The U.S. Department of Education (ED) will be launching an initiative to improve access to high-quality training programs.
The initiative, “Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success,” – supported by the Departments of Commerce and Labor – involves a program to expand work-based learning opportunities for students, using $5.6 million dollars in Perkins funding.
ED will issue guidance in a Dear Colleague Letter on how federal funds can be used to develop and expand career pathway programs. It will also host regional summits with students, educators, employers, and other stakeholders to learn about successful practices and existing challenges. “It’s time we bridge the divide between our K-12 systems and our college, career, and industry preparation programs, which leave too many students behind and perpetuate inequities in our most diverse, underserved, and rural communities,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel A. Cardona.