WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical and Adult Education Scott Stump and more than 100 stakeholders met today at the Department of Education to collaborate on ways to rethink Career and Technical Education.

The Rethink CTE Summit expanded on the Department’s Rethink Education initiative and served as an implementation launch of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V).

Secretary DeVos and Assistant Secretary Stump encouraged those in attendance to take advantage of the new law and collaborate with state and local education agencies on ways to “rethink” CTE through the development of each state’s plan.

“Too many students are unprepared for successful careers today, and beyond,” Secretary DeVos told the crowd. “And too many are treated more like commodities instead of as the individuals they are, each with unique abilities and aspirations. As innovators in education and business, you are in a position to help students get ready – for life and careers – with out-of-the-box learning opportunities. You are in a position to rethink education.”

Assistant Secretary Stump said, “It is time for Career and Technical Education in the U.S. to be a nimble, demand-driven talent development system. To achieve this goal, we will need you as employers, educators, associations and philanthropic organizations, to engage and prepare your networks to be valuable contributors to each state’s Perkins V Plans.”

Discussion topics for the all-day session included leveraging opportunities in Perkins V, putting policy into practice and expanding stakeholder engagement.