[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 2, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S2681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. Capito, 
        Mr. Young, and Ms. Hassan):
  S. 1004. 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. In today's increasingly competitive global 
market, it is more important than ever that students develop the right 
skills and knowledge to succeed in postsecondary education and enter 
the workforce. Our nation's future depends on providing students with 
an engaging experience that is relevant to the workforce and integrates 
partnerships with industry and higher education. Unfortunately, many 
high schools currently lack these opportunities, leaving students 
unprepared for 21st century careers. In fact, nearly 80 percent of 
college instructors and 60 percent of employers indicate that public 
high schools fall short in preparing students for postsecondary 
education.


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  On page S2681, May 2, 2017, in the middle column, the following 
appears: Madam President. In today's . . .
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: Mr. KAINE. Mr. 
President. In today's . . .


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  The cornerstone of high-quality career and technical education, CTE, 
is a strong focus on academics. The National Research Center for Career 
and Technical Education conducted a four-year longitudinal study in 
three states and 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. These students also earned higher grade point averages in 
their CTE classes. Nonetheless, CTE is often overlooked in discussions 
on increasing relevancy and rigor in our nation's schools.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S2681, May 2, 2017, in the middle column, the following 
appears: The cornerstone of high-quality career and technical 
education (CTE) is a strong focus on academics. The National 
Research Center for Career and Technical Education conducted a 
four-year longitudinal study in three states and 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. 
These students also earned higher grade point averages . . .
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: The cornerstone of 
high-quality career and technical education, CTE, is a strong 
focus on academics. The National Research Center for Career and 
Technical Education conducted a four-year longitudinal study in 
three states and 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. These students also earned higher grade 
point averages . . .


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  That is why I am introducing with my colleagues, Senators Portman, 
Baldwin, Capito, and Young, 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. The bill would support the 
integration of rigorous academics with CTE in courses. It would also 
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. Preparing our students for 
the careers of tomorrow puts them in the pipeline for the good-paying 
jobs that are the future of our workforce.
  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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