Senate Bills 170 and 199 pave the way for career counseling and training starting in Middle School

JUNEAU-Monday, the Alaska State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 170 and Senate Bill 199, which represent a package to expand and improve vocational education opportunities in Alaska’s schools.

“Vocational and technical career programs have consistently increased graduation rates nationwide and here in Alaska’s schools,” said Senator Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair of the Senate’s Education Committee. “That’s because some students engage better with hands-on training rather than traditional book learning. It’s another avenue to keep these kids interested in school.”

Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Senator Joe Thomas, Co-Chair of the Senate Education Committee, provides career/vocational counseling for every student in the seventh, ninth and 11^th grades. “Seventh grade is when students start making important life choices. Studies show this is when counseling can have a dramatic impact on a student’s academic success,” said Senator Thomas. “Focusing kids on their education and potential career is probably more important today than in the past and will be increasingly important going forward. A student may have a career in mind, but they are often not aware of what they will need to learn to be effective in that career. This legislation helps to get them the information they need to make those important decisions.”

Senate Bill 199, sponsored by Senator Kevin Meyer, Co-Chair of the Senate Education Committee, expands the steady stream of funding created by the Legislature last year underSenate Bill 84 for voc-tech programs in Alaska’s high schools. “Now, with Senate Bill 199, districts will have more flexibility in providing technical and other career programs, in high schools and middle schools, that focus on hands-on workplace training for jobs that don’t necessarily require a college degree,”said Senator Meyer. “By allowing funding to be used in seventh and eighth grades, in addition to high school, we can capture more of the students who are losing interest in their education prior to high school.”

The goal of vocational education is not only to increase graduation rates, but also to build a more dynamic and diverse workforce in Alaska.

“We don’t want our students to miss out on the vocational, technical or career education that they will need to be successful and become a productive member of our workforce,” said Senator Thomas. “These bills will help make sure that our schools have these critical teaching and training tools in place.”

Improving Alaska’s schools and ensuring a brighter future for all of Alaska’s children is one of the Senate’s highest priorities this year. “We have already passed an increase to the base student allocation,” said Senator Meyer. “Legislation, like the two bills passed today, enhance those opportunities and provide our students with the best chance possible to succeed.”

Senate Bill 170 and Senate Bill 199 now head to the House for further consideration.

For more information, please contact Murray Richmond at 907-465-2327 or Edra Morledge at 907-465-4945.