Testimony of Mrs. Katharine M. Oliver
Assistant State Superintendent
Career Technology and Adult Learning
Maryland State Department of Education

Subcommittee on Education Reform
Committee on Education and the Workforce
United States House of Representatives

Hearing on
H.R. 4496 – Vocational and Technical Education of the Future Act

June 15, 2004

Good afternoon Mr. Chairman, Congresswoman Woolsey, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to highlight successes in Maryland’s career and technology education (CTE) system, and to specifically express my support for model sequences of courses as proposed in H.R. 4496 — Vocational and Technical Education for the Future Act. As the Assistant State Superintendent for Career Technology and Adult Learning at the Maryland State Department of Education, I am responsible for career and technology education, adult education and literacy services, and correctional education programs providing educational and library services to inmates in the State’s adult prison program. I am also a member of the Independent Advisory Panel for the National Assessment of Vocational Education and serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium.

CTE is a vital part of the nation’s education system and is critical for economic and workforce development. In Maryland, over 100,000 students at the secondary level are enrolled in CTE programs. This represents fifty percent of all high school students. At the post-secondary level, over 50,000 students are enrolled. An additional 1,259 are enrolled in occupational programs through the state’s correctional institutions. Maryland’s CTE programs are delivered in a variety of settings in 24 local school systems which include nine technical high schools, fifteen career and technical centers, 220 comprehensive schools, sixteen community colleges, and nine correctional institutions.

My colleagues around the country and I commend you for the introduction of H.R. 4496 and support many of its recommended provisions. We believe the proposal seeks to ensure that our country can meet the demands of our education and economic systems by encouraging program improvement and innovation in CTE, while building on the successes of current law. We support the updated definition of vocational and technical education as it better reflects today’s CTE programs. Removing the restriction to support only CTE programs that prepare students for careers that ‘require less than baccalaureate degree’ will do much to eliminate the stigma that CTE programs are preparing students for "dead-end jobs." We also strongly support the bold steps H.R. 4496 takes to strengthen accountability provisions and align Tech Prep under the Basic State Grant. Finally, we strongly support model sequences of courses as outlined in the bill; this will be the focus of my testimony today.

H.R. 4496 seeks to more fully develop academic, technical, and employability skills of students; promote rigorous course-taking; and increase linkages between secondary and post secondary education. Model sequences of courses help achieve these goals. As a framework for instruction, they can improve transitions between secondary and post secondary education by aligning coursework and reducing remediation. They support the integration of academic and career technical studies and help broaden career awareness. Model sequences of courses can help educators establish consistent expectations for student performance and connect classroom experiences to student’s learning and goals. Finally, model sequences of courses can reinforce the historic federal role of driving innovation, program improvement and quality in CTE.

Changing U.S. demographics make the alignment of careers with educational experiences an imperative. Our economy could once tolerate the decade that many young adults took to "find themselves," delaying the start of a career until their late twenties. With an aging population and a changing economy, the country no longer has this luxury. "These [demographic] developments pose potential problems for employers and the economy generally, as the possible loss of many key experienced workers could create shortages … with adverse effects on productivity and economic growth." Our nation’s employers are already facing skills shortages in technical areas:

As a nation, we desperately need to expand the pipeline of qualified individuals to fill these shortages. The country’s economic health relies on a balanced demand for and supply of skills. We must engage students (and their parents) earlier and more actively in their career and educational decisions. Model sequences of courses will help achieve this necessity by aligning student interest with viable careers options.

"[E]ducation providers can give their students much greater exposure to career options by creating a structure and offering activities that provide meaningful connections between education and the world of work." Model sequences of courses highlight career and educational options and prepare students and their parents to make informed decisions. They help students navigate the world of opportunity by highlighting what courses to take to reach diverse career and educational goals. Model sequences of courses are like road maps that display the various routes for the journey to one’s destination. They outline the classes necessary for high school graduation and highlight additional academic and CTE courses, as well as recommend other experiences, such as internships, that supplement classroom learning. They also help high school students focus on their own future and provide the information needed to make decisions about high school and college.

"Students’ career choices are most often based on personal interest." Research tells us students are more motivated when their learning relates to an area of personal interest and when they understand "why" they are learning something. When students are motivated, their performance improves and doors open, increasing the educational and employment options available. Model sequences of courses expose students to the panoply of careers. Through model sequences of courses, students gain an understanding of how their academic and technical studies compliment and enhance each another. They become aware that learning in high school is a foundation for their post secondary and career success.

Some may worry that model sequences of courses will limit options; I believe quite the contrary. Model sequences of courses allow students to investigate a variety of career options while developing the academic and technical knowledge and skills required for post-high school success. Students are not bound by an initial career selection. Model sequences of courses help students focus on their options. Since model sequences of courses do not hinder students’ completion of a strong high school program of study, there is no limiting effect on students meeting high school graduation requirements.

Parents play a very important role in the decisions their children make regarding course selection, post secondary options, and careers. A recent study from Ferris State University found that "parents are the primary adult influence on career decisions." Parents have limited time and access to information with which to help their children make these decisions. "[M]ore than two-thirds (70 percent) [of the students interviewed for the Ferris State study] claimed to have spent three hours or less in the past few months discussing careers with their parents. That’s not much guidance on which to base a life decision."

In Maryland, students develop a four-year high school plan of study that includes — as required under statute — steps to prepare for careers that are appropriate to individual interests and experiences. Model sequences of courses help students as they develop this plan; they are a tool for parents to quickly and easily help their children make confident and informed decisions. Additionally, model sequences of courses serve as a tool, much like a compass, to assure students are heading in the right direction to achieve their goals.

Model sequences of courses can also be of economic benefit. It takes five or six years for an average student to attain a "four-year college degree" and the costs of higher education continue to soar. Having a clear educational path charted through high school and culminating in post secondary education will reduce duplication of coursework and efficiently maximize resources and time spent in post secondary education.

In order to coordinate continuous, state-wide improvement of the Maryland CTE system, model sequences of courses are an integral part of the state’s program approval process. The Maryland State Board of Education formally recognized the value of CTE over a decade ago by identifying the completion of an approved sequence of CTE courses as one of the capstone requirements to obtaining a Maryland high school diploma, placing it on par with the completion of the admission requirements for entry into the state university system. This designation has sent a very clear signal that state-approved CTE programs must be of sufficient academic rigor to prepare students for success in post-secondary education and the contemporary workplace, not unlike H.R. 4496’s focus on creating a model sequence of courses. The Maryland Higher Education Commission imposes a similar approval requirement for post secondary CTE programs. The two agencies work collaboratively to ensure their pathways to careers build on one another.

Maryland has a long and successful history with model sequences of courses; their inclusion in federal legislation will allow Maryland to take this innovation to scale. In 1989, in concert with the release of the report of the Maryland Commission on School Performance, the Maryland Commission on Vocational-Technical Education issued recommendations calling for a new model of CTE education that prepared students for both employment and further education by ensuring access to challenging CTE programs that provide academic, technical, and workplace skills. The Commission’s recommendations provided the impetus for the establishment of CTE completer programs. These programs include: sequential programs of study guided by industry standards that result in students learning all aspects of the industry; the implementation of a system of career development; the use of blended or integrated instruction to ensure that students develop academic knowledge and skills as part of their technical programs; and linking learning levels through articulated programs. The Commission’s recommendations have translated into the design of high quality programs that contribute to the continuous improvement of the broader system of education for all students.

A key factor in ensuring a quality CTE system is the important balance between state approved programs of study and local control over the delivery and innovations of that program. In Maryland, A Visionary Panel for Better Schools, comprised of a key group of stakeholders, recommended a Voluntary State Curriculum to guide local school system academic course development. Likewise, model sequences of courses may provide a framework for local CTE program development.

In order to achieve a quality CTE system, policies and procedures for state approval of CTE programs were developed. Once state approved, programs are eligible for state and federal funding. A set of eight Core Principles assist local school systems in the development of state approved CTE programs. They are described in Resource A and include things such as stakeholder involvement, multiple options for students, rigorous academic, employability and technical skills and outcome data.

One example of a state approved program is in the field of engineering. Maryland sought out and provided incentives for local school systems to offer Project Lead The Way’s (PLTW) pre-engineering program. Thirteen of Maryland’s twenty-four school systems offer this program. PLTW is an instructional pathway that incorporates the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the International Technology Education Association. Consisting of five courses divided into three groups (Foundation, Specialization, and Capstone), the program prepares students for further education and careers in engineering and engineering technology. PLTW students are expected to:

A sample course matrix — including the required CTE courses for program completion and the recommended academic and elective courses to complete a student’s educational experience — is provided in the attached Resource B. Please note the rigorous math, science and foreign language courses contained in the matrix. These courses exceed the University System of Maryland entrance requirements and provide students with the preparation necessary to pursue careers in engineering. Students completing this program are both University System of Maryland and Career and Technology completers, or what Maryland calls "Dual Completers." Forty-one percent of all students who complete a CTE program of study also meet the requirements for entrance into the University System of Maryland. Maryland’s goal is for all CTE completers to be prepared for further education and careers. Model sequences of courses will help us attain this goal.

The Maryland State Department of Education identifies and funds the implementation of model programs, resulting in the promotion of added value for students through rigorous academic and technical course sequences. This added value is defined as the attainment of industry recognized credentials, articulated credit at the post-secondary level, or both. Maryland has broadened these efforts by providing a series of targeted grants, aimed at leveraging local funds, to implement high quality programs that utilize such model sequences. Substantial technical assistance and professional development opportunities have been provided by the state to ensure that implementation succeeds. This strategy has improved student performance and closed achievement gaps. (Resource C)

While the state directors of CTE and I are generally supportive of H.R. 4496, we do not and cannot support the sixty percent cut in funding for state and local administration. This cut is especially troublesome in light of increased responsibilities assigned to states under H.R. 4496. States rely on this funding to effectively and efficiently carry out the administrative responsibilities required under the legislation, such as state plan development; the review, approval, and monitoring of local plans, including all fiscal and accountability requirements; the effective management of financial responsibilities related to the federal grant; etc. In addition, adequate funding for state administration and leadership is necessary to ensure a state’s ability to identify and implement best practices and programs. Without sufficient funds to underwrite this, efforts to increase rigor and relevance in CTE will be severely hampered.

Maryland’s success with model sequences of courses is due, in no small part, to effective state leadership. Our continued ability to expand these quality programs will be hampered or, worse yet, halted with the proposed sixty percent cut in state administration funds. A reduction in these funds offers states the opportunity to invest less of their own funds because federal administration dollars must be matched, one-to-one, with state dollars. I encourage you to reinstate current law and allow five percent for state administration. In addition, I recommend restoring the maintenance of effort provisions as they are under current law —anything less would be an easy "out" for states to reduce their investment in America’s future workforce and economic development.

H.R. 4496 enables states to advance the progress started under Perkins III. Change in education reform is often slower than we anticipate or prefer, however, great progress and results are being made. By supporting H.R. 4496, CTE will be well served in this great nation, ensuring well-prepared individuals who are ready for both further education and the workplace.

Model sequences of courses drive innovation in CTE. They ensure that students who choose to participate in CTE are prepared with the academic and technical skills needed for success in further education and careers. They arm parents, students, and educators with better information with which to make career and educational decisions. This improved capacity for career and education decision-making will focus postsecondary educational experiences (both time and money), and positively impact our nation’s economic growth. In short, model sequences of courses will focus the federal investment on effective programs that meet the needs of our students and economy.

Thank you for the opportunity to share Maryland’s CTE successes, and specifically how model sequences of courses better prepare students for further learning and careers. I look forward to providing any additional information you may need or to answer any questions you may have.