[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 43 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S1598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Portman, Mrs. Capito, 
        and Ms. Ayotte):
  S. 2718. A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 
Education Act of 2006 to support innovative approaches to career and 
technical education and redesign the high school experience for 
students by providing students with equitable access to rigorous, 
engaging, and relevant real world education through partnerships with 
business and industry and higher education that prepare students to 
graduate from high school and enroll into postsecondary education 
without the need for remediation and with the ability to use knowledge 
to solve complex problems, think critically, communicate effectively, 
collaborate with others, and develop academic mindsets; to the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, the demands of today's competitive global 
market require that students have the right skills and knowledge to 
succeed in postsecondary education and enter the workforce. Providing 
students with an engaging experience that is relevant to the workforce 
and integrates partnerships with industry and higher education is 
critical to our Nation's future. Unfortunately, these opportunities are 
lacking in many of today's high schools, leaving students unprepared 
for 21st century careers.
  Career and technical education, CTE, is often overlooked in 
discussions on increasing relevancy and rigor in our Nation's schools--
despite the fact that a strong focus on academics is the cornerstone of 
high-quality CTE. When the National Research Center for Career and 
Technical Education conducted a 4-year longitudinal study in three 
states, they found that students participating in CTE programs or 
career pathways outperformed their peers on the number of credits they 
earned in science, technology, engineering and math, STEM, and AP 
classes, while also earning higher grade point averages in their CTE 
classes.
  That is why I am introducing with my colleagues, Senators Portman, 
Baldwin, and Capito, the CTE Excellence and Equity Act. This bipartisan 
legislation supports funding for innovation in career and technical 
education to help redesign the high school experience for historically 
underserved students. It would authorize grants to partnerships among 
school districts, employers, and institutions of higher education in 
Virginia and other states that help students earn industry recognized 
credentials or credit toward a postsecondary degree or certificate. The 
bill also places an emphasis on understanding the relevance of 
coursework in the context of a future career by placing an emphasis on 
teaching workplace skills through job shadowing, internships, and 
apprenticeships.
  CTE programs are critical components to every student's education. I 
am pleased to be introducing this bipartisan legislation to strengthen 
CTE programs in high school so that students are better prepared for 
postsecondary studies and the workforce. I hope that my colleagues 
consider this legislation as we move to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins 
CTE Act.
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