Forty-Two States, D.C. Enact 146 Policies Supporting Career and Technical Education

Last year, Career Technical Education (CTE) was a major priority on the federal level, with the enactment of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), and on the state level, with 42 states and Washington, D.C. enacting a total of 146 policies supporting CTE. Today, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and Advance CTE released their sixth annual report, State Policies Impacting CTE: 2018 Year in Review, summarizing these policy activities, and identifying major themes and trends in CTE policymaking in 2018.  

This report, which provides a comprehensive overview of all CTE-related state laws, regulations and board actions, identifies funding as the top policy category for 2018, as it has been in each year’s publication, with 30 states passing funding-related provisions. This was followed by policies addressing industry partnerships/work-based learning (26); dual/concurrent enrollment, articulation and early college (20); industry-recognized credentials (18); graduation requirements (18); access/equity (17); CTE teacher certification/development (15); career/academic counseling (14); governance (13); CTE standards/accreditation (11); data, reporting and/or accountability (10); and STEM (10).

“As this report has consistently shown over the past six years, policymakers in states all across the country are rightfully prioritizing CTE,” said ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Wilson. “CTE is the gateway to the American Dream, providing students with the opportunity to succeed in rewarding, high-paying and in-demand careers. With continued support from federal, state and local policymakers, CTE will continue to deliver results for all students.”   “State leaders have demonstrated their continued and strong commitment to preparing each learner for success in college and careers, as evidenced by the policies enacted last year such as setting ambitious graduation requirements and expanding dual and concurrent enrollment opportunities,” said Kimberly Green, Executive Director of Advance CTE. “We were especially excited to see the focus on access and equity and look forward to supporting states as they continue in this important work.”