https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y Jennifer Smith, EDG 6305 en-us 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC 2025-12-07 15:17:55 UTC hello@padlet.com jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683320 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. ]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683320 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683325 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. ]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683325 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683326 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)]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683326 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683327 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. ]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683327 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683328 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. ]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683328 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683330 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).]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683330 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683333 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).]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683333 jsmith1932 https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683334 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. ]]> 2019-01-17 14:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jsmith1932/1soguawga7y/wish/321683334