The Face of Carl Perkins Funding at MATC

Top row (left to right): Christine Litwin, Special Needs; Susan Maloney, Special Needs; Christine Woda, Grants and Development; Ay Moua, Multicultural Affairs-Asian

Bottom row (left to right): Robert Williams, Special Needs; C.J. Iglinski, Data Analyst, Grants and Development; Cathy Bohte, Special Needs; Orlando Quintilla, Bilingual; Christina Ekegren, Bilingual; Greg Johns, Student Services Specialist, American Indian Office

More photos can be found here...

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CONSIDERS PERKINS FUNDING
CALL SENATOR KOHL TODAY

July 6

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to vote on legislation to fund education programs including Carl Perkins for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 on July 12, followed by a full Appropriations Committee vote on July 14.

Carl Perkins funding has been threatened this year by the Bush Administration’s proposal to eliminate the program. Many of vital MATC student services are funded through Perkins including the bilingual, multicultural and special needs offices, the tutoring center and computer labs.

Senator Herb Kohl is on the appropriations committee and he need to hear from YOU that maintaining Perkins funding is crucial to our students and MATC!

Please call (202- 224-5653) or email Senator Herb Kohl and ask him to fund the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act at no less than FY 2004 levels and to reject the Administration’s proposed cut to the program.

Urge him to restore funding for the Tech Prep Demonstration Project and Section 118 (Occupational and Employment Information) to at least FY 2004 levels.

Let Senator Kohl know that cuts to Perkins would force MATC to dranatically reduce or eliminate vital programs. Remind him that last year several Perkins funded positions at MATC were reduced resulting in decreased services for our students.

Remind Senator Kohl that the career and technical education funded by Perkins provides effective and proven links to skills-building opportunities and improved employment outcomes; that employers in your community continue to need well-trained
workers with good skills; and that MATC serves over 60,000 students in the MATC district.

Thank Senator Kohl for supporting the Perkins program in the past.

Please act today!!!

BACKGROUND ON PERKINS FUNDING:
In its budget request released in February, the Bush Administration proposed to eliminate funding for the Perkins program to fund the President’s new High School Intervention Initiative. However, Members of Congress have spoken out in support of funding for CTE. The full House voted to approve its FY 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill on June 24, which provides $1.312 billion for the Perkins Act, with level funding for the Basic State Grant, Tech Prep Education State Grant and National Programs. While Section 118 (Occupational and Employment Information) and the Tech Prep Demonstration Program were not funded in the House bill, these programs typically enjoy strong support in the Senate, which has restored their funding to the bill in the past. For more information on funding for career and technical education, please visit: www.acteonline.org/policy/legislative_issues/federal-approp.cfm.