Action Alerts

Dear Colleague,

As you are probably aware the second $125 M initiative, of the $250M originally proposed by the President, has been zeroed out of the 2006 federal budget. I am working with Senator Elizabeth Dole’s office regarding the reauthorization of this funding. The bill will be reintroduced after the August recess. I am writing this letter to gather your support for this initiative and your assistance in bringing the issue to the attention of those you know in business and at the community colleges.

Private industry must be the driving force behind the reinstatement of this initiative in the budget. It is imperative that industry emphasize that this funding directly affects their ability to maintain a trained workforce.

I need the CEO, or other high level executive, to write a letter to Senator Dole’s office demonstrating their support. The letters should address the following areas:

1. Their need for skilled workers (e.g., ask them to provide, when possible supporting statistics and data)
2. The role community colleges play in training individuals for today’s fast-paced, ever-changing work environments (e. g., the ability of community colleges to quickly develop and deliver training programs that meet the needs of employers; the fact that community colleges can be flexible and efficient training environments)
3. The critical need to continue building the capacity of community colleges to meet the training needs of businesses and industries (e.g., the replication of Advanced Manufacturing Centers of Excellence in Integrated Systems Technology)
4. Support for the reauthorization of the $125M initiative

Please have your contacts fax and mail hard copy of their letters to:

Senator Elizabeth Dole
555 Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Fax: 202-224-1100

I would appreciate it if they would send me a copy of their letters so that I can track the progress of the mailings. I want to thank you for your time and interest in this issue. If you need further information or clarification, please feel free to contact me at 815-942-3180.

Sincerely,

Gary Rockis
IST-USA
1802 N. Division Street
Morris, IL 60450
Phone: 815/942-8142 or 866/233-9091
Fax: 815/942-3248
E-mail: grockis@istusa.org

Employer Advocates
Contact your state and federal representatives today and ask them to support secondary career and technical education.

According to the recent National Assessment of Vocational Education: Interim Report to Congress federal funding for CTE has decreased from 6% of the national education budget in 1980 to 3% in 2002*. In the past two years state support for CTE has decreased 7% from 53.9 million in fiscal year 2001 to $50.2 million in fiscal year 2004 at a time when more training is needed**.

 

 

* U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary, Planning and Evaluation Service

** Illinois State Board of Education 2003 CTE Illinois School Data

 

 Workforce Education
 Resource Center
 2450 Foundation Drive
 Springfield, IL 62703-5464

Site Updated 11/10/2004