Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto will be honored as a “Champion of Vocational Education” by the Hudson County Schools of Technology Foundation during its annual gala.
Prieto was primary sponsor and pusher of recent legislation to promote and support vocational school districts that became law last year.
The Bills
Championed by the Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson, Bergen) as well as key members of the Assembly Education Committee including Chairman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex) as well as Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex) the bill package looked to promote and expand New Jersey’s vocational school programs.
The Assembly Speaker had indicated that when he became the Speaker one of his primary foci was on improving vocational education, citing it as key to making sure all New Jersey students are ready for work in today’s ever-changing economy.
“While many focus on college without thinking about a technical career, we have to make it clear that there are also many well-paying careers that can be launched with an industry credential or an associate’s degree,” said Prieto (D-Hudson, Bergen). “As we work to make sure our economy begins to grow again, employers will look to our county vocational-technical schools to meet this need. We need to make sure our students are ready to go.”
The laws passed last year include:
- PL 2014, c.71 (A-3334 (Prieto, Lagana))– Require New Jersey school report cards to include indicators of student career readiness;
- PL 2014, c.72 (A-3335 (Prieto, Diegnan))– Require preparation programs for teachers and school counselors to include coursework to support improved student career readiness;
- PL 2014, c.73 (A-3337 (Prieto, Jimenez)) –Establishes four-year county vocational school district facilities partnership grant program;
- PL 2014, c.74 (A-3338 (Prieto, Diegnan))– Requires all school districts and public colleges to enter into dual enrollment agreements to provide college-level instruction to high school students through courses offered on the college or high school campus;
- PL 2014, c.75 (A-3339 (Prieto, Diegnan))– Provides that if a career and technical education program of a vocational school district is taught in an industry setting, the off-site location will be exempt from certain state regulations