[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 100 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8321-S8328]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CARL D. PERKINS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 
                        2005--CONFERENCE REPORT

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of the conference report to 
accompany S. 250, the Carl D. Perkins vocational education bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 
     two Houses on the amendments of the House to the bill (S. 
     250) to amend the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical 
     Education Act of 1998 to improve the Act, having met, have 
     agreed that the Senate recede from its disagreement to the 
     amendment of the House to the text of the bill and agree to 
     the same with an amendment and the House agree to the same; 
     that the House recede from its amendment to the title of the 
     bill, signed by a majority of the conferees on the part of 
     both Houses.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
conference report.

[[Page S8322]]

  (The conference report is printed in the House proceedings of the 
Record of July 25, 2006.)
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the conference 
report to accompany S. 250, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Improvement Act of 2006.
  This legislation reflects a lengthy bipartisan effort to strengthen 
and improve Federal programs designed to support career and technical 
education. I am very pleased to have worked with my friend and 
colleague from Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy, from introduction of the 
bill in the Senate through today's consideration of the conference 
report.
  This legislation was reported favorably by the Senate Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee last Spring by a unanimous 
vote. The following day it passed the Senate on a vote of 99 to 0. I am 
encouraged by the broad support for this legislation and I am pleased 
to be able to recommend passage of this conference report.
  This legislation is important for three reasons. The first reason is 
the added emphasis on academic achievement. I commend the President and 
the Governors for raising the issue of high school reform, and I 
believe this legislation is an important part of that process. 
Improving and strengthening the academic focus of the Perkins Act is 
part of a much larger effort to ensure that today's students will be 
ready for tomorrow's reality, whether it is in college or the 
workplace.
  In 1998, when Congress last reauthorized the Perkins program, 
additional emphasis on student academic achievement was incorporated 
into the bill. That emphasis was critical, and the results have been 
demonstrated in the program. More Perkins students are performing 
better on national reading and math assessments than ever before. The 
National Assessment of Adult Literacy, released earlier this year, 
pointed out that career and technical education students perform better 
than their peers in both reading and math comprehension.
  Another recent study of Arizona career and technical education 
students showed that students in career and technical training courses 
were more likely to meet State math proficiency levels than students 
not enrolled in technical training courses. That is good, because 
today's jobs are requiring stronger academic preparation than ever 
before, especially in math and science.
  We are also facing a significant problem in terms of today's students 
completing high school and earning a secondary education degree. A 
significant amount of research, many college instructors, and employers 
agree that far too many high school graduates are not prepared for 
college-level classes and many more do not have the skills to advance 
beyond entry level jobs.
  Only 68 percent of the students entering the ninth grade 4 years ago 
are expected to graduate this year. For minority students, this number 
hovers around 50 percent. In addition, we continue to experience an 
overall dropout rate of 11 percent per year.
  The Perkins Act emphasizes high school completion by making academic 
courses more relevant. According to the National Assessment of 
Vocational Education, now 2 years old, career and technical education 
students are three times more likely to apply academic skills to job 
related tasks than students in academic courses.
  The Perkins program can help address the ``wasted senior year'' by 
helping to improve student academic achievement. It does that by 
linking learning to relevant applications and tasks. Students that are 
excited about learning will always do better, and a great way to get 
students excited about learning is to show them how they will use the 
skills they are learning in real life.
  For many students, understanding how they will use the skills they 
learn can mean the difference between completing a high school degree 
and dropping out. For others, it means greater investment in their 
studies than they might otherwise have. Making learning relevant is one 
of the best ways to ensure students stay interested in their 
coursework, while also preparing them for college and the workforce.
  In the bill we are now considering, we have made academic achievement 
one of several core indicators of performance for programs receiving 
funds from this act. As States are elevating their expectations for 
students under No Child Left Behind, we anticipate that career and 
technical education students will benefit from those same high 
expectations. We believe that career and technical education programs 
should be able to take credit for helping students improve their 
academic achievement in core subject areas, like reading, math, and 
science.
  This legislation also emphasizes the connection to postsecondary 
education. Many of today's high school students are entering college 
behind the curve before they even start. Almost a third of all college 
students are taking some remedial education courses before graduating. 
We need to make sure that more high school students are receiving the 
instruction they need before they leave high school in order to be 
successful in college.
  The impact of the need for remedial academic instruction has dramatic 
consequences. As many as three in four students requiring remedial 
reading instruction will not complete a postsecondary degree program. 
Over 60 percent of students requiring remedial math education will not 
complete a postsecondary degree.
  The Perkins program is in a unique position to help prevent the need 
for additional remedial education at the postsecondary level. Because 
the program provides funds for both secondary and postsecondary 
schools, programs are more coordinated, and students have broader 
exposure to postsecondary education before leaving high school. 
A number of programs enabling students to earn concurrent credits for 
high school and college are springing up within the Perkins program, 
helping students prepare for college and reduce their time to 
graduation from a postsecondary degree certificate or degree program.

  In Casper, WY, right now, the community college and the school 
district are working on plans to create a hybrid career and technical 
education center, which will help students earn credit toward a college 
degree, learn relevant job skills, and meet challenging State academic 
standards, all through a single sequence of courses. This legislation 
encourages more schools to begin innovative programs like the one being 
developed in Casper.
  The second reason this legislation is important is because it will 
help ensure we are preparing students for tomorrow's workforce. We are 
in the midst of a skills revolution. It is estimated that today's 
students leaving high school or college will have 14 different careers 
in their lifetimes. It is also estimated that the top 10 jobs 10 years 
from now haven't been invented yet. The question that faces all of us, 
put simply, is ``got skills?''
  We must equip our workers with the skills the technology-driven 
economy demands. We need to prepare our students for tomorrow's economy 
in order to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Nations such 
as China and India are rapidly catching up to our institutions in terms 
of quality, and they have a much larger student body from which to 
draw. The only way we can compete in the changing economy is to 
graduate students with the highest quality of academic and technical 
skills.
  Earlier this month on the Senate floor we discussed the need for 
skills training and its impact on wages. I made a speech to the effect 
that the problem we are facing is one of minimum skills--not minimum 
wages. The effect may be low wages, but the cause is low skills. We 
need to address those workers who have few, if any, of the skills they 
need to compete for a better job and command higher wages. We need to 
start thinking in terms of skills, the kinds of skills that will help 
students support themselves and their families in the future.
  Research shows that high school dropouts have an unemployment rate 
two times higher than high school graduates, and three times higher 
than college graduates. Over time, the earning differential between 
high school and college graduates has increased as well. In 1980, 
college graduates earned 50 percent more during their lifetime than 
high school graduates. Today this differential has increased to 100 
percent and continues to expand.
  The programs supported by the Perkins Act help students learn and 
develop the skills they need to compete

[[Page S8323]]

in the workforce. In the bill before us, we have emphasized the need to 
prepare students for placement in high skill, high wage, or high demand 
occupations. These are the types of jobs that will ensure a stronger 
future for students and will help them become self-sufficient.
  Eighty percent of the jobs created over the next 10 years will 
require some postsecondary education. However, the majority of those 
jobs will require less than a 4-year degree. This is a critical issue, 
and we need to start now to meet the needs of the future workforce. I 
believe that a stronger, more effective Perkins program is an important 
way to address this issue.
  By 2010 we face a projected skilled worker shortage of 5.3 million 
workers. That's 5.3 million American jobs that can't be filled because 
our workers don't have the right skills. That is why career and 
technical education funds are so critical to the supply of skilled 
labor in this country. These are precisely the types of careers for 
which the Perkins program is preparing students. Career and technical 
programs in this country are preparing students with the skills to 
succeed in health care, information technology, trade, manufacturing, 
and a host of other careers.
  One of the most critical improvements we have made to the Perkins 
program in this bill is to strengthen the connection of career and 
technical education programs to the needs of businesses. If we are 
going to help fill the growing need for skilled workers, we need to 
ensure Perkins programs are coordinating their instruction with current 
practices in industry and the needs of the local workforce.
  Thousands of examples are available of schools connecting with 
businesses to help develop the right curriculum for available high 
skill, high wage jobs. At a roundtable I chaired earlier this year on 
high school redesign issues, several of the participants described 
programs that linked academic programs at the high school or community 
college with the needs of the employers in the area. One such example 
was a program that prepared students to work in a nearby nuclear energy 
plant. The area high school offered classes so students in the area 
could begin the technical training to get a job at the nuclear 
powerplant, earning more than $40,000 a year to start.
  That's the type of relevant instruction that we need to encourage and 
that we are encouraging through this conference report. I expect that 
the students performing well in their nuclear power management and 
safety class are also performing well on State math and science 
assessments.
  The final reason that this legislation is important is because it 
provides a foundation for the redesign of Federal education policy. We 
need to structure Federal education policies that provide students and 
adult learners have access to lifelong education opportunities. In this 
21st century economy, learning never ends, and school is never out.
  The Perkins Act is one part of a ``three-legged stool'' of Federal 
education and training programs, all of which we will have considered 
during this Congress. The other two key pieces of this approach are the 
Workforce Investment Act, and the Higher Education Act. This is the 
first of those three bills to make it through conference, but I hope we 
will quickly follow with the others.
  If we are going to stay competitive, Federal education programs need 
to help support seamless transitions from education to the workforce, 
throughout life, from preschool through postsecondary education and 
beyond. The conference report we are considering takes the first step 
in that direction by emphasizing the connection between academic and 
technical education and the workforce and postsecondary education. The 
Workforce Investment Act and the Higher Education Act will be the next 
critical steps in ensuring that American students are prepared for 
today and tomorrow's careers, many which haven't been invented yet.
  Today's students are more and more likely to return to school 
throughout their lives for additional training. Some estimates suggest 
that as many as 75 percent of today's workers will need additional 
training just to stay current with their jobs. The modern college 
student reflects this trend perfectly. Today's average college student 
is likely to be older than 24, independent, and more likely to be 
female. They are also likely to have transferred institutions at least 
once in their postsecondary career.
  That snapshot reflects the reality that today's college students are 
there for training and technical skills acquisition more than anything 
else. Postsecondary education is one of the fastest means to 
advancement in today's economy. With a postsecondary education, workers 
are more likely to keep their jobs and take advantage of opportunities 
to grow and advance in the workforce, or transition to another 
occupation as the workforce changes.
  Federal policy needs to reflect the 21st century reality: we are in 
the midst of a jobs revolution. We are going to experience dramatic 
changes in the workforce over the next 10 to 15 years, and we need to 
start now if we are going to adapt Federal education and training 
policy to meet the coming crisis of too few workers with too few 
skills.
  I am pleased that this legislation is now at the final stage of the 
process. We were able to move this bill quickly through committee and 
the floor because we were able to work in a bipartisan manner to 
reauthorize a program that the members of the Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions Committee feel is an important part of the federal 
education and training system. Although the intervening work took much 
longer than I would have liked, I am happy to see the conference report 
taken up in the Senate.
  I want to thank Senator Kennedy and his staff for their hard work, 
and for the hard work of the Senate conferees. I specifically want to 
thank Carmel Martin, JD Larock, and Jane Oates from Senator Kennedy's 
staff. Although I understand Jane has moved on to greener pastures, she 
had a significant role to play in helping the legislation get to this 
point. I also want to thank Mr. McKeon and Mr. Miller, as well as the 
other House conferees, for helping us get to this point, and their 
staffs: Whitney Rhoades, Stephanie Milburn, Krisann Pearce, Lisa Ross, 
Denise Forte, Lloyd Horwich and many others. Finally, I want to thank 
my own staff--Scott Fleming, Beth Buehlmann, Lisa Schunk, Ilyse Schuman 
and Katherine McGuire--for helping me to move this bill all the way 
through the legislative process. They have spent many long hours 
seeking agreement on the provisions of the conference report and have 
done stellar work.
  Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support adoption of the 
conference report.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I am pleased that we are acting on this 
bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act, and I commend the chairman of our committee, Senator 
Enzi, for his willingness to have an open, bipartisan process for this 
legislation. His leadership and the impressive work of his staff helped 
guide this bill successfully through the conference, and they deserve 
great credit for their leadership.
  One of our highest priorities in Congress is to expand educational 
opportunities for every American. In this age of globalization, every 
citizen deserves a chance to acquire the education and skills needed to 
participate in the modern economy, to fulfill their hopes and dreams, 
raise healthy families, and contribute to their communities. We will be 
a fairer and stronger America when every citizen takes part.
  In the global economy, the contributions of every American matter. We 
must equip all our citizens to compete, not by lowering their pay and 
sending their jobs overseas but by increasing their skills. Career and 
technical education does that, by preparing students and adults for 
21st century jobs. With this reauthorization, career and technical 
programs will continue to have a vital role in transforming the lives 
of students and workers, and we will have a stronger economy as a 
result.
  Since the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917, the Federal 
Government has recognized the important role of career and technical 
education in the life of the Nation. As the needs of American business 
and industry have evolved, the revisions made to the Act over the years 
have reflected those changes. It is clear that vocational education is 
no longer the 1950s

[[Page S8324]]

version. It has evolved from shop classes into courses that use 
cutting-edge technology and focus on emerging and growing fields that 
will become the jobs of the future. That is why we now call it career 
and technical education, and I am pleased to see that change reflected 
in the new title of this bill.
  The Perkins Career and Technical Education Act gives both students 
and adults the academic course work and training they need to be 
competitive in the job market. The reauthorization of this legislation 
is especially important, since more and more people are taking 
advantage of Perkins programs. Between 2002 and 2004, enrollment in 
career and technical education programs rose by 26 percent nationally. 
Enrollment in Tech Prep, the Perkins program that supports some of the 
most creative efforts in the field, rose by more than a third. Nearly 
all high school students will take at least one career or technical 
course during their years in school. About half of all high school 
students and a third of all college students are involved in vocational 
programs as a major part of their studies.

  Perkins helps adults as well. In 2004, 6 million adults were enrolled 
in such programs at community, technical, and other colleges, learning 
new skills and improving opportunities for employment. About 40 million 
adults participate in short-term occupational training.
  Perkins programs do not just help one type of person. New immigrants, 
struggling adults, women seeking jobs outside the home for the first 
time--all benefit from the specially designed programs funded by the 
Perkins Act.
  These programs help every kind of learner. In 2004, 10 million middle 
and high school students were taking courses that enabled them to 
explore a career and be prepared to succeed in the workplace. The 
students are from many different backgrounds--from rural and urban 
areas, from schools large and small, and they studied fields such as 
agriculture, technology, health occupations, skilled trades and 
business.
  No matter where they are from, the data are clear. Perkins programs 
are helping them build a better life. According to the most recent 
National Assessment of Vocational Education by the Department of 
Education, students earned almost 2 percent more for each high school 
occupational course they took. That is about $450 per course based on 
average earnings of $24,000. That adds up, especially for the 45 
percent of all high school graduates who take three or more 
occupational courses.
  The data also show that participants in career and technical 
education at the postsecondary level can benefit from just 1 year's 
worth of courses. Even those who did not attain a credential still 
earned between 5 and 8 percent more than high school graduates with 
similar characteristics.
  Today, career and technical education students are better prepared 
for college. Almost two-thirds of all high school graduates of career 
and technical programs now enter some form of postsecondary education. 
When these programs are combined with a college prep curriculum, that 
number rises to 82 percent.
  That is good progress, but we need to do even more. According to a 
study released last week by the Department of Education, career and 
technical education students are less likely to take advanced math 
courses like trigonometry, precalculus, and calculus compared to other 
high school students. In college, they tend to earn fewer academic 
credits, and fewer credits overall. And only one-quarter of career and 
technical education students graduate with a bachelor's degree--most 
earn associate's degrees or certificates.
  That is why the improvements we have made in this reauthorization are 
so important.
  We have maintained our commitment to Tech Prep. Students can enroll 
as early as the ninth grade in high-tech programs that lead to an 
associate's degree. Tech Prep is a vital bridge that connects high 
school to college for many students, and I welcome its role in this 
bill.
  Our focus is on career and technical education programs that lead to 
increased graduation rates, professional credentials, apprenticeships, 
and college opportunities. To do so, we have a strong accountability 
system that measures the progress that programs are making toward these 
goals.
  We have doubled our emphasis on making sure that career and technical 
education programs reach those who too often have been left out, such 
as girls, women, and homemakers seeking jobs for the first time.
  We have also addressed the needs of career and technical education 
teachers by giving them new opportunities to spend time in the 
industries they are teaching about. In a world where cell phones and 
computers become obsolete in a year, these teachers need the best 
possible training so that they can continue to prepare students for 
success. They are preparing the next generation for the workforce, and 
their knowledge-base must be state of the art.
  This reauthorization is a signal to the millions of Americans who 
benefit from career and technical education that the Federal Government 
understands how important these programs are. Massachusetts alone has 
more than 100,000 students at the secondary and postsecondary level 
participating in Perkins programs. Our Commonwealth's support of 
technical training is far-reaching today and is rooted in our 
longstanding commitment to technical education.
  At the beginning of the 20th century, Worcester was a national leader 
in the development of trade and vocational education. Worcester Boys 
Trade School, founded in 1910, was among the first vocational schools 
in the Nation, training young men to be machinists, and fulfilling its 
mission of graduating ``well informed citizens and good workmen.'' 
Today, Worcester Vocational High School has a waiting list of 300 
students. In 2005, 93 percent of its students passed the State 
assessment.
  In August, it will move to a new state-of-the-art facility that will 
accommodate 1,500 day students and 3,000 working adults in afternoon 
and evening classes. Without Perkins funding, much of this would not 
have been possible.
  Perkins also supports high school programs that partner with 
community colleges and local businesses to provide students with the 
academic and technical skills they need to continue their education or 
to compete for high-skill, high-wage jobs immediately. The outcomes of 
these programs are extraordinary. In Massachusetts, 96 percent of the 
students in the class of 2006 in career and technical education 
programs passed the MCAS and earned their competency determination. 
Already, 90 percent of the class of 2007 have done so. Over the last 2 
years, every one of the seniors at Blackstone Valley Tech in Upton has 
passed the MCAS and graduated on time. Last year, it was recognized as 
a Vanguard Model School by the Massachusetts Insight Education and 
Research Institute for its efforts to improve student achievement. It 
was the first vocational technical school to receive this honor.
  Because of Perkins, more than 12,000 career and technical education 
students at risk of failing he MCAS were placed in structured 
internships at over 5,600 employer sites last year. These internships 
use work-based learning plans to guide students' learning and 
productivity on the job, and to measure the impact of the internship on 
student achievement.
  Because of Perkins, every community college in Massachusetts has been 
able to hire instructional support staff and provide adaptive equipment 
for students with disabilities enrolled in technical education 
programs.
  Because of Perkins, career and technical educators throughout the 
Commonwealth receive needed professional development and gain access to 
curriculum-related resources, technical assistance, and training in a 
wide range of activities.
  Massachusetts's career and technical education programs are 
impressive, and they are successful because of the Perkins Act. We are 
proud of the vitality of our career and technical education programs in 
Massachusetts, and we know they are just a small number of the many 
strong programs supported by the Perkins Act across the country.
  I am pleased that we were able to work together with the House to 
produce this bipartisan legislation. I commend Chairman Enzi, Chairman

[[Page S8325]]

McKeon, and all the conferees and their staff for their good work on 
this needed legislation.
  Special thanks go to Scott Fleming, Beth Buehlmann, Lisa Schunk, and 
Kelly Hastings with Senator Enzi; Allison Dembeck with Senator Gregg; 
Meredith Davis with Senator Frist; David Cleary with Senator Alexander; 
Celia Sims with Senator Burr; Glee Smith with Senator Isakson; Lindsay 
Morris with Senator DeWine; Lindsay Hunsicker with Senator Ensign; 
Juliann Andreen with Senator Hatch; Liz Stillwell with Senator 
Sessions; Jennifer Swenson with Senator Roberts; Mary Ellen McGuire 
with Senator Dodd; Rob Barron with Senator Harkin; Dvora Lovinger and 
Robin Juliano with Senator Mikulski; Sherry Kaiman with Senator 
Jeffords; Michael Yudin with Senator Bingaman; Jamie Fasteau and Jill 
Feldstein with Senator Murray; Mildred Otero with Senator Clinton; 
Kristen Romero and Amy Gaynor from Legislative Counsel, Denise Forte, 
Lloyd Horwich, and Whitney Rhoades on the House Education Committee, 
and Carmel Martin, J.D. LaRock, and Liz Maher of my staff.
  I especially recognize Jane Oates, who worked on my staff for 8 years 
and whose expertise, leadership, and persistence ensured that the 
committee produced a strong, bipartisan reauthorization. Jane's efforts 
on Perkins are indicative of how she handles all things in life: always 
giving 100 percent, always being a voice for the voiceless, always 
committed to finding a solution. Though Jane has not been directly 
involved in these last few months of the process, her good work in the 
early stages of this bill has guided my staff and the rest of the 
committee through conference and to final passage today. Thank you, 
Jane, for all you have done for the millions of students who benefit 
from Perkins every year for showing all of us in the Senate how to get 
the job done.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I am here today to support the 
reauthorization of an education bill designed to ensure the 
competitiveness of our country's workforce, the Carl D. Perkins Career 
and Technical Education Act, Perkins. Essential to strengthening the 
workforce, Perkins not only prepares youth and adults for the careers 
of today, it prepares them for the careers of tomorrow. It is the first 
line of defense in ensuring America's competitive advantage worldwide.
  We have heard a lot lately about American students losing their 
competitive edge. In math and science Americans score near the bottom 
of all industrialized nations on international exams. Our college drop-
out rate is one of the highest in the world. We have dropped from first 
to fifth in the percentage of young adults with a college degree. 
Singapore has displaced the United States as the leading economy in 
information technology competitiveness. And the number of patents 
awarded to Americans is declining. All of this is having a detrimental 
effect on our global competitiveness.
  Clearly, we need to increase our competitiveness from within. The 
conference agreement before us will help us to do that.
  This reauthorization does a number of important things. First and 
foremost, it emphasizes accountability and improved results. Second, it 
improves monitoring and enforcement. Third, it disaggregates 
performance goals and report information by special populations so no 
one will fall through the cracks. And fourth, it strengthens the ties 
between industry, high schools, and higher education by ensuring that 
teachers are well-trained, students are academically ready for college, 
and high schools are training students for the actual needs of their 
communities.
  The premise of this legislation is that high schools, industry, and 
higher education institutions need to work together to provide our 
workforce with the skills they need in order to achieve and compete in 
the 21st century. This bill works to ensure that American students are 
not just getting a world class education, but the best education in the 
world.
  I would be remiss in my remarks if I did not mention the President's 
proposed elimination of the Perkins program in his annual budget for 
the second year in a row. I hope that the administration understands 
that our decision to move this legislation forward reflects our 
unwavering commitment to career and technical education. We will not 
let this program fall by the wayside. Perkins will not be eliminated.
  We often hear the pledge that we will leave no child behind. May I 
suggest that we also make every effort to ensure that we leave no 
career and technical education student behind? Passage of these 
important provisions today will go a long way toward ensuring that 
career and vocational education students are not left behind in the 
classroom, that they are being held to high academic standards, that 
their teachers are provided with the training they need to keep up to 
date with the latest industry needs, and that high schools, industry 
and higher education work seamlessly together to provide our workforce 
with the skills that they need to maintain America's economic dominance 
in the 21st century.
  Career and technical programs are an essential part of keeping 
students in school and helping our nation train its workforce. And 
while I would not consider the conference agreement before us perfect, 
I am confident that it will go a long way in helping another generation 
of Americans succeed, and in doing so, strengthen the American economy 
and increase our competitiveness worldwide.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise in support of the Carl D. Perkins 
Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2005. To compete in 
this global economy, we need to make sure our students have 21st 
century skills for 21st century jobs. Vocational and technical 
education is an extremely important part of this effort. The Perkins 
Act, which provides $1.3 billion to help train more than 10 million 
Americans across the country, is a vital investment in our Nation's 
high schools, community colleges, and our students.
  The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical program gives a boost to 
America's workforce development system by providing funds to schools 
that teach technical skills ranging from auto shop to computer 
programming. The Perkins Act also supports practical career programs 
and links between secondary and postsecondary education, helping 
students to move up the opportunity ladder and prepare them for high-
skill, high-wage jobs. Students who have completed Perkins-supported 
programs are better prepared not only for higher education but for the 
workplace.
  The President has proposed eliminating funding for all vocational and 
technical education programs. This is the wrong way to go. If Perkins 
was eliminated, high schools, technical schools, and community colleges 
in every State would suffer. In Maryland, our schools would lose almost 
$19 million. Last year, we had more than 150,000 students enrolled in 
career and technical programs in Maryland. In the United States, 97 
percent of high school students take at least one career and technical 
education course. One-third of college students are involved in career 
and technical programs. And almost 40 million adults attend short-term 
occupational training. If these schools had to close their doors or 
shut down their vocational programs, where would these students go to 
learn the skills they need to get good paying jobs?
  Vocational and technical education provides students across the 
country with opportunities to develop academic and technical skills 
that are critical for economic and workforce development. It is our job 
in the senate to make sure these opportunities are there for the people 
who need them and to invest in our human capital to create a world 
class workforce. That is why I strongly support this bipartisan bill 
and I oppose any cuts to the Perkins Career and Technical Education 
programs.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to support the conference 
report accompanying S. 250, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006. More than ever, this country needs rigorous, 
relevant career and technical education programs to help students 
prepare for postsecondary education and to address the shortage of 
highly skilled workers necessary to meet the demands of the 
contemporary workforce. A skilled and flexible workforce is essential 
to building a strong and dynamic economy and to maintaining our 
country's ability to compete in a global economy.

[[Page S8326]]

  According to a recent report issued by the National Academy of 
Sciences, the scientific and technical building blocks of this Nation's 
economic strength are eroding at a time when many other nations are 
gathering strength. As much as 85 percent of this country's per capita 
growth in income since World War II has come from science and 
technology. The National Academies projected that while the U.S. 
economy is doing well today, current trends indicate that the U.S. may 
not fare as well in the future, particularly in the areas of science 
and technology, where innovation is spurred and high-wage jobs follow.
  We must produce students who are prepared to meet the challenges of 
the 21st century workforce. I believe this bill provides real 
opportunities to meet those challenges.
  In order to meet those challenges, however, career and technical 
education--CTE--must be academically rigorous and enhance students' 
critical thinking and applied skills. I believe this bill makes a 
number of significant improvements to ensure that CTE students 
participate in a rigorous and challenging curriculum, and realize 
positive educational and employment outcomes.
  For example, the bill integrates challenging academic and technical 
standards, aligned with No Child Left Behind and nationally-recognized 
industry standards, into CTE instruction. In addition, the bill 
strengthens educational and career pathways for students beyond high 
school and makes significant strides in building alliances among high 
schools, 2- and 4-year colleges, business and industry, and community 
organizations. Further, the bill expands career guidance and academic 
counseling services so that students have a career plan and career 
objectives.
  Well-prepared CTE teachers and good professional development are 
essential components of an effective, rigorous CTE curriculum. CTE 
teachers must possess the knowledge and skills to teach effectively. 
Hence, this bill dedicates resources to promoting the leadership, 
initial preparation, and professional development of career and 
technical education teachers to foster effective practices.
  This bill is designed to improve student educational and employment 
outcomes, including their technical and workplace knowledge and skills. 
But, we must be able to measure how well CTE programs are meeting the 
needs of its students. Accordingly, the legislation will require states 
to identify core indicators of performance that include measures of 
student achievement on technical assessments and attainment of career 
and technical skill proficiencies.
  Thus, it is essential to develop valid and reliable assessments of 
technical and career competencies that are aligned with national 
industry standards and integrate industry certification assessments, if 
available and appropriate. To address this need for high-quality 
technical assessments, this bill permits State leadership funds to be 
used to develop valid and reliable assessments of technical skills that 
are integrated with industry certification assessments where available.
  In addition, the bill includes several new provisions for data 
collection, utilization, and analysis, including provisions which allow 
the State allocation to be used to support and develop State data 
systems, and State leadership funds to be used to develop and enhance 
data systems to collect and analyze data on postsecondary and 
employment outcomes.
  I am also pleased that this bill makes significant improvements to 
help Crownpoint Institute of Technology. Crownpoint plays a critical 
role in ensuring Native American students have the education, skills, 
and training necessary to compete in the global economy, and this bill 
helps Crownpoint get the funding they need to serve their students.
  Yet, increasing academic and technical rigor alone is not enough to 
prepare students to enter into and compete in the 21st century 
workforce. The learning environment students experience also heavily 
impacts academic performance and student outcomes. When smaller 
learning communities are in place, students benefit greatly: they 
experience a greater sense of belonging to their schools and they have 
fewer discipline, crime, violence, and substance abuse problems.
  I would like to highlight two high schools in my home State of New 
Mexico which demonstrate some of the best practices of rigorous and 
innovative career and technical education. Rio Rancho High School has 
served as a model example of how academic rigor, hands-on-learning, 
strong professional development, defined career pathways, and robust 
alliances are elements of a successful, quality CTE program. Rio Rancho 
has created academies of study for all students, which allow students 
to: pursue career pathways to postsecondary education and beyond; take 
core courses geared toward interests, skills, and competitive careers; 
form partnerships with instructors; and become part of a smaller 
learning community within the larger high school. These academies allow 
students to explore personal strengths and interests in relationship to 
career planning and job markets. Rio Rancho has been designated as a 
Microsoft Center of Innovation and Time Magazine has called Rio Rancho 
one of the ten most innovative career and technical schools in the 
Nation.
  Another great example of innovative career and technical education 
can be found at Albuquerque High School. In just a couple of years, the 
career academies at Albuquerque High School have demonstrated very 
positive student outcomes. The first students in Albuquerque's Academy 
of Advanced Technology have lower dropout rates and improved academic 
achievement.
  Accordingly, this legislation recognizes that smaller learning 
communities and career academies are critical educational investments. 
As Rio Rancho and Albuquerque High Schools demonstrate, rigorous career 
and technical education and smaller learning environments enhance 
students' achievement and motivation to learn.
  Unfortunately, the formula as drafted in this bill will have a very 
negative impact on career and technical education programs in many of 
our States. While I support the improvements sought in this bill, I am 
very disappointed that states like New Mexico, Mississippi, 
Pennsylvania, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Connecticut, 
Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, and Idaho, just to name a few, will face 
significant cuts in funding next year alone. In fact, these cuts hit 
the poorest States in this country the hardest. Assuming this program 
receives level funding in appropriations in fiscal year 2007, 24 States 
lose money. If there are any cuts to the program at all, more than 30 
States could lose under this formula.
  These losses are very real to the students participating in career 
and technical education at our high schools and community colleges. A 
junior in high school pursuing a career in medical technology might not 
be able to finish her program in her senior year if funding is yanked.
  Our students depend on programs like Perkins to provide them with 
essential job skills and training. It is not only unfair to pull 
funding from our students, but unwise to cut funding from so many 
States. Strong career and technical education programs are critical to 
this Nation if we are to ensure a skilled and educated workforce. This 
formula is simply a step in the wrong direction.
  Many of us talk about ensuring America's students are prepared to 
meet the challenges of the 21st century workforce. We talk about 
protecting America's competitive edge in the global economy. I firmly 
believe, however, that taking career and technical education programs 
away from some of our most needy students does not enhance our economic 
security. Simply, a loss of funding means a loss of services to 
students.
  Nevertheless, I firmly believe there are many positive aspects of 
this legislation, and despite the funding formula, I support the 
overall bill. Effective career and technical education programs are 
necessary to build a strong and dynamic economy and to maintain a 
competitive American workforce, and therefore, I support the passage of 
this legislation.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I support final passage of S. 250, the Carl 
D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006.
  This important legislation, which reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins 
Vocational and Technical Education Act of

[[Page S8327]]

1998, will help strengthen both the workforce in my home State of Rhode 
Island and across the Nation and ensure that our students have the 
necessary skills and tools to access high-quality, high-wage employment 
and compete in an ever-expanding global economy.
  I am pleased that Congress will reaffirm its overwhelming bipartisan 
and bicameral support for this program, especially in light of the 
President's efforts in his last two budget proposals to eliminate 
funding for Perkins. For the 2006-2007 school year, our State, which is 
home to 10 Career and Technical Centers and 54 high schools and 
colleges offering career and technical education programs, would stand 
to lose an estimated $6.3 million in Perkins basic state and tech prep 
funding under the President's proposed budget. These cuts are 
unjustifiable, especially at a time when it is ever more critical that 
we provide a robust link between students and a highly skilled 
workforce American business depends on to thrive.
  As a cosponsor of the Senate version of this bill, I am pleased that 
many of its comprehensive provisions on the recruitment, preparation, 
support, and professional development of career and technical education 
teachers, which I authored, have been included in the final version of 
the bill before us today. I believe having a well-trained, qualified, 
and effective teacher in every classroom is the key for ensuring that 
students participating in career and technical education programs will 
achieve their fullest academic and career goals and aspirations.
  The bill also contains a number of provisions that address the 
concerns raised by educators in Rhode Island. First, S. 250 does not 
combine the tech prep program with the basic State grant program at the 
Federal level as the House bill proposed. Second, the bill authorizes 
use of State administration funding at up to 5 percent, funding which 
supports such essential activities as developing a State plan, 
monitoring career and technical education program efficiency, and 
providing technical assistance to districts. Third, S. 250 adds a new 
State leadership incentive grant I authored for school districts and 
postsecondary institutions that elect to pool their funds for 
innovative initiatives, including improving the professional 
development of career and technical educators and establishing and 
enhancing systems for accountability data collection.
  I thank my colleagues, Senators Kennedy and Enzi, and their staffs, 
for their work on this legislation and moving it toward final passage.
  I am pleased to support this legislation. A highly skilled workforce 
not only grows our economy, but maintains our Nation's competitive edge 
in the world. I look forward to the President quickly signing this bill 
into law--which will hopefully signal a turnaround in his support for 
Perkins career and technical education programs--to help ensure that 
our students remain competitive and have the academic and technical 
tools to succeed.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I am very pleased today to support the 
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act. I was 
proud to cosponsor this legislation in the Senate, and I am proud that 
the Congress is on the eve of passing it into law.
  I am extremely pleased that this bill was written in a bipartisan 
fashion. I want to thank Senator Enzi, Senator Kennedy, Congressman 
McKeon, and Congressman Miller for working so hard on this legislation. 
I hope that the HELP Committee will approach other education bills in 
the same bipartisan process.
  The legislation recognizes the important role of career and technical 
education in the preparation of today's workforce. It rejects the Bush 
administration's proposal to eliminate the Perkins program, a proposal 
that would cost New York approximately $65 million a year. The bill 
before us today is evidence of the strong bipartisan commitment to 
maintaining and strengthening Perkins.
  The Perkins program plays a key role in helping young people and 
people returning to school gain the skills they need to land high-
quality jobs. Perkins is the largest Federal investments in our 
Nation's high schools. Over 66 percent of all public high schools have 
at least one vocational and technical education program and 96 percent 
of high school students in this country take at least one vocational or 
technical course while in high school.
  The Perkins program also plays a key role in postsecondary education. 
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 38 
percent of all degree-seeking undergraduates are pursuing vocational 
careers. These programs play a key role in educating our workforce and 
census data consistently shows that people with higher educational 
attainment have higher median incomes.
  In New York, the demand for business career and technical education 
programs increased by 44 percent between the 2002-2003 school year and 
the 2003-2004 school year. In New York City, there was a 211-percent 
increase in enrollment in the approved business program and a 55-
percent increase in the technology and communications programs. And the 
vast majority of these students are succeeding academically. Eighty-
five percent of New York students who completed a career and technical 
education program passed all of the required regent's exams.
  The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act 
takes the next step in strengthening career and technical education for 
the 21st century. I am particularly pleased that this bill improves 
programs and services for women and girls pursuing nontraditional 
occupations. Families, industries, and our economy as a whole benefit 
when women and girls pursue non-traditional, traditionally ``male'' 
careers--in technology, math, science, and the construction and 
building trades. Unfortunately, women continue to be significantly 
underrepresented in these fields. For example, while the number of 
female carpenters has tripled since 1972, women still represent only 
1.7 percent of all carpenters. You can say the same about many other 
high-skill, high-wage trades.
  Many of these skilled trades industries are experiencing a 
significant labor shortage and experts expect these shortages to get 
worse over the next two decades as many workers retire. If women were 
to enter these professions, most of which are unionized and pay a 
livable paycheck and benefits, women would increase their earnings and 
standard of living for their families. For example, a journey-level 
electrician will make over half a million dollars more than a typical 
cashier in a 30-year career.
  This bill requires States to measure students' participation and 
completion in career and technical programs in nontraditional fields 
and to disaggregate their data on performance by gender and race. In 
addition, programs will be required to prepare special populations for 
high-skill, high-wage occupations that will lead to self-sufficiency. 
These important provisions will go a long way toward helping more women 
achieve economic security for their families.
  The bill also provides comprehensive professional development for 
career and technical education teachers and aligns secondary and 
postsecondary indicators with those established in other programs to 
ultimately reduce paperwork.
  Finally, I am pleased that the bill maintains Tech Prep as a separate 
program, maintaining the position proposed in the Senate bill. 
Innovative Tech Prep programs in New York have made a real difference 
in the lives of students. For example, the Syracuse City Health Center 
Tech Prep program reduced the achievement gap between ethnic groups--
white versus non-white--to 2.8 percent. And at least 65 percent of 
students in the Syracuse City Health Careers Tech Prep program enroll 
in health-related professions, where New York has a critical shortage, 
after high school. In New York State, the average age of nurses is 47 
and 80 percent of current nurses will reach retirement age within 10 
years.
  The Perkins program is extremely important--not just for the numbers 
of students it serves but for the communities that benefit from a 
better prepared workforce as a result of these programs. This is why 
for the last 4 years I have spearheaded a bipartisan letter to the 
Senate Appropriations Committee requesting additional funding for 
Perkins. Indeed, I hope that in this budget cycle we will continue to

[[Page S8328]]

provide adequate funding for the Perkins program.
  For all of these reasons, I am thrilled that Congress continues its 
strong support for this critical program by passing this legislation 
today.
  Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent that the conference report be 
agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table and that 
any statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The conference report was agreed to.

                          ____________________