WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Congressman Alex X. Mooney and Congresswoman Katherine M. Clark introduced H.R. 4263, the Technical Education and Career Help Act, also known as the TEACH Act. This bill invests in career and technical education (CTE) around the country.
“I am proud to introduce H.R. 4263, the Technical Education and Career Help Act. As I travel across my district in West Virginia and visit schools and community colleges, I hear time and again that quality career and technical education opens up options for high-paying jobs. Having high quality educators in our schools training the workforce of tomorrow is imperative,” said Rep. Alex X. Mooney. “My bipartisan bill will ensure that students interested in careers such as welding or emergency service receive the training necessary to prepare them for a competitive professional environment.”
“The TEACH Act will ensure that our 21st century workforce has the skill set for success in today’s economy,” said Rep. Katherine M. Clark. “This bill will allow students to develop highly marketable skills and support Career and Technology Education teachers. The TEACH Act will broaden participation in technical careers and strengthen our economy.”
“ACTE is proud to endorse the TEACH Act, which will bridge the gap between future CTE educators and the classroom,” said Association for Career and Technical Education Executive Director LeAnn Wilson. “It is critical that we encourage new professionals to enter the CTE teaching field and provide them with the support they need to succeed in their role, especially in the face of challenges currently posed by teacher shortages nationwide.”
The TEACH Act invests in CTE teachers by expanding, without authorizing new spending, the Higher Education Act’s teacher residency grant program to help schools recruit and train high-quality CTE teachers. This will increase the quality of training that students receive and ensure that they are truly prepared with the skills they need to succeed in today’s workplace.
Other cosponsors include Rep. Rod Blum (R-IA), Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME), Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ), Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), and Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA). The Alliance for Excellent Education, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Consortium (NASDCTEc), Public Advocacy for Kids, and Future Farmers of America also support the bill.
The bipartisan legislation has also been introduced in the Senate (S.2174) by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Tammy Baldwin (R-WI), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
For more information on the bill click here.
Alex X. Mooney represents West Virginia’s Second Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a member of the Budget and Natural Resources Committees.
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