Bush Proposes Major Overhaul of Perkins Program

Press Release, American Council on Education
April 7, 2004
http://www.acenet.edu/hena/readArticle.cfm?articleID=591

President Bush has announced a new proposal that would change the Perkins Vocational Education Program. Under the proposal, $1 billion of current monies would be channeled away to a new Secondary and Technical Education program (Sec Tech). This program would require vocational schools to provide more in-depth programs in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

Bush and other policy proponents claim that the Perkins Vocational Education Program is outdated. During a speech at the South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado, AR, he commented:

“ We can't let kids go through without raising the standards and raising the bar. So I'm going to ask Congress to reform the Perkins Vocational Program. That's not to cut back on the money; it's quite the contrary. It's to make sure the money we are spending prepares these youngsters for the jobs of the 21st century.”