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To CTE Directors:
The Obama administration is requesting that funding to the Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins), which fund career and technical education, be cut by $264 million, consolidating the Tech Prep program into Perkins state grants in order to offer more flexibility to states.
In addition, the House of Representatives has put forward House Resolution 1, which would eliminate funding for Tech Prep for the 2011-12 school year (at $103 million). The proposed legislation, which covers a large number of programs, is not yet in a final form, as there have been many proposed amendments to date.
All three agencies in Washington that administer Perkins funding, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (WTECB, SBCTC, OSPI), met Wednesday afternoon to discuss the effect of the bills on Tech Prep and how it would impact Tech Prep students in our state. At this time, it is premature to make any decisions as to what CTE high school dual credit may look like if Tech Prep is not funded.
H.R.1 does not eliminate the articulations or the dual credit options currently in place as required under Perkins legislation. It appears to leave the "how-to" up to the states for discussion. Because of the requirements of Perkins legislation, with or without Tech Prep funding, articulation agreements between colleges and high schools must still be in place to fulfill the Program of Study (POS) obligation as specified in Perkins.
Each of our organizations are watching this closely and will update you as the bill is amended or moves forward.
Documents and links you may find useful:
We have attached the Office for Vocational and Adult Education newsletter to this notice.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Phouang Sixiengmay Hamilton, Program Supervisor
Career and Technical Education
600 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
(360) 725-6245| Phouang.Hamilton@k12.wa.us
Terri Colbert, Program Specialist
Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
128 10th Avenue SW
Olympia, WA 98504-3105
(360) 753-5680 | tcolbert@wtb.wa.gov
Tiffany Merkel, Program Administrator
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
1300 Quince Street SE
Olympia, WA 98504-2495
(360) 704-4332 | tmerkel@sbctc.edu | 
