Providing students with competitive skills is vitally important during these difficult economic times, but without well-funded career and technical programs, many kids won’t have a chance to compete.  In recent years federal funding has been gradually decreased from the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, putting students at risk of losing that competitive edge.  Here are some startling facts that highlight the need for increased funding to the Perkins Act:

• The last substantial increase in funding for the Perkins Act occurred in Fiscal Year 2002. Since that time, funds have actually decreased by $42 million.
• From 1999-2000 to 2004-2005, enrollment in career and technical education increased by almost 55 percent, and we expect this trend to continue.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projections, eight out of the top 10 occupations with the largest job growth through 2014 will require an associate’s degree or vocational training.
• CTE programs provide the foundation of knowledge and skills that prepare students for all 20 of the fastest growing occupations in all the 14 job sectors as identified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook.
• A ratio of one CTE class for every two academic classes was shown to minimize the risk of students dropping out of high school in a 2005 National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) report.

takepart by signing the Perkins Act Petition and help students get the skills they need to pay the bills.