Congress Passes New Perkins Bill.

Congress Passes New Perkins Bill. First Vocational Education vocational education,training designed to advance individuals' general proficiency, especially in relation to their present or future occupations. The term does not normally include training for the professions. Authorizing Legislation Since 1990 The House and Senate, rushing to finish legislative business beforeCongress adjourned for the year, passed the Carl D. Perkins Vocationaland Technical Education Act The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act was first authorized by the federal government in 1984 and reauthorized in 1998. Named for Carl D. Perkins, the act aims to increase the quality of technical education within the United States in order to help the economy. (H.R. 1853) by voice vote on October 9. Bylate October Clinton was expected to have signed the bill. House and Senate negotiators cut a series of 11th-hour deals tomake it possible for Congress to pass H.R. 1853. It was nearly given up for dead in late September, when vocationaleducation advocates feared the funding formula differences between theHouse and Senate versions could not be resolved. Staff members from bothchambers had come to loggerheads Log´ger`heads`n. 1. (Bot.) The knapweed.loggerheadsnpl at loggerheads (with) → de pique (con)loggerheadsnpl and walked away from negotiations, andCongress was preoccupied pre��oc��cu��pied?adj.1. a. Absorbed in thought; engrossed.b. Excessively concerned with something; distracted.2. Formerly or already occupied.3. with higher-profile issues as it headed towardadjournment A putting off or postponing of proceedings; an ending or dismissal of further business by a court, legislature, or public official—either temporarily or permanently. . But staffers resumed meeting and hammered ham��mered?adj.1. Shaped or worked with a metalworker's hammer and often showing the marks of these tools: a bowl of hammered brass.2. Slang Drunk or intoxicated.Adj. out agreements on thestate share of federal vocational education funding, as well as the"within state" funding formula for secondary schools. Funding formulas The conference report calls for states to send 85 percent of theirfederal funds Federal FundsFunds deposited to regional Federal Reserve Banks by commercial banks, including funds in excess of reserve requirements.Notes:These non-interest bearing deposits are lent out at the Fed funds rate to other banks unable to meet overnight reserve to local districts and keep 15 percent. States must spend5 percent on administration and 10 percent on leadership activities. The new bill also puts 10 percent of the money states send to localdistricts in a discretionary fund that can be used for grants to ruralareas, regions with a high percentage of vocational education students,areas with large student populations or communities that receive lessmoney because of the changes to the secondary within-state formula. Under current law, states send 75 percent of their federalallocation The apportionment or designation of an item for a specific purpose or to a particular place.In the law of trusts, the allocation of cash dividends earned by a stock that makes up the principal of a trust for a beneficiary usually means that the dividends will be treated as to local communities. Five percent is reserved for stateadministration, including $60,000 for a gender equity coordinator andrelated activities. Another 10.5 percent is reserved for equityprograms, 8.5 percent goes to state leadership and 1 percent is reservedfor vocational programs Noun 1. vocational program - a program of vocational educationeducational program - a program for providing education for prisoners. The conference bill would keep current law through fiscal 2000 forthe secondary within-state funding formula, meaning states wouldcontinue to send money to secondary schools based 70 percent on Title Ienrollment, 20 percent on the number of students in special educationand 10 percent on the district's enrollment. After fiscal 2000, thenew bill would base secondary school funding 70 percent on poverty and30 percent on population. Gender equity The conference committee spent much of its final day arguing aboutgender equity. Under the 1990 law, each state must have a full-time sex equitycoordinator and spend $60,000 a year on equity activities. The compromise reached by staff would designate des��ig��nate?tr.v. des��ig��nat��ed, des��ig��nat��ing, des��ig��nates1. To indicate or specify; point out.2. To give a name or title to; characterize.3. $60,000 to $150,000from each state's leadership money for services that prepare peoplefor nontraditional training and employment, meaning fields in which onegender comprises less than a quarter of the workers. Programs fordisplaced homemakers dis��placed homemakern.A woman who, after managing a household for years, is forced by financial necessity to find a wage-paying job. , single mothers and other special populations alsocould continue to be funded through basic state grants for vocationaleducation. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had some misgivings about thecompromise bill, which Rep. Bill Goodling (R-Pa.) pronounced "notnearly as good as it was when it left the House," but slightlybetter than current law. Meanwhile, Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.) said he worries that areserve of funds originally intended for rural areas is being watereddown by making it available for other purposes. Rural areas haveinadequate access to vocational education and lag behind cities andsuburban areas in technical education, he said. But the American Vocational Association is pleased with the bill,noting it addresses all of AVA's high priorities (see New Perkins:Worth the Wait). Look for more extensive coverage of the Perkins bill in January. "In Washington" is prepared by James Hettinger, editor ofVocational Education Weekly, available by subscription from the AmericanVocational Association, 1410 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; (800)826-9972. Subscription fee: members, $164; others, $184.