Costa Joins in Bipartisan Support for Strengthening Career and Technical Education
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States House of Representatives passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act on Thursday afternoon. The bill focuses on career and technical education (CTE) programs, funding grants for these programs through fiscal year 2023. In addition to other provisions, the legislation calls for more input from teachers and school administrators at the state and local level in the development of these programs, and it promotes an increased collaboration with industry representatives when designing programs to train students in the industry sector.
"By supporting and improving career and technical education programs, this legislation supports and improves the chances of so many of our young people to find gainful employment and to develop a career," said Rep. Costa, a longtime advocate of career and technical education programs. "We have seen these programs benefit our students across the country, and these programs have been especially critical in increasing opportunity and growth in our rural and underserved communities. In our San Joaquin Valley, for example, Madera Unified School District has twenty-two – twenty-two – career pathways which include on-the-job training and education in multiple industry sectors. We have also heard widespread support for these programs from companies and organizations across numerous industry sectors. This legislation does more than just strengthen our educational programs; It also strengthens our communities, now and into the future. I hope to see this bill find similar bipartisan support in the Senate, and for the President to sign it into law."
Coming from both sides of the aisle, 40 House members cosponsored the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century. The legislation has received support from both educational and industry organizations from various sectors, ranging from construction, to information and computing technologies, to engineers. The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration. If enacted, the law will take effect on July 1, 2018.