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My future goals as a professional is to be a high school guidance counselor after completing my M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling. I have been a high school teacher for 22 years and would like to help guide high school students toward their post-secondary educational goals.

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Top 5 According to a High School Counselor

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Top 5 According to a High School Counselor

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I interviewed Laurie Johnson, the high school counselor at Hale Center, to get her perspective on top legal and ethical issues she deals with in her office.

#1. Laurie stated that her number on issue she deals with is PEIMS.  She must stay up to date on how to code classes so the school district receives the proper funding for different courses, especially CTE courses.

#2. Another top issue Laurie deals with is student's courses and grade point averages.  She has to make sure all students at Hale Center High School are taking and completing classes that the state requires and the local school board.  The school board also sets how different courses are weighted to calculate GPAs and she has to check that courses are weighted appropriately.

#3. A piece of legislation that came out of the 85th Legislative Session that has implications for her in the counselor office is SB 179 - David's Law. This piece of legislation deals with cyberbullying issues and the responsibility and involvement of schools.  Laurie stated that the middle school counselor has dealt with this more than she has.

#4. Laurie has to have ethical training to renew both her Texas School Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor Licenses.  She is a member of the American Counseling Association and as a member they provide online trainings once a month that are free.  Topics range from age related, to LGBTQ rights and needs.

#5. To keep abreast of changing legal updates, Laurie has a network of other counselors that she networks with.  She has also subscribed to email lists that provides legal updates, and the professional organizations she is a member of gives legal updates to the members.
(L. Johnson, personal communication, January, 18, 2019).

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Legal Issues According to American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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Legal Issues According to American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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As I was examining the ASCA website there were two Acts that were discussed that have a direct impact on students' education.
The first act was Perkins V.  This act will have a direct impact on Career and Technical Education Programs (CTE).  Much of Perkins V involves how CTE programs can be funded.  This effects a high school counselor because Perkins V requires schools to provide career exploration and development activities through a systematic framework, support integration of academic skills into CTE, and provide necessary skills within CTE  courses to pursue high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand jobs.  Perkins V takes effect on July 1, 2019 and schools will have a one year transition (ASCA, 2018)

Another issue that was discussed on the legislative affair page was Title IV funds. This affects a school counselor because of scheduling. The Title IV funds are to be used to provide students with a well rounded education (P.E., art, STEM, and CTE courses). These funds may also be used to for school counseling because schools are to provide mentoring and school counseling to all students (ASCA, 2018).

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Legislative Affairs | American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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Legal Issue According to National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)

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Legal Issue According to National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)

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When examining the NASET website under the resource tab, there were two laws that intrigued me because as a teacher I  heard about them but never knew what they entailed. The first one is Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  This act is dealing with students having rights to inspect their records and insuring privacy of the student's information.
The second law that was discussed on the NASET website was the Perkins Vocational Education Act. This act helps fund CTE courses, and also protects students with disablities to insure they have the opportunity to participate in CTE courses.

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curriculum for children with disabilities

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summer camps for children with disabilities

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family educational rights and privacy act

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National Association of Special Education Teachers: Perkins Vocational Education Act

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The National Association of Special Education Teachers-national membership org for teachers, professors, and college students involved in special education

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As I reflect on the information I found and read about the Perkins Education Act,  it made me more aware how critical CTE courses are in many areas of the school system.  For a small school such as Hale Center, every little bit of funding has a tremendous effect on the school district.  The Perkins Act helps fund CTE programs, and the more funding a school district can receive for CTE the better those programs become, and more programs could be offered for the students if there is funding.

The Perkins Act gives students from school districts like Hale Center more opportunities than if there were no CTE programs.  Many of our students do not want a four year degree, but they are will to work for a certificate.  The programs that the Perkins Act fund help these students get a post-secondary certificate, and in turn the students earn a living wage.

As a high school counselor, the Perkins Act would affect my job tremendously.  First of all, the counselor would have to ensure courses were coded correctly to receive the Perkins funds.  One small mistake in this area could cost the district thousands of dollars.  Another aspect that I would have to consider is the types of CTE courses students in the district are interested in.  This would entail meeting with the students one-on-one and planning a sequence of courses.  Many times special education students excel in CTE courses because the courses tend to be hands on and students are interested in making a career out of the skills they are learning in the courses.

As a high school counselor, I would also need to work with colleges. Many times a school district can not offer occupational certificates, but could work with a college to ensure courses that are being offered will help prepare students for a certificate. Perkins Funds also help fund programs at the college level so having an open line of communication with area colleges helps our students while they are in high school and after they graduate.

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A legal issue that interest me is insuring that all students have the opportunity to participate in CTE programs. The Perkins Vocational Act addresses this. CTE programs can be pathways for students to have successful careers after high school.

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Research of the Perkins Act on the Internet

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Research of the Perkins Act on the Internet

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As I was researching the Perkins Act on the internet, I came across a website called National Immigration Forum. On this website they had an article titled "Fact Sheet: What is the Perkins CTE, and How Does it Serve Immigrants?". This article explains the three ways programs can be funded under the Perkins Act, gives and explanation of what CTE programs are, and also explains what middle-skills jobs are. The article also explains that the Perkins Act helps immigrants gain work certificates and also helps with English-language education.

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What is the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins Act)?

It's the main federal funding source for career and technical education (CTE) programs. The Perkins Act is the primary federal funding source for high school, college and university CTE programs that are critical for preparing youth and adults, including immigrants, for jobs in local and regional economies. Congress passed the latest version of the Perkins Act, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, in July 2018.

The Perkins Act provides funds under three main programs:

1. Basic State Grants Programs (Title I) through which states distribute money to high schools, colleges and universities that offer programs that integrate academic and career and technical education.

2. National Programs that allow certain research organizations to conduct and disseminate national research and information on best practices that improve CTE programs. For example, these funds are currently used to support the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education and other activities assisting states with implementing key requirements of the Perkins Act.

3. Tech Prep Programs (Title II) that allow educational institutions to combine at least two years of high school education followed by at least two years of education at a college or university, resulting in an industry-recognized credential, certificate or degree. Since May 2011, the U.S. Department of Education no longer provides states with funds for tech prep programs.

What is Career Technical Education (CTE)?

They are career preparation programs. CTE programs prepare workers, including immigrants, to meet employers' needs in a variety of occupations, such as dental assistants, pharmacy technicians, welders, automotive technicians and others. In addition to high-skills jobs, CTE programs also prepare workers for middle-skills jobs, which American companies currently struggle to fill.

What are middle-skills jobs?

They are occupations requiring a higher level of education than a high-school diploma but less than a four-year college degree. Middle-skills jobs currently represent the biggest portion of the U.S. labor market. Companies in every state have been reporting a strong demand for middle-skills workers, and the need is projected to grow. With proper training and education, immigrants can obtain middle-skills jobs and help our economy close the widening skills gap.

How does the Perkins CTE serve immigrants?

It finances programs that help immigrants meet employers' needs. Programs funded by the Perkins CTE help immigrants and other workers gain work skills. Certificates, licenses and the education gained from CTE programs allow immigrants and other workers to secure better jobs and fulfill their career potential. Maximizing the contributions of immigrants can help meet employers' needs, strengthening our economy.

Approximately 36 million U.S. workers, including millions of immigrants, would benefit from upskilling by improving their literacy, numeracy and occupational skills through workforce training programs. Immigrants comprise one-third of adults in the U.S. with low literacy skills and one-quarter of adults with low numeracy skills. Further, foreign-born individuals account for about 87 percent of the 22.8 million people who live in the U.S. and who are considered "limited English proficient." At the same time, about 29 percent of the total foreign-born population age 25 and older have a college degree or higher.

What can immigrants gain from programs funded by the Perkins CTE?

They can gain work certificates, stackable credentials, adult basic skills and English-language education.CTE programs provide immigrants with an opportunity to earn a certificate or degree and gain work experience through work-based learning. Recent research shows that U.S. employers generally prefer American experience and training over experience and training abroad. Nearly 2 million immigrants living in the U.S. who earned college degrees from foreign institutions have a low-skills job or can't find work.

CTE programs also allow immigrants and other U.S. workers to gain stackable credentials. These credentials are particularly important for immigrants and other adult workers who face various obstacles, such as family obligations and financial constraints or language barriers, in completing a degree or credential program.

The Perkins CTE funding can also be used for noncredit CTE programs that do not lead to a degree or certificate but are a valuable tool for improving the skills of our workforce, including immigrants. Further, the funds can provide adult basic skills and English as a second language (ESL) classes, including contextualized ESL courses, integrated into the CTE programs' curricula.

What is the current level of funding under Perkins CTE?

Its about $1.1 billion. The overall funding appropriated for the Perkins CTE programs have decreased over time. In fiscal year (FY) 2004, the funding level was $1.3 billion, while the FY 2017 level was set at $1.1 billion. The cuts have resulted in the elimination of funds under Title II, the Tech Prep Programs, which provide grants to secondary schools and certain nonprofits offering a two-year associate's degree or apprenticeship programs. Title I spending has decreased slightly over time as well. Additionally, the National Programs saw a big drop in funding, falling from $11.9 million in FY 2004 to $7.4 million in FY 2017.

How does the government distribute the Perkins CTE funding?

They base it on state population. The Basic State Grants Program (Title I) are allotted to states through a formula based on populations in certain age groups and earning certain levels of per-capita income. States are required to distribute at least 85 percent of Title I funds to local education agencies, vocational and technical schools, community colleges and other public or private nonprofit institutions offering CTE programs. Each state may decide how much money will be distributed to recipients at the secondary and postsecondary education levels. Generally, about 64 percent of the funds go to secondary education, and 36 percent go to postsecondary education programs.

What are the latest developments on Perkins CTE funding in Congress?

Legislators reauthorized funding for Perkins CTE in July 2018. Exactly a year after the House passed its version of Perkins CTE, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) unanimously approved its reauthorization of Perkins in June 2018. Both chambers then passed the final bill, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act in July 2018. The Perkins Act was originally due for reauthorization in 2013, but Congress had been unable to enact new legislation for the following five years.

The new bill will provide additional funding and resources for CTE programs that are critical due to significant funding reductions that have limited the support provided to high-quality CTE programs over the past several years.

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Fact Sheet: What is the Perkins CTE, and How Does it Serve Immigrants? - National Immigration Forum

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What is the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins Act)? It's the main federal funding source for career and technical education (CTE) programs. The Perkins Act is the primary federal funding source for high school, college and university CTE programs that are critical for preparing youth and adults, including immigrants, for jobs in local and ...

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When I was searching the Angelo State Library for information on the Perkins Education Act, I came across an article titled "Back to the Basics of the Carl D. Perkins Act".  This article was in Techniques a publication of Association for Career and Technical Education. The article discussed how there is a need to look at all CTE programs and see if Perkins funds need to be shifted to serve more students. The article also stressed that there is not a one size fits all model for allocating Perkins funds. Every school will have different programs that receive the funds, and these programs should align with student interest, campus issues, and the regional workforce needs (Simoneau, 2015)