives
say they support DREAMers, but yet they vote against us, and
that puts DACA at risk over and over. I loved being a student
at SECTA, but what good is it to learn the skills and then have
no options to go forward with my dreams? I think Congress
should support schools like SECTA and other schools through the
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.
It is heartbreaking that many families are being separated
by this Administration and because some members care more about
their political affiliation than what the American people want:
a path to citizenship. Members of this committee, I would like
to ask you to take action on this matter instead of
perpetuating it. Many dreams, futures, and families depend on
you. Do it for the greater good of this country, the United
States of America.
Again, I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify
before you and to express my career and technical education
here in Clark County School District, and, more importantly, on
the need for congressional action on the DREAM Act and on
comprehensive immigration reform.
[The statement of Mr. Aleman follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kline. Thank you.
Professor Morrison, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF ANGELA MORRISON, VISITING PROFESSOR, WILLIAM S.
BOYD SCHOOL OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Ms. Morrison. Good afternoon. I thank Chairman Kline and
the Committee for inviting me to testify this afternoon. I
commend the committee for its focus on such an important topic.
While programs under the Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act provide a means for State and local leaders to
develop programs that encourage successful transitions from
secondary training to post-secondary training to careers for
many young people, a substantial number of young people stall
at the secondary level due to their own immigration status or
that of their parents. By not providing a method for these
young people or their parents to regularize their immigration
status, the United States is squandering the enormous
contributions that these young people could make to the United
States.
Children in the United States have the right to a public,
K-12 education regardless of their immigration status. However,
three aspects of our current immigration system means that some
young people in whom we have invested are left out in the cold
when it comes to further developing their skills through post-
secondary education and transitioning into the workforce.
First, and perhaps most obvious, young people who are
unauthorized are unable to work in the wake of legislation
passed in the 1986 Immigration and Reform Control Act, which
made hiring unauthorized workers a crime.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Programs program
allows some young people to temporarily overcome the challenge
of work authorization because approval under the program comes
with work authorization for a period of 2 years. Around 1.09
million young, unauthorized immigrants meet the age, entry, and
eligibility requirements of DACA, and United States Citizenship
Services has approved over half a million applications.
Nonetheless, DACA bestows no immigration status, and is merely
an exercise of the Administration's prosecutorial discretion
authority.
Second, unauthorized immigrant youth, even those with DACA,
face tremendous challenges in obtaining post-secondary
education and training. It is up to individual States whether
to grant in-State tuition to unauthorized students or even
allow unauthorized students to enroll. And when unauthorized
immigrants do enroll, they are unable to access Federal
financial aid, including, grants, loans, and work study
programs.
Finally, the United States immigration system negatively
impacts the educational and career opportunities of U.S.
citizen children whose parents are unauthorized. An estimated
4.5 million United States citizen children have an unauthorized
immigrant parent. And from 2010 to 2012, DHS effected 204,810
removals that involved the parents of U.S. citizen children.
The removal of a United States citizen child's parent can
result in the de facto removal of that child. The immigration
arrest or removal of a parent can also impact the child's
ability to successfully participate in school.
Through my work supervising student attorneys at UNLV Law
School's Thomas and Mack Legal Clinic, I have assisted young
people who are unauthorized immigrants and interacted with
young U.S. citizens whose parents are facing removal. The
experiences of two young people illustrate the challenges our
immigration laws pose to the successful transition from
secondary education to post-secondary education and careers.
Yesenia's parents brought her to the United States when she
was only 18 months old. Yesenia was an outstanding student even
as early as elementary school. She had dreamed of attending
college ever since she was young, and her family encouraged her
dream. She found out that she had no immigration status when
she was only 9 years old. Despite her unauthorized status,
Yesenia was able to complete high school and enroll at UNLV.
She graduated magna cum laude in 2010, and remarkably she was
able to do this despite a lack of Federal financial aid or
work. The clinic eventually was able to get Yesenia DACA in
June of 2012, and she received deferred action. Importantly,
she received work authorization for a period of 2 years.
Johan is a United States citizen, but both of his parents
were present in the United States without authorization. The
clinic met Johan when ICE sought to remove his mother. When
Johan was 13 years old and a successful middle school student
achieving high grades, ICE removed his father from this
country. Within the next few months, his mother suffered a
stroke, they lost their family home, and then ICE picked up his
mother. Needless to say, Johan's grades plummeted, and he
experienced almost debilitating stress and anxiety over the
possible removal of his mother. The clinic was able to obtain a
temporary stay. He is now 15 years old, doing well, and in
ROTC, and has an interest in becoming a software engineer.
The removal of young, unauthorized immigrants like Yesenia,
the de facto removal of United States citizen children like
Johan, and the lack of opportunity for unauthorized young
people who remain without the ability to work or enroll in
post-secondary education and training programs represent a gap
in the United States career and technical education programs
that can only be addressed through immigration reform. Any
legislation or policies that this committee considers must take
account of this in order to truly revive our economy. Thank
you.
[The statement of Ms. Morrison follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kline. Thank you.
Mr. Woodbeck, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF FRANK R. WOODBECK, DIRECTOR, NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF
EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING, AND REHABILITATION, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Mr. Woodbeck. Good afternoon, and thank you, Chairman
Kline, Congressman Heck, Congressman Titus, and members of the
committee. Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss
career and technical education and training programs that
promote industry alignments to strengthen the economy and
workforce in Nevada.
I am Frank Woodbeck. I am director of the Department of
Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, also known as DETR.
DETR's mission is to provide Nevada's businesses with access to
a qualified workforce, support the career and training goals of
job seekers, and encourage equal employment opportunities for
all Nevadans, including those with disabilities. In unification
with that mission, DETR continues to seek innovative ways to
carry out its historic safety net responsibilities even more
intently in response to the great recession that our Nation
endured throughout the past 7 years.
Governor Sandoval recognizes the department as the
architect that designs and promotes collaborations with
Nevada's Department of Education, Nevada System of Higher
Education, also known as NSHE, including the community
colleges, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and
the school districts to deliver pathways for careers and
vocations to the unemployed, underemployed, and yet to be
employed citizens of Nevada. Nevada's career and technical
academies, signature academies, and STEM-related magnet schools
play a vital role in our efforts to promote high demand
occupations to youth who will be entering the workforce over
the next decade.
DETR serves as the State's workforce development arm,
providing numerous labor-related services through its
divisions. DETR manages 10 Nevada JobConnect offices, which
provide job seekers with resources for job searching, skills
assessment and training, and provides employers with assistance
in finding qualified employees. Thousands of job seekers
utilize the JobConnect centers daily, while business service
representatives serve employers by offering space for hiring
events, access to tax incentives, and resources related to on-
the-job-training programs.
When the great recession hit in 2007, demands for DETR's
services ramped up exponentially. When Governor Sandoval
assumed office, he realigned economic development efforts and
quickly brought DETR into the fold as a major contributor to
economic development activities. If Nevada is to survive
another economic downturn in the future, it must focus on
attracting a diverse cadre of industries to do so. And in order
to do so, it must have a skilled workforce in place that can
sustain a globally competitive economy.
GOED, or the Office Economic Development, commissioned a
study of Nevada's economy by the Brookings Institute. Findings
concluded that Nevadans needed to focus on nine sectors for
economic development and workforce expansion. From this study
and with legislative action, DETR formed the Governor's
Workforce Investment Board's industry sector councils to
initiate workforce development activities in these sectors that
include high demand occupations of the future. These industry
sectors include: healthcare and medical services; clean energy
and sustainability; tourism, gaming, and entertainment;
aerospace and defense, information technology; logistics and
operations; mining and materials; agriculture; and
manufacturing.
Utilizing the findings of the industry sector councils, the
Governor's Board provides guidance to the local workforce
boards for investment of Workforce Investment Act funding in
training for the unemployed, underemployed, and young adults.
Each industry sector council is designed to number
approximately 22 to 25 volunteer members, and at least 51
percent of the membership comes with being business executives
coming from those the industry sectors, including CEOs, COOs,
and human resource executives. These industry sector councils
are a component of a historic collaboration between the
Governor's Workforce Investment Board, the Economic Development
Board, DETR, and the higher education, and will yield
investment and workforce training and development that will
serve Nevada's industry growth of today and the future.
All of the industry sector councils have established
strategic plans, and are underway with initiatives to support
growth within their respective sectors. For example, the
healthcare sector and medical services sector have planned a
workforce investment summit for April 8th to bring together
various stakeholders from across the State for input on current
and future workforce demands to best prepare for an adequate
supply of healthcare workers to meet healthcare delivery needs
in Nevada. Additionally, on the healthcare front, the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation awarded Nevada a $150,000 planning
grant for the Future of Nursing State Implementation Program to
help prepare nursing professionals to address healthcare
challenges.
In 2013, the Nevada legislature passed SB 345 and codified
the formation of the Nevada STEM Advisory Council, of which I
am a member. The purpose of the council is to develop a
strategic plan for the development of educational resources in
the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics to serve as a foundation for workforce development,
college preparedness, and economic development for the State.
Nevada is experiencing a significant shortage in the workforce
for those STEM-related skills.
Career and technical education in Nevada is organized under
16 nationally recognized career clusters. And the basis of CTE
is the course sequence commonly known as the CTE program. There
are over 70 CTE programs in secondary education here with
career pathways ranging from health sciences to information
technology. In Nevada, more than 50,000 students in grades nine
through 12 are enrolled in CTE courses. In the 2012 to 2013
school year, Nevada's cohort graduation rate was 70.65 percent.
For students who earned two or more credits of CTE coursework,
Nevada's cohort graduation rate was 87.75 percent.
DETR recently partnered with the NSHE and community
colleges statewide to open Nevada Workforce Development Centers
in support of Nevada's economic development efforts. The first
center opened last fall at the College of Southern Nevada at
the Cheyenne campus. Now, these centers are part of our vision
to bring education and workforce development together to help
advance economic development throughout the State.
I would like to thank the committee for its attention this
afternoon and for allowing me to submit this particular
testimony. Thank you very much.
[The statement of Mr. Woodbeck follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Chairman Kline. Thank you, sir. I thank all the witnesses
for your testimony. We will move now to member questioning. I
would advise my colleagues that we are running late. We got
started a little late, and we are running late, so I will have
to insist on keeping within the time limit.
Ms. Nemcek, let me start with you again, and thank you
again for hosting here. In your testimony, you talked about the
changing role of the principal and you were very clear and
eloquent, in fact. I am trying to understand what kind of
contact you have now with businesses directly. Is that part of
what you are doing?
Ms. Nemcek. Yes. With each of the different program areas,
we have advisory boards. And so, we are bringing in business
and industry professionals from each of those areas. And we
bring them in. We meet with them regularly on advisories, and
we have to do this two or three times a year to ensure that our
curriculum is relevant to what is happening in their fields.
Chairman Kline. Okay. Can you adapt your curriculum then
pretty quickly?
Ms. Nemcek. The CTE curriculum is a State curriculum, but
it does allow a little bit of flexibility for us to adapt. When
it does become evident that we need to make changes or look at
a different pathway, we do work closely with our own school
district, career tech department, and our State Department of
Education to build that curriculum.
Chairman Kline. Okay. I want to continue on that same theme
of adapting. Ms. Qua, in your testimony, you talked about the
time to develop a new program and then to scale it up. What is
your sense of how long does it take you or how long does it
take the schools to see a new need and then start up a program
or scale up a program to meet that need?
Ms. Qua. So I cannot really speak to what the time is for
particular schools. I think it is different depending on the
level of education, whether that is K through 12 or university.
But in terms of with Qualifyor, we have been trying to build a
really agile model where every bit of curriculum that we have
developed is directly based on what companies have said they
need in terms of skill sets.
And so, you know, it is not to say that all education
should be completely driven by employer demands, but I think at
least a part of every education should integrate the changing
needs. And in particular the things that employers have spoken
to us about and sort of sought and not found in young people
would be, first of all, adaptability, self-awareness, the
technical skills of course, but also things like problem
solving.
And so, some of the softer skills sets, which I think
Southwest does a really great job of teaching, and that
regardless of the career that you go into or what your major
is, these are things that should be brought into the curriculum
and taught to students starting at a very young age.
Chairman Kline. Okay. Dr. Spangler, Ms. Qua mentioned
differences in the schools. And so, I am interested in your
thoughts about the differences between secondary and post-
secondary CTE, and should there be a better mesh. Do they need
to be kept apart? How does that difference apply to Ms. Qua's
answer?
Dr. Spangler. Well, the differences apply only in terms of
the direct applicability to business and industry. Our programs
are directly responsible to the local employment needs. As far
as the interlacing of our programs with the secondary programs,
that is an absolutely essential component.
The transition of a student from a CTE program at the high
school to our CTE programs should be nearly seamless. And in
order to do that, we have employed several tools, the most
prominent of which is tech prep, a function of the Perkins
process, in fact, where students can acquire credit from us for
courses that they are taking in high school. We have matched
content and outcomes, and we do our best to try to encourage as
much interconnectivity as we can there.
Chairman Kline. Okay. Thank you. I see my time is about to
expire. Mr. Scott?
Mr. Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Morrison, what
reason would students have not to sign up for DACA?
Ms. Morrison. In my opinion, at least here in Nevada, there
are probably about three reasons why students might not be
applying for DACA. One might be that they are not eligible. But
assuming that they are eligible, a lot of what could be driving
it is the fact that a lot of young people are afraid to apply
because they are afraid it will bring them to the attention of
immigration authorities, and it only provides temporary relief.
So they have no guarantee that once they do get the DACA relief
that they are going to be able to renew it.
Mr. Scott. Mr. Woodbeck, what effect does a person's status
as a DACA status have on their career options?
Mr. Woodbeck. I would have a difficult time answering that
question. I really do not know, sir.
Mr. Scott. Mr. Woodbeck. Ms. Qua mentioned credentials. In
the food service or hospitality area, are there credentials you
can get that would help an employer be able to quickly evaluate
what you can do and what you cannot do?
Mr. Woodbeck. Absolutely.
Mr. Scott. And could you give some examples of that?
Mr. Woodbeck. Well, in the hospitality area, there are high
schools and also community colleges that have programs within
hospitality that train in the hospitality arena, as well as
Nevada partners, for example, that also train. I think you
mentioned two of our Nevada partners today--Culinary Institute.
And so, those credentials are used to evaluate.
Mr. Scott. So in the hospitality area in terms of
bartending, you would know exactly where you would be in the
continuum of possibilities, and he could hire you for exactly
what you wanted to do, is that right?
Mr. Woodbeck. Right, and they would have to have certain
credentials to be hired and remain hired, sure.
Mr. Scott. Mr. Spangler, you mentioned the transition
between high school and college. Are we making sure that we do
not get high school students in a vocational and educational
rut so that in 12th grade they cannot change their mind and go
to a traditional 4-year college?
Dr. Spangler. The transition is available. That is,
students who pursue a particular technical program in high
school can elect to adjust that. Our experience has been that
students do make changes of course. Many of us made
undergraduate changes. But we found that they rarely change 180
degrees; that is, a student in computer aid graphic design may
find another design or computer-related field. And we try to
adapt the credit or credentials that they may already have to
those programs.
Mr. Scott. Well, you mean, you do not want to get somebody
in a situation where they do not have the credits. The option
of a 4-year college is not eliminated because they got in a
vocational educational rut and could not change their mind.
Dr. Spangler. We are right now building new pathways for
people who are career and technical students. I can pick on
some areas in particular, electronics, for example. An
electronics student who pursues our associate of applied
science degree has historically been capped at that 2-year
associate's in applied science.
We are right now working on bachelor of applied science or
bachelor degree pathways for those students with other
institutions in the State, private and public.
Mr. Scott. Thank you. Ms. Nemcek, Mr. Woodbeck mentioned
higher graduation rates of people involved in this education.
Can you say a word about the effect it has on attendance?
Ms. Nemcek. Well, the effect that we have here in our
school and with career technical students is that it is much
higher than the average student that is not in career technical
education. Currently we sit at 96 percent or higher average
daily attendance in all of our career technical academies.
Mr. Scott. Which is much better than traditional high
school.
Ms. Nemcek. Yes.
Mr. Scott. Mr. Woodbeck, there is a question of whether we
are going to have continued formula grants or competitive
grants. Can you say a word about what you would prefer in terms
of Perkins funding?
Mr. Woodbeck. I would prefer broad flexibility that would
allow us to apply the grant money in a formula that would allow
us to apply the grant money where it is needed and where it can
be of most use for this particular State.
Mr. Scott. As opposed to competitive where you might get
funding or you might not?
Mr. Woodbeck. Correct.
Chairman Kline. The gentleman's time has expired. Dr. Heck?
Mr. Heck. Thanks, Mr. Chairman, again. Thanks to all the
witnesses for participating today. You can see why I was so
excited to have the hearing here in our district. I could not
be prouder of the accomplishments of schools like Southwest
Career Tech or the community colleges in the career and
technical education programs.
You know, I think, Ms. Nemcek, you brought up a good point
about allowing the students to follow a different career path
even after going through a CTE program if they ultimately
decide they want to do something else. And I could see how the
benefit of CTE, no matter what they did afterwards, especially
if we just use an example the three students we chatted with
before we came in. I mean, they are all much more articulate,
poised, self-confident, and have great self-presence and
interpersonal skills, which will serve them well no matter
where they go.
You know, we have talked a little bit about the potential
funding issues. You mentioned it, and I mentioned it in my
opening comments. Could you speak to the impact the nearly 50
percent cut to the Nevada CTE formula funding which is proposed
in the President's budget for Fiscal Year '15 could have on
your ability to maintain the success you have achieved here at
Southwest?
Ms. Nemcek. Sure. As all of you are aware, it is extremely
expensive to continue to upgrade software and hardware and to
keep current with all the different changing technology in
every single field. And so, if we were to experience such a
cut, we already share in the grant money across the State. And
less money would also mean that we would also have to start
making cuts to each program and having to make some hard
decisions, and those are just decisions that we cannot afford
to make if we want to continue to grow and to create students
that are job ready, career ready right out of high school so
that they have the best chance of being successful in college
and in our own economy.
Mr. Heck. I am sure that when we take the tour, the members
will be able to see the capital intensiveness of the
infrastructure in a CTA when we go out to the auto tech or in
the culinary arts. A lot of equipment that is very expensive is
necessary to make sure that other students have the educational
opportunities.
Dr. Spangler, how would the proposed cut I mentioned in my
question to Principal Nemcek impact CTE education at the
College of Southern Nevada? Specifically, would it impact your
ability to collaborate with the Clark County School District as
you mentioned in your written testimony?
Dr. Spangler. Perkins is our lifeblood, as I said earlier.
A sizable cut of that nature would be devastating. Career and
technical programs are not cheap dates. We definitely require
high end and, in many cases, state of the art equipment because
the training we prepare these students for are frequently life
and death.
We cannot afford to half step on the quality and the
currency of equipment, software, and other tools that we use. I
do not want to be out on the I-15 with brakes that do not work,
nor with technicians that have not been properly schooled on
how to keep those brakes working. It is an important
consideration, and particularly since so many of these areas
are critical, are indeed life and death areas.
We teach programs that quite literally mean the survival
not only personally, but of the industry and businesses in this
area. And we cannot keep up with industry demands and the high
turnover of technology without a steady infusion of funding
from Perkins. And, frankly, although our industry partners are
very generous, they cannot keep up without our contributions,
our work in Perkins there.
Mr. Heck. Thank you. Director Woodbeck, as you know, the
biggest problem facing our community in southern Nevada is the
lack of good, high paying middle class jobs. Yesterday I had a
job fair. About 400 people attended looking for jobs. Can you
expand on how CTE programs, like those here at Southwest, that
are training our students for in-demand jobs will attract new
and diverse industries to our State creating those high paying
jobs and inoculating our State from future economic downturns?
Mr. Woodbeck. Sure. As we attract business to the State,
the first question they ask is do we have a qualified
workforce. And we have been fortunate thus far, but what the
career and technical academies give us is the foundation for a
qualified workforce since the foundation of a lot of the
training they receive here puts them in line for various
certificate programs, the very certificates of achievement in
various aspects of their skill training, if you will, say,
machining, et cetera, which would allow for their hiring either
out of high school or immediately after achieving another
certificate beyond that and what are called stackable
credentials. So it puts them in line for that.
Mr. Heck. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yield back.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, Dr. Heck. Mr. Hinojosa, you are
recognized.
Mr. Hinojosa. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And my first
question is to Mr. Woodbeck. Mr. Woodbeck, did you know that
the--or rather maybe I should first say let the record show and
give clarification that the cut to the Nevada funding is not
proposed in the President's budget. And having said that, my
question to you is, what was the impact of sequestration on
Nevada CTE program delivery, and what, in your opinion, is the
appropriate funding level for Perkins?
Mr. Woodbeck. Okay. The Perkins funding is actually within
the realm of the community colleges here and the Department of
Education, which I do not oversee. We participate in the use of
those funds and how those funds are used in deciding that, but
we do not oversee the funds themselves.
To get to another point regarding your question regarding
sequestration, that hurts. I mean, any funding that we can
receive and apply to training we would want to do that.
Mr. Hinojosa. Can you please speak to the impact of
Nevada's DREAMers population on the State economy?
Mr. Woodbeck. That I could not speak intelligently to, no,
I could not, sir.
Mr. Hinojosa. Then I will ask my next question to Ms. Qua
as founder and CEO of Qualifyor. Do DREAMers have the
opportunity for apprenticeship programs like with Ford and
General Motors?
Ms. Qua. I am not an expert on the DREAM Act, so I prefer
not to answer any questions about it.
Mr. Hinojosa. Dr. Spangler, is that available?
Dr. Spangler. I am sorry, Mr. Hinojosa, I have no great
knowledge of the effect of the DREAM Act.
Mr. Hinojosa. Does anybody on the panel have an answer to
my question? I have a community college, South Texas Community
College, and I went and visited representatives of Ford Motor
Company, and I also went to visit representatives of General
Motors and told them that in my area we had lots of Latinos
that were very good with automobiles, but we needed to upgrade
them to apprentices. And they brought the apprenticeship
program, and it is working beautifully. When they graduate as
an apprentice, which takes about 5 years, they are in the
$100,000 range in their salaries, and that seems like something
that would work very well.
So my next question would be to Alan Aleman. Alan, thank
you for your courage and your determination. In your testimony,
you indicated that you would like to be a doctor.
Mr. Aleman. Yes.
Mr. Hinojosa. Can you tell us why you could not enroll in
the medical program at Southeast Career Technical Academy?
Mr. Aleman. Yes, because in order to get the license on the
health occupation that SECTA had, you needed a social security
number to get certified.
Mr. Hinojosa. Have there ever been through the director of
the Governor's Office of Economic Development a waiver given to
somebody as bright and capable as you?
Mr. Aleman. Can you repeat the question, please?
Mr. Hinojosa. Have waivers ever been given in Nevada's
history of these technical programs where an exception can be
made when we have a young man as intelligent and bright as you?
Mr. Aleman. To be honest, I do not think such waivers exist
here in Nevada because that is not part of the school. That is
part of the State. That is part of the State policy. So unless
there is a change on that State policy, then there would be--
Mr. Hinojosa. You might want to ask that question because
there was a Supreme Court court case where a DREAMer went
through law school and was allowed to practice. So I think that
sometimes we have to kick down some doors and open them up.
Opportunities like professions in medicine or physician's
assistant are things that we need badly here in the southwest
in States like Nevada.
Mr. Aleman. Yes, and that is why I stated that DACA is not
sufficient because most of the licenses require you to be a
permanent resident. Just like my co-worker, she graduated
Nevada State College. She has a bachelor's degree, but she
cannot--
Mr. Hinojosa. I understand. I understand you are hitting a
big wall. But, Alan, why do you believe that Congress must pass
the DREAM Act as part of comprehensive immigration reform, and
what would it do to the State of Nevada?
Mr. Aleman. I think it will have not only a great economic
impact on Nevada, but also on the United States of America. I
think it is difficult to choose between our parents and our
future. I think the DREAM Act should be with a comprehensive
immigration reform because, in my opinion, thanks to my parents
I am here. I got the education I needed to succeed in life.
Mr. Hinojosa. My time has ended, so I will have to yield
back.
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman. We are running
really late, but I am very pleased we have two of our
colleagues not members of the committee who have joined us
here. I think we still have two.
Voice. Mr. Horsford stepped out.
Chairman Kline. Okay, well, we may have two. So I am going
to welcome Congresswoman Titus and Congressman Horsford.
Without objection, Congresswoman Titus and Congressman Horsford
will be permitted to participate in our hearing today.
And I hear no objection, so, Ms. Titus, you are recognized
for 5 minutes.
Ms. Titus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I was pleased to
serve on this committee in a previous term. I also want to
thank Mr. Hinojosa for pointing out that the cuts in the budget
are not the President's policy, but are a result of a 1998
statute with the hold harmless provision in that statute that
deals with the formula. And there is a bipartisan effort
underway now, led by Mr. Grijalva on our side, to change that
formula. So let us be clear about that.
Also, I thank you for being here, Kacy, for the downtown
project. That is right in the heart of District 1. We are very
excited about that. I would point out that Alan was the honored
guest of the President at the last inaugural address, and,
Professor Morrison, the student you mentioned, Yesenia, did
most of her undergraduate work with my husband, Dr. Tom Wright,
in the history department.
Mr. Woodbeck, you mentioned and it is really true that we
often hear from businesses about the shortage of Americans who
have the skills needed to compete in the 21st century, and that
is certainly true in the data. It is not over regulation. It is
not an unfriendly business tax climate. It is the lack of a
qualified workforce.
So I commend the school district for wonderful academies
like this and the magnet schools that feed into them with the
STEM education. But we know it is not enough. There are waiting
lines for children to get into these programs, and that is
especially true if you look at the student body with the
minority students, a lack of minority students going into STEM
fields. Now, Alan may be the exception, but DREAMers and other
minorities are not signing up for these fields.
So I would ask you, Director, you sit on that STEM Advisory
Council, and also Stavan Corbett, who is a member of the school
board, sits on it, too. He is working with me on a bill I have
introduced to use some of the money for certain visas that
bring in high tech workers to provide scholarships for
minorities going into the STEM fields and also to support
universities and colleges that serve a large percentage of
minority students.
So what is the State doing to bring more minorities into
the STEM fields? What can the Federal government do to help
you? And then I would ask you the same thing about community
college.
Mr. Woodbeck. Thank you, Congresswoman Titus. First of all,
the STEM Advisory Council, there is a twofold problem there.
One is stirring up the interest and the knowledge of what STEM
education is about and what those pathways will do for students
in getting that interest. And there is quite a bit of interest,
but we could certainly do more. The other piece is recognizing
successful STEM programs, and that is the other piece that I
will advocate for on that council, that we recognize them with
awards to teachers and to schools, that we underwrite STEM
education programming more, and that we insist through our own
Department of Education of having STEM coursework as part of
the regular curriculum.
And it is a multifaceted approach that we need to take, and
that will, in fact, attract other students, minority students
and all students, quite frankly, into those programs.
Ms. Titus. We are doing an app competition right now in my
district, and they are working with Intel, Microsoft, and
certainly Downtown Zappos to mentor some of those students who
are competing in that. Are you doing anything special to
attract minority students? What can we do to help you in that
area?
Dr. Spangler. Well, Congresswoman, it is really a function
of defining ``minorities.'' For example, in our areas, and this
is technical fields, we are looking at gender, which is one of
the criterion under Perkins, trying to attract women to
disciplines that have been historically male dominated--
automotive and diesel technology, information technology--or
men into healthcare, for example.
We are doing a number of different projects on that, and
that is a standard we are trying to meet. For example, this
coming May, we will be hosting or co-hosting a program called
Geek Girls to encourage young women to enter information
technology fields. So when we look at minority, we define it
sometimes a little differently.
Ms. Titus. Yes. Well, let us work with you on that. Mr.
Chairman, I would yield the rest of my time to Mr. Hinojosa, if
that is all right.
Mr. Hinojosa. Thank you. I want to invite any and all of
the members of this panel to come down to deep south Texas
south of San Antonio. There is a University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary of HESTEC, an
acronym, HESTEC, Hispanic Engineering Science Technology
Conference. And we have graduated 2,000 minorities in
engineering. We have graduated physicists and mathematicians.
We have graduated researchers, and we have partners with over
50 of corporate America to help sponsor HESTEC.
Chairman Kline. The gentleman's time has expired. We all
appreciate very much the invitation. The gentlelady's time has
expired. All time for questions has expired.
I would now like to turn to Dr. Heck for any closing
comments he might have. And again, thank you for inviting us to
your district.
Mr. Heck. Sure. Well, again, I want to thank you, Chairman
Kline, as well as the other colleagues from the committee for
traveling here to have this field hearing. Again, Ms. Nemcek,
thank you for hosting, all the panelists for participating. I
also want to point out that we have Carolyn Edwards, one of our
school board trustees, here in the audience, Joyce Haldeman--I
do not know if she is still here--from the superintendent's
office for coming and participating today.
I think one of the resounding themes that we heard today
when it comes to career technical education is partnerships. It
is partnerships amongst secondary and post-secondary
institutions, as well as private partners in the education
system and employers, all things that are critical. I think we
see that there is a very high return on investment for career
and technical education. The follow-on effects for economic
development as Mr. Woodbeck brought out I think are something
that is critically important, especially for a State like
Nevada that continues to struggle to recover from the great
recession.
As just a point of clarification, the President's Fiscal
Year '15 budget does pull $100 million out of CTE funding for a
new program, which would result in the hold harmless provision
going into effect, which would then result in the 50 percent
cut to Clark County School District's CTE funding.
Mr. Chairman, I give you a lot of credit. You know, the
committee has passed out the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act, reauthorizing that. It is awaiting action in the Senate.
We have passed out a Workforce Investment Reauthorization in
the Skills Act doing a lot of the things that Mr. Woodbeck and
our partners here today talked about in creating collaborative
relationships, also awaiting action in the Senate. I hope we
will be able to pass out the Perkins Act, working on the
funding formula so that everybody is kept whole to the best of
our ability. And, of course, we will also be tackling the
Higher Education Act as soon as that expires in 2014.
So we have a lot on our plates, but I know that the
committee under your leadership is up to the challenge as we
continue to try to make sure that we give all of our students
every opportunity to graduate college career ready. Again,
thank you for bringing the hearing here, and I yield back.
Chairman Kline. Thank you, sir. Mr. Scott, you are
recognized for any closing remarks.
Mr. Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I thank our local
representative, Dr. Heck, Ms. Titus, and Mr. Horsford, for
their hospitality. As we started off saying, education past the
high school level would be essential for any decent job in the
future. Those without some kind of education or training after
high school will be relegated to very low-paying jobs.
Career education will enable our students to qualify for
those jobs with credentials so that the employer will know
exactly what the employee can do so they do not have to guess,
and people who are fully credentialed not get the jobs, and
people who do not know what they are doing get the jobs. We
need this education with the certificates.
I think it is important that we not limit high school
students. Vocational education used to be a dumping ground. If
you could not do regular education, well, you just go over
there and learn a little trade, stay in school, get your little
diploma. Vocational education used to be a dumping ground, but
as Dr. Spangler mentioned, these jobs now require expertise.
And you are not going to get that in a dumping ground. You have
got to get the basics, so we have to make sure that all of our
students get the basics because they are going to certainly
need it if they expect to do well in a career.
We need to make sure that all students get that
opportunity, including the DREAMers, and so we have to deal
with immigration reform so that 65,000 high graduates every
year do not get left behind. We also need to reauthorize the
Perkins Act and Higher Education to ensure that today's
students will be prepared for the future jobs. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman Kline. I thank the gentleman. I am told that we
have been joined by Bart Patterson, President of Nevada State
College. Welcome. Glad you could join us. We have had a lively
conversation. We have had excellent, excellent witnesses with a
great deal of knowledge. We very much appreciate your input.
I want to thank my Nevada colleagues for letting us come
and visit. It is a real hardship when you come from Minnesota
to come to Las Vegas at this time of year.
[Laughter.]
Chairman Kline. But I was willing to make the sacrifice.
Joe, thank you. Thank you very much. And again, thanks to our
witnesses for a really, really good hearing.
There being no further business, the committee stands
adjourned.
[Additional Submissions by Mr. Spangler follow:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[Whereupon, at 4:00 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]