DC Council takes aim a youth crime through bill to expand vocational and technical education

WASHINGTON D.C., DC — The DC Council is attempting to take aim at youth crime through a legislative package that includes a bill that seeks to expand trade and vocational education.

The Vocational Education for New Generation Act of 2024 proposes creating the Workforce Ready Program funded and administered by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The legislation would not only expand the available courses, but would also provide financial assistance to pay for students' certifications, credentials, and transportation.

At-Large Councilmember Robert White who introduced the bill says the idea came directly from D.C. youth he spoke with. "We used to have a more robust vocational education, people in D.C. want that back. People who work with their hands, where you can make really good money a year or two after high school, that's what I want to get back to," White told WUSA9.

Currently 27 schools in D.C. offer Technical and Career Education (CTE) according to a report released this year by the DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME). That same report indicates that only 18%, or 4,445, of D.C. students in high schools, alternative and adult programs took CTE courses in the 2021-2022 school year. And only 816 students were considered CTE concentrators, which means they took at least three courses in the same area of study. 

"If we have vocational education, it has to lead to good paying careers. So we have to make sure it is aligned with where our workforce is going," White added.

During a Thursday hearing with the DC Council's Committee as a whole, witnesses resoundingly supported the legislation citing higher attendance and graduation rates among students enrolled in CTE courses. 

"We are empowering the next generation of innovators, healthcare professionals, and leaders," Jamison Ford a senior at McKinley Technology High School testified. 

"I have a GED, no college experience, and I make six figures a year," Kunta Bedney a member of Local 197 Carpentry union told WUSA9. The native Washingtonian says he wishes he would have been engaged in trade and vocational education growing up. "If I would have known, I probably wouldn't have had the troubled past that I had. That's why I am truly, in support of this because it will give kids a different understanding how they can come out of high school making great money," he added. 

Molly Kirsch a senior at DC International High School shared with the councilmembers shared how she was able to use the training she has received in the medical field, when a woman fell at an ice skating rink. "My partner and I were able to help stabilize her condition until the ambulance arrived. This experience solidified my commitment to a career in healthcare," Kirsch said. She also advocated for the council to include funding for organizations like HOSA a global student-led organization for future leaders in the global health community. 

Some witnesses shared concerns about the expansion of CTE targeting Black and Brown youth in a way that would dissuade them from a college education. When asked about these concerns, White told WUSA9, "Half of our students are not going to college, much less graduating. What's happening to them right now? Primarily Black and Brown. If you're going into Black and Brown communities, they're the first ones to say where are the vocational programs that we used to have. That's what we need to be responsive to."

This proposal is part of a greater legislative package known as the Safer Today, Safer Tomorrow which also includes: