Ben commented on: Group 2, 4 & 5
Chris commented on: Group 2 & 4
Mary commented on: Group 2 and 4
Rob commented on: Group 3 & 4
ROLES
Mary and Rob researched and wrote Association for Career and Technical Education.
Chris and Ben researched and wrote US Department of Education.
Rob wrote the discusion.
Ben and Mary worked on the table.
Mary merged the two papers and posted in the blog and submitted the paper.
Everyone proofed and reviewed APA.
Important
Adult Education Organizations
Chris Cathcart
Mary Henehan
Rob Hill
Ben Ranfeld
Ball State University
EDAC 631 Adult and Community Education
April 1, 2014
Important Adult Education Organizations
Association for Career and
Technical Education History, Mission and Goals
Apprenticeships and career
education have been part of American culture since the earliest days. The first manual training school opened in
St. Louis, MO in 1879. The American Vocational Association was founded in 1926
after the Smith-Hughes Act began to provide funding for
vocational education. In 1998, the name was changed to Association for Career
and Technical Education (ACTE) and shifted the emphasis from vocational
education to career education to reflect the needs of a modern workforce (ACTE
History, 2014). With more than 25,000 members, ACTE is the nation’s largest not-for
profit education association which prepares youth and adults for successful
careers with academically rigorous, challenging and technical coursework (Association,
2002; Who, 2014). The mission of ACTE is
to “provide
educational leadership in developing a competitive workforce” (Postsecondary,
2011). The mission is accomplished
through advocacy, public awareness, professional development and tools to help
members become leaders (Who, 2014).
ACTE has set four goals to
reach by the end of 2015: 1) To build local, national and global partnerships
resulting in a skilled workforce, 2)
To integrate education at all levels to meet business and student needs,
3) To be the leader in research for skills attainment and career and technical
education, and 4) To be the voice of and expert in career and technical
education among policy makers, education decision makers and employers. Each goal has several
supporting objectives (ACTE Preferred, 2014).
Background and other information
Association for Career and
Technical Education is the parent organization for sixteen career clusters and
eleven divisions including Agriculture, Engineering and Technology, Postsecondary
Adult and Career, Trade and Industrial, Family and Consumer Sciences, and
Marketing. It houses online journals such as the Journal
for Health Occupations Education, and Techniques: Connecting Education
& Careers (ACTE Divisions, 2014).
Roles and
Responsibilities
From an adult
education context, ACTE’s main roles and responsibilities pertain to developing
educators, advocates and leaders in the area of career and technical education.
Professional development for educators is available through trainings typically
held at state, regional and national conferences. A pool of lesson plans, data, an association
newsletter and a professional journal help to keep members informed of current
policy and topics specific to CTE (Career and Technical Education). Seminars help educators become cognizant of
the direction policy makers are heading.
Having a strong voice in legislation, advocating for funding of programs
and developing media and public awareness are roles ACTE believes are critical
in maintaining a strong presence in the field
(Who, 2014). A primary purpose of
ACTE is policy advocacy; the website has links to current events, current
legislation, agencies, and trends in CTE. There are articles, links, and legislators’
contact information so educators can voice their opinions (Policy, 2014). The website has information on Common Core,
CTE funding, the Perkins Act IV and other federal funding that supports state
programs (Educator, 2014). This permits
members to be proactive instead of reacting after legislation or policy is set.
The
Association for Career and Technical Education website allows all members to
view presentations from past events (Educator, 2014). ACTE provides a social media area (Facebook,
YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest) on the website so members can find
information on programs, make contacts and share information on best practices (Educator,
2014). This resource makes it easier for
persons to find in depth information specific to programs of study and
strengthens lessons for students.
Empowering teachers to become
leaders is a role and responsibility of ACTE.
The association adopted the ACTE Leadership Training Program in July,
2011 with the intent of fostering leadership positions among the state
organizations that would further help at the national level (ACTE Leadership,
2014). The program instills
understanding of “association management, Quality Association Standards, and
leadership skills” (ACTE Leadership, 2014, para. 3). Future leaders are encouraged to help develop
others at the state level, thus feeding candidates to the regional and national
levels. Lewis, in the Introduction to the Long Haul, referenced Highlander
pedagogy. She noted that “rather than bringing in experts as resource people,
Highlander brings people together” (Horton, 1990, p. XX). Likewise, ACTE leadership is developed from
within the membership of the organization; there are no paid employees. This
provides local educators the opportunity to learn and lead and become a
collective advocate for Career and Technical Education (CTE).
Although ACTE
offers many services to members and the public, it is primarily concerned with
the sustainability of programs and helping teachers advance their learning
through organizing, communicating and advocating politically and publically. By having a large membership, they can
influence policy only if they are organized.
Therefore it has been important for the association to advance
membership and make other teachers aware of opportunities that exist for adult
education within the organization.
Impact and
Implications
Merriam and Brockett (2007)
cited several authors: Bryston, Rachal, Gratan, Liveright and Apps when
categorizing occupational or career education as one of the purposes of adult
education. ACTE has distinguished itself
as a leader in the professionalization of adult education. Merriam and Brockett
(2007) list “professional associations, professional literature and information
resources, and graduate study” (p. 221) as areas indicating professionalization. ACTE is an established association providing
literature and resources and annual graduate fellowships since 1967 (Graduate,
2014).
As a national voice in
training for teachers and CTE students, ACTE has adapted to domestic market
changes, shifts in industry demands for technical workforce skills and a growing
globally based economy. Reich (as
cited in Burns, 2011),
notes that the United States’ economy has been evolving into an information
based economy, moving steadily away from a domestic manufacturing economy since
the 1970’s. He posits that the education of the current workforce, and those
that teach these necessary skills, is a central concern to effectively
supplying the needs of a modern workforce.
Thus, ACTE has shifted its focus from skills sets of a bygone era to the
workforce needs of a twenty first century economy. The implications and impact of the focus is
to train teachers to integrate studies, embed technical literacy in content,
increase STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related
access to teachers and to advance market awareness through information and
pathways to careers. Since technology
changes at seemingly breakneck speed, it has been important for ACTE to be
adaptable and prepare teachers in training that is relevant to the needs of an
educated workforce so that they may continue to have an educational impact on
those they serve.
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) History,
Mission and Goals
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is the Federal agency responsible
for oversight at all levels of education policy and administration in the
United States. It “establishes policy for,
administers and coordinates most federal assistance to education” (U.S.
Department of Education, 2010,
p. 1). The DOE’s mission is to “promote student
achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational
excellence and ensuring equal access (U.S. Department of Education, 2010, p.
1). Originally established in 1867, the DOE was expected to collect information on schools and teaching that would help the states
establish effective school systems. The
organization has evolved since its inception lead mostly by an increasing
expectation of responsibility and oversight. In 1890, the organization, then
named the Office of Education,
received its first big expansion as a part of the second Morrill Act which allowed responsibility for administering support for
the original system of land-grant colleges and universities. From here a string of similar legislative
moves lead to the DOE as we know it today.
Some of the other significant events include: the 1917 Smith-Hughes Act, the 1946 George-Barden Act, World War II, The Cold War, President
Johnson’s “War on Poverty”, Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972.
Education represents a significant expense year to year for the U.S. The
majority of the decisions around education are made at the state and local
level, according to the DOE:
Of an estimated $1.15 trillion being spent nationwide on education at
all levels for school year 2011-2012, a substantial majority will come from
State, local, and private sources. This is especially true at the
elementary and secondary level, where about 87.7 percent of the funds will come
from non-Federal sources. (US Department of Education, 2012, para. 1)
The remaining funding
comes from the DOE acting to support the decisions made at the local level and
fill any gaps where possible.
While
some may think the DOE solely mandates policies for K-12 education, it is
actually involved in many aspects of adult and life-long education as
well. In fact, their purview is so
large, it is almost hard to choose which impacts are most important or long
lasting.
Impact and Implications
The
DOE’s first declared purpose by Congress in 1979 was “to strengthen the Federal
commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunity for every
individual” (U.S. Department of Education, 2010, p. 1). According to Merriam &
Brockett (2007), common conditions that limit access to education include
geography, demographics, socioeconomic conditions, and culture subgroups or
subcultures. Under Public Law 96-98 the
DOE creates financial aid policies and distributes funds to students based on
formulas, competition and financial need.
Some students will be awarded assistance because they meet certain
criteria setup in Congressional bills, other students will receive funds based
on merit, and even more students will be granted funding because they lack the
necessary means to afford an education.
The
DOE also “enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination in programs and
activities receiving federal funds and ensures equal access to education for
every individual” (U.S. Department of Education, 2010, p. 8). While this
applies to students of all ages, this specifically assists adults in secondary
and post-secondary programs, vocational schools and rehabilitation, and wanting
to attend colleges and universities receiving federal funding. The DOE ensures compliance with standards of
access through compliance reviews and annual reports.
In late March (2010) the Los Angeles Unified School District became the
first of at least 32 K12 school districts nationwide to undergo federal
compliance reviews intended to spotlight possible discrimination against
specific groups of students that has resulted in persistent achievement gaps on
standardized tests. (Finkel, 2010, p. 47)
Collaborations between the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Education include the G.I.
Bill allowing those who have served in the armed forces a chance to receive an
education, the Troops to Teachers program which assists veterans obtaining
certifications or licensing to become teachers (U.S. Department of Education,
n.d.), and the 8 Keys to Success Program which defines “concrete steps that
institutions of higher education can take to help veterans and service members
transition into the classroom and thrive once they are there” (Baker, 2013, para. 1).
One
of the DOE’s major responsibilities is the proper administration of federal
student aid. The DOE is in fact “the
largest provider of financial aid in higher education, with about $134 billion
in Title IV funds provided to students in 2010” (GAO, 2011) for distance
education. Distance education represents only one aspect of the DOE’s role in
oversight of Title IV funds. The main
responsibility for the administration of aid comes from the Office of Federal
Student Aid, which is a branch of the DOE.
Offering more than $150 billion in loans and other forms of aid each
year the Office of Student aid provides information on types of aid available,
repaying debt borrowed and default rates for all interested stakeholders (Office
of Federal Student Aid, 2014).
Discussions
The
Association for Career and Technical Education and the U.S. Department of
Education have a causal relationship; what one does affects the other. The DOE sets policy while ACTE tries to
influence policy. Therefore the actions
of each organization will be related to the other even if not intended.
Where
the two organizations share the highest commonality pertains to The Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Technical Education Act, Public Law 105. This law is administered by the DOE but is applied
to CTE programs throughout high schools and community colleges. The intent is to distribute funds that can be
used to support programs that train the future workforce. All states receive funding from the DOE (US
Department of Education, 2002). Because ACTE is heavily linked to the programs
receiving funding, a relationship cannot help but to exist.
The two
organizations are both aligned in the area of adult education and are tightly
associated regarding policy in vocational spending. Without the support of DOE, programs for
which ACTE advocates would be compromised financially. It is consequently important to understand
that while they both seek to help CTE programs, they must either work together
or take a stand for their own interest.
DOE is a large entity that is responsible for far more than CTE programs
and has limited resources. ACTE is
concerned almost exclusively with getting as much support for CTE as
possible. Mutual ground is generally the
outcome. While Perkins funding has
tapered off from past years, there has presently been an upswing in
support. ACTE is trying to increase the
amount of funding by influencing policy and it appears recently, they have been
heard.
An initial
analysis of the two organizations showed that they have somewhat different
outcomes, but when a deeper understanding of the two is sought, it shows that
they not only share commonalities, they function together.
Both organizations
empower by educating. Specifically, they
help to provided resources, either funding or training, that will help prepare
persons with workforce skills. Both
organizations must answer to those that fund them. ACTE has a membership body and the DOE has the
ballot. In turn, this makes each
organization responsible to those supporting their cause.
Jurmo (2011) believes that adult educators can make a
difference in CTE, and therefore at least a portion of the DOE, by “recognizing
the importance of work-related basic skills, helping lower-skilled adults be
both productive and empowered workers and strengthening adult basic education
as a profession” (p.172). If this is the
case, then no two organizations are in a better place to provide direction and
support for the empowerment of the next generation of a skilled workforce.
Table
1
Summary of Important
Adult Education Organizations
|
Association of Career and Technical Education
|
The U.S. Department of
Education
|
Year founded
|
1926 as American Vocational Association
1998
name was changed to Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)
|
1867 founded as Office of Education
1980 combined several different federal agencies
into one governing body.
|
Mission and goals
|
Mission:
“To provide educational leadership in developing a competitive workforce.” Goals:
Partnerships for a skilled workforce, education to meet business and student
needs, leader in research, voice for and expert on CTE, advocate for policy and
funding.
|
Mission is to promote student achievement and
preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence
and ensuring equal access.
|
Roles and
Responsibilities
|
Empowers teachers as leaders, advocacy, provide
resources for instruction.
|
Establishes policies
on federal financial aid for education, and distributing and monitoring
funds. Collects data on schools and disseminating research. Focuses attention
on key educational issues. Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal
access to education.
|
Other information
|
16 career clusters and 11 divisions with one for
adult educators.
|
Provides information about all aspects of
education from childhood through adult learning. Acts as repository for
policy and practice of all educational programs in the US. Target audiences include all levels of
educators, students, adults and children.
|
Impact
|
Supports the development of 25,000 educators who
annually prepare millions of people for CTE careers.
|
Sets standards for academic performance and
delivery models across the country at all levels. Provides easy access to all
programs and information to any user DOE
operates programs on every area and level of education.
|
Implications
|
21st Century skills training,
modern workforce, career advancement and
planning, integrated and technical literacy training for teachers and
students. Awareness to political entities. Voice of CTE.
|
As a consolidated government agency the DOE
represents the foremost authority on all education practice and policy.
|
References
An Association is Reborn. (2002, February). Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers.
77(2), 20.
Educator
Resource Center. (2014).The Association for Career
and Technical Education.
Retrieved from
http://www.acteonline.org/erc/#.Uzn6g6hdXGJ
Finkel,
E. (2010, May). Department of education
revives civil rights office.
District Administration, 46(5),
47-48, 50.
Horton, M. (1990). The long haul: An
autobiography. Doubleday: New York.
Jurmo, P. (2011, Fall). Career
pathways for a productive and self-reliant work force: A to-do list for adult
educators. Adult Basic Education and
Literacy Journal, 5(3), 171-175.
Merriam, S.B. & Brockett,
R.G. (2007). The profession and practice
of adult education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
