Thank you to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee for voting Senate Bill 89 out of committee. I’d also like to thank again Senate Education Committee Chairman Ryan Aument for partnering with me on this important piece of legislation. We offer much better opportunities to our young people the further we move away from the outdated term, “vocational-technical schools.” Removing the stigma of the term helps us shift to the 21st century and modernize Pennsylvania’s education system by attracting students who are seeking a pathway forward in careers involving technology and skilled labor. We know that our jobs of the future will require students have a strong knowledge base and technical skills, along with critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities, so it is important we prepare our students accordingly through career and technical schools. I am pleased with the bipartisan support this bill has received and look forward to it being considered by the full senate.
Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery County)