This week, U.S. Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, and Roger Williams, R-Texas, introduced the bipartisan Student Debt Alternative and CTE Awareness Act.
The legislation encourages more Americans to pursue career and technical education (CTE) paths and to consider the financial obligations that come with a four-year degree, Gluesenkamp Perez stated in a news release.
The bill will require the Department of Education to publish information on the Office of Federal Student Aid website regarding general CTE information, programs and Perkins funding.
Additionally, the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) must include a one-page summary about CTE programs and how they are a viable alternative to a four-year degree, and require applicants to sign an acknowledgment box before starting their FAFSA application.
“Success isn’t defined by having a college degree. We should steward all the forms of intelligence our kids can be born with, not just academic intelligence,” Gluesenkamp Perez stated in the release. “This bipartisan legislation will help inform students about trade school opportunities so they can make the choice that is right for them and know their gifts and interests merit the same respect as academic pathways.”
The lawmakers previously introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress, but it did not pass.
