Press Releases
Senator Roberts: Career & Technical Education Improvement Act Conference Report Passes Senate
Jul 27 2006
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today announced that the Senate unanimously approved critical legislation to renew career and technical education programs for high schools and institutions of higher education.
The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act reauthorizes the Perkins Career and Technical Education programs, formerly known as vocational education programs. Senator Roberts is a co-sponsor of the original Senate bill, S. 250. and a member of the conference committee which worked with the House to reach agreement on this legislation. "Like many states," Senator Roberts said, "Kansas depends on the Perkins program to provide quality career educational opportunities. Students enrolled in these programs are exposed to course work and training on everything from agriculture to health care to family and consumer sciences." Last year, Kansas received nearly $12 million from the program. "In this technology-driven economy, it is vital to give our workers the necessary training and skills," Senator Roberts said. "We need to provide the best training available over a student’s lifetime to make sure American workers are ready to fill jobs in the new economy, and that they can learn new skills or apply skills in new ways to make sure our country stays competitive." The bill would achieve the following: • Create a more effective accountability system and aligns accountability requirements with other federal education and training programs; • Support the creation of stronger partnerships between high schools, colleges, and businesses, so career and technical education programs can better meet the needs of the workforce, including small businesses; and, • Require states to outline logical career pathways, including high school and college courses, that will lead to an industry recognized credential, certificate, or postsecondary degree. Pending House approval, the legislation now goes the President for his consideration. Since coming to the U.S. Senate, Senator Roberts has explored ways to keep Kansas competitive in the high-tech economy. In 1997, he formed a blue-ribbon Advisory Committee on Science, Technology and the Future to better strengthen Kansas’ position in the national agenda for science and technology innovation. Roberts is the author of the Math and Science Partnerships, a program that provides grants to states for funding innovative partnerships with local businesses to strengthen math and science instruction and to enhance math and science learning at the elementary and secondary levels. He is also a coauthor of the SMART grant program for higher education, which provides $4,000 in grant aid for juniors and seniors in college who earn a degree in math, science, or technology. Roberts is a member of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee.
