Rank-and-file member Robert White introduced the Vocational Education for a New Generation Act of 2024.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The D.C. Council is taking aim at youth crime through a legislative package that includes a bill aimed at expanding trade and vocational education.
The Vocational Education for a New Generation Act of 2024 proposes the creation of a Workforce Ready program to be funded and administered by the DC Office of the Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). In addition to expanding the courses available, the bill would also provide students with financial aid to pay for certifications, certifications, and transportation costs.
Assemblyman Robert White, who introduced the bill, said the idea came directly from young people he spoke to in Washington, D.C. “We used to have a much more robust vocational education, and people in Washington, D.C., want that back. People working with their hands, earning a lot of money a year or two after graduating from high school. Where I can get it, that’s what I want back.” White told WUSA9.
Currently, 27 schools in Washington, D.C. offer technical and career education (CTE), according to a report released this year by the D.C. Deputy Mayor’s Office (DME). The report shows that only 18%, or 4,445, of D.C. students in high schools, alternative programs, and adult programs took CTE courses during the 2021-2022 school year. Also, only 816 students were considered CTE concentrators. This means you have taken at least three courses in the same field of study.
“If you’re going to get vocational education, it should lead to a high-paying career, so you need to make sure it’s aligned with where your employees are going,” White added. Ta.
At Thursday’s D.C. Council Committee of the Whole hearing, witnesses strongly supported the bill, citing high attendance and graduation rates for students enrolled in CTE courses.
“We are empowering the next generation of innovators, medical professionals, and leaders,” McKinley Technical High School senior Jamison Ford testified.
“I have a GED, no college experience, and yet I make six figures a year,” Kunta Bedney, a member of Local 197 Carpenters Union, told WUSA9. A native Washingtonian, he says he wishes he had received a trade or vocational education from an early age. “If I had known, I probably wouldn’t have had such a difficult past. That’s why I wholeheartedly support this plan, because it’s going to give kids so much money. “It gives you a different understanding of whether you can earn money and graduate high school,” he added.
Molly Kirsch, a senior at DC International High School, told lawmakers how she was able to apply the training she received in the medical field when a woman fell on an ice skating rink. “My partner and I were able to help stabilize her until the ambulance arrived. This experience solidified my commitment to a career in the medical field,” Kirsch said. Ta. She also advocated for the council to include funding for organizations like HOSA, a student-led global organization for future leaders in the global health community.
Some witnesses shared concerns about the spread of CTE targeting black and brown youth in ways that push them away from college education. When asked about these concerns, White told WUSA9, “Half of our students aren’t even attending college, let alone graduating. What’s happening to them now? They’re primarily black and brown. If you try to get into black and brown communities, they.” Where are the vocational programs that we once had, the first to claim that we need to respond? ”
This proposal is part of a larger legislative package known as “Safer Today, Safer Tomorrow” that also includes:
The Student Success and Truancy Reduction Act of 2024 would require OSSE to increase student attendance reporting and begin posting monthly school-by-school data on its website. Currently, public school officials report truancy after the school year ends. The 2024 Youth Guidance Through Community Activities Act. It establishes specialized mentoring programs for youth under 18 who have experienced adverse childhood experiences and provides community service to district government officials to further increase the number of mentors for all youth in D.C. It creates a vacation.
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