ICCTA Action Alert May 14, 2001 Federal Perkins funding is in jeopardy! The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act Amendments of 1998 provide federal grants for vocational and technical programs to community colleges across the nation. The U.S. Senate is considering an amendment to place the Perkins Act into a BLOCK GRANT within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This means that: 1. All Perkins funding (both secondary and postsecondary) could be included in a block grant to fund elementary and secondary programs at the discretion of the state. 2. Perkins funding would no longer be required to be spent on career and technical education programs. 3. Postsecondary Perkins funding would be re-directed entirely to elementary and secondary education programs. 4. If a state decides not to block grant these programs under this amendment, the state would be penalized by a reduction in funds available for each program area, including the Perkins Act. Therefore, there is a great incentive for the states to block grant these funds. ACTION NEEDED: Call U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Peter Fitzgerald immediately and urge them to VOTE NO on the Kyl block grant amendment (Amendment #501 to Senate #1). A floor vote is expected at any time. U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin E-mail: dick@durbin.senate.gov Phone: (202) 224-2152 Fax: (202) 228-0400 U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald E-mail: senator_fitzgerald@fitzgerald.senate.gov Phone: (202) 224-2854 Fax: (202) 228-1372 For additional information, call Dr. Virginia McMillan, executive vice president of the Illinois Community College Board, at 217-785-0011. Illinois Community College Trustees Association 401 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200 Springfield, IL 62701-1711 217-528-2858 (phone) 217-528-8662 (fax) ICCTA@communitycolleges.org (e-mail) http://www.communitycolleges.org | Home | News | Events | Links |