GOP Vocational Education Bill
Leaves “School to Work” Behind

UPDATED: October 7, 2004

The House Committee on Education & the Workforce has passed legislation (H.R. 4496) that would help to restore state freedom and flexibility in federal vocational education programs and put another nail in the coffin of the so-called “School to Work” initiative.  Contrary to the claims of some lobbying organizations, both H.R. 4496 and President Bush’s earlier No Child Left Behind Act reject the Clinton-era School to Work model and affirm that states and local communities – not the federal government – should have the final say in deciding what students are taught.

Here are the facts about H.R. 4496:

• H.R. 4496 increases local control and local accountability.  The House Republican bill ensures states and local communities will determine how best to implement vocational and technical education programs at the local level.  In fact, the bill specifies that nothing in the law shall authorize the federal government to mandate or control a state, local educational agency, or school’s instructional content, and curriculum.

The bill also ensures states are not required to have academic content or student academic achievement standards approved or certified by the federal government in order to receive funds under this law, and that a state’s refusal to apply for funds under the Perkins Act does not prevent that state from receiving funds under other federal education programs.  Participation in vocational and technical education programs is voluntary for states and local communities, and voluntary for students and families.

• H.R. 4496 increases the focus on academics.  As advocated by conservatives for years, the House Republican vocational education bill boosts the focus on academic content, with content determined by states and local communities – not the federal government.  President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act also includes language specifying that academic content must be determined by states and local communities, not the federal government.

The bill maintains flexibility for states to decide whether vocational education funds will be spent at the secondary or postsecondary levels, or a combination of both.  The fact is, the vast majority of vocational and technical education occurs in late secondary or postsecondary education. 

• H.R. 4496 rejects federal standards.  The House Republican bill recognizes that states and local communities should have the final say about what is taught in local schools, and explicitly rejects federal standards for curriculum or academic content.  H.R. 4496 includes language barring the federal government from imposing federal education standards on states and local communities. 

• H.R. 4496 simplifies funding, and targets resources to local communities.  The House Republican bill increases funds targeted to local communities by decreasing funds for bureaucracy.  By increasing funding to local communities and local programs, the bill prevents a one-size-fits-all paradigm and instead goes even further to assure educational responsibility for states and local communities.

For more information on helping states and local communities strengthen vocational and technical education, see http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/108th/education/voced/voced.htm.