Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2005

CARL D. PERKINS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2005

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise in support of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program.

By the year 2010, 80 percent of all jobs in the Nation will require secondary and postsecondary education and training as a prerequisite for a job that supports a middle-class lifestyle. The Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program provides business and industry with the skilled workers they need to compete in the 21st century economy and provides a future of hope for those workers.

Unfortunately, President Bush has proposed eliminating Federal funding for these programs in his fiscal year 2006 budget. This would have a tremendous negative impact across the nation and especially in Illinois, which is receiving $49.6 million dollars in fiscal year 2005 for these programs. In fact, in Illinois, 3 out of 5 high school students are enrolled in Vocational and Technical Education annually, representing more than 348,000 students.

The Senate's strong support for this legislation today demonstrates that the Bush administration is out of touch with regular people and the state of our economy. We need to create more good jobs in America; that's what vocation education programs do.

For example, we need more teachers. Stacy J. attended Capital Area Career center and went on to graduate from Lincoln Land Community College and from there to the University of Illinois Springfield. She earned a Bachelor's in Psychology and an elementary teaching certificate and now works for the Springfield School District. Her path was largely funded by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program.

We need car specialists. Nick O. graduated from the welding program at Capital Area Career Center and now works for Ray Evernham Motorsports in research and development and as a tire specialist. Again, Nick took advantage of the Perkins program.

We need electricians, x-ray technicians, dental assistants, and plumbers. Justin K. is an apprentice plumber in Springfield after completed the Perkins program at the Capital Career Center.

We need nurses, carpenters, and firefighters. Andy, Josh and Dustin studied Fire Science at the Kishwaukee Education Consortium.

Because we need these people, we need the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program.

Of course, we also need our students to graduate. Another Perkins program student, Jessica G., began her career as a co-op student from Limestone Community College. She works for the RSM McGladrey Network and is now one course away from earning her masters of business administration. One of the most spectacular attributes of the Perkins program is the increase in the probability of graduation. Participation in a career and technical program raises the probability of graduation by 15 percentage points for those who registered for at least one course and nearly 28 percentage points for those who completed a career and technical program.

The school-based programs supported through the Perkins program provide a foundation for our Nation's workforce development system, by teaching technical skills based on industry standards and workplace skills and employability skills common to all occupations. This program is the single largest Federal investment in the nation's high schools.

We want our students to succeed in their education. This means we need the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program. Research proves students engaged in Perkins-supported programs are better prepared to transition into post-secondary education and the workplace. Students who complete a rigorous academic core coupled with a career concentration have test scores that equal or exceed college prep students. These dual concentrators are more likely to pursue postsecondary education, have a higher grade point average in college and are less likely to drop out in the first year. Fifty-two per cent of all career and technical education students enroll in college.

I strongly support this legislation and commend Chairman Enzi and Senator Kennedy for their leadership in ensuring that the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program continues.

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