Techniques Feb 2013 - 12

Capitol View

Use Your Voice to Change
the Perception of CTE

photo courtesy of istock.com/steps

By Stephen DeWitt
As you read through this
month’s Techniques magazine,
which is focused on at-risk youth, I know
you will be thinking about the benefits
that CTE provides students. Ensuring a
quality education for all continues to be
an important topic and an area of growing concern to national leaders because
it is so closely linked with U.S. economic
health and the standard of living for
future generations.
And rightly so. One secondary school
student drops out every 26 seconds in the
United States, and many other students
drop out of postsecondary education. Despite this fact, and the growing concern
about the dropout issue, there continues
to be a fundamental misunderstanding
among many policymakers about effective ways to curb the problem.
The national conversation has focused

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Techniques

February 2013

almost solely on increasing the rigor of
academics as a panacea, but the past 25
years of work in this arena have proven
largely ineffective. While academic rigor
is important, it means nothing to students
if they are disengaged from learning and
unable to apply the knowledge to a career
which inspires them. That’s where career
and technical education (CTE) plays a
significant and critical role. This is one of
the strong messages we need you to bring
to your elected officials in Washington.
In March, ACTE will be hosting the
2013 National Policy Seminar (NPS). It is
an annual time when the CTE community gathers en masse to learn more about effective advocacy, hear from policy experts
and promote a common message on Capitol Hill concerning the value of CTE. I
encourage you to join us March 4–6 to be
part of this important annual event. This

year’s event is especially timely as nearly
100 new Members of Congress—many of
whom have limited understanding about
CTE—begin their work on Capitol Hill.
In regards to student success, CTE is
finally beginning to receive some muchneeded attention and recognition in
Washington. This year’s NPS will include
a session exploring some of the national
organizations that are helping to raise
the profile of CTE. We also will hear
from the decision-makers in Congress
and the White House who are developing
education and workforce policy. But most
importantly, conference attendees will
be meeting with their state delegations
and using their own voices and stories
to advocate for CTE and students on
Capitol Hill.
Hearing directly from a constituent—
those who elect Members to Congress—
is one of the most effective advocacy tools
that exists. I hope that many of you will
join us for NPS to make the climb to
Capitol Hill to ensure your senators and
representatives understand and support
CTE. Even if you are unable to join us
this year, it’s important that we all use our
voices to educate and advocate.
For additional information on NPS,
go to www.acteonline.org/nps.
Stephen DeWitt is senior director of
public policy at ACTE. He can be contacted
at sdewitt@acteonline.org.

You can read more about ACTE’s
policy activities and the latest
happenings in Washington, DC, on
ACTE’s CTE Policy Watch blog. Check
it out today at www.acteonline.
org/ctepolicywatchblog.aspx.

www.acteonline.org

Techniques Feb 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Techniques Feb 2013