Education Dept releases how-to on using COVID-19 relief for technical education

The Department of Education on Friday released a fact sheet to help high schools across the country use coronavirus relief funds to expand their career and technical education (CTE) offerings.

The new fact sheet is part of a push by the department to assist schools in using federal funds for everything from improving curriculum to retaining and hiring qualified staff.

“As our nation recovers from the pandemic, we must ensure today’s students are ready to meet tomorrow’s needs. Investments in Career and Technical Education – programs that are proven to successfully reengage students and prepare them for in-demand, good paying jobs – are key to that goal,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The American Rescue Plan passed by Congress in March 2021 included about $122 billion for states and school districts to invest in improving education.

The CTE program seeks to fund classes for high school students to learn professional skills that they can use immediately after graduation if they choose not to pursue further schooling.

But CTE education has also been shown to improve high school graduation rates and students in such programs are more likely to enroll in postsecondary education.

In an internal Department of Education blog reviewed by The Hill, Cardona’s top policy advisers cited studies showing ninth-grade males had fewer absences when enrolled in CTE, and New York students in the state’s technology program also exhibited higher proficiency in English exams.

And the programs also allow high school students to work for pay under some circumstances, easing the overall cost of education for underprivileged communities.

“Expanded pathways from high school to the workforce can help students gain the skills and earn the credentials needed for high-growth jobs, including those that don’t require a four-year college degree,” said Cardona. 

—Updated at 10:45 a.m.