REPORT OF THE FEDERAL BOARD FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. This is the Third Annual Report of the Federal Board for Vocational Education on the administration of the vocational education act. It covers the activities of the Board and the progress made by the States in the promotion of vocational education for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919. Although this is the Third Annual Report, it covers only the work of the second fiscal year since the organization of the Board. The act was signed by the President on February 23, 1917. The nominations of the appointive members of the Board made by the President were confirmed on July 17, 1917. The organization of the Board took place on July 21. On December 1, 1917, the Board made a brief report to Congress covering its activities up to that date. This was called the First Annual Report. The Second Annual Report covered in detail the progress of vocational education for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918, and included therefore the period covered by the first annual or preliminary report to Congress. The Second Annual Report goes into considerable detail as to the meaning of the vocational education act, the development of the idea of Federal aid for education, and discusses the new relationship with the States set up by the Federal act. It contains also a statement of the principles and policies adopted by the Federal Board for the administration of the act and interprets certain sections of the law. SUMMARY OF PROGRESS. The progress of vocational education under the Federal act must of necessity be set forth largely in terms of the progress made by the States. The act itself provides that all schools and classes reimbursed under the act shall be carried on under the direct supervision or control of State boards for vocational education. It also provides that plans for carrying on work in vocational education which is to be reimbursed from Federal funds shall be prepared by the State boards and submitted to the Federal Board for approval. In this way direct responsibility is put upon each State for the promotion of vocational education in that State. The extent to which the State meets this responsibility determines in large measure what opportunities are given for the progress of vocational education in that State. When the Federal act was passed very few of the States had any administrative organization for carrying on vocational work. Only a small number had available State funds with which to match Federal funds. It is also to be remembered that the Federal act was passed just prior to the entry of the United States into the great World War. This war was in progress during the entire period of the first year and for a portion of the second year during which this act has been in operation. This further handicapped the States in the promotion of vocational education, as is set forth in more detail in another portion of this report. FEDERAL FUNDS EXPENDED BY STATES. The extent to which the States have responded to the opportunity held out by the Federal Government through the act is shown by the increased expenditures made by them under the act as between the first and second year of its operation. It is to be remembered that for each dollar of Federal funds expended at least a dollar of State or local money, or both, has been expended. Some States have expended all of one or more of the funds allotted while others have expended only a small portion. In agriculture, the total fund allotted to the States for the year 1917-18 was $547,027.79; of this, approximately 50 per cent was expended. In the year 1918-19 there was allotted for agriculture $782,575.76, of which approximately 75 per cent was expended. The total fund available for trade, home economics, and industrial education for 1917-18 was $564,444.89, of which the States expended approximately 65 per cent. The total available for 1918-19 was $794,463.33, of which the States expended approximately 80 per cent. There was allotted to the States for teacher training for the year 1917-18, $544,114.05, of which 36 per cent was expended. The allotment for 1918-19 was $730,421.35, of which approximately 70 per cent was expended. For the year 1917-18 there was available for all forms of vocational education, Federal funds to the amount of $1,655,586.73, of which approximately 50 per cent was expended. For the year 1918-19 there was available from Federal funds for all forms of vocational education, $2,307,460.44. Of this amount approximately 75 per cent was expended. The act specifically provides that the Federal Board shall annually ascertain whether the several States are using or are prepared to use the money received by them in accordance with the provisions of this act. The estimates for the current fiscal year, as shown by the annual reports of the States for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919, show that the present allotment will be almost entirely used by the States. STATE LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS FOR VOCATIONAL The Federal act provides for cooperation between the Federal Government and the several States individually only through the acceptance of the Federal act by the State legislature. The Federal law was enacted at a time when most of the State legislatures were in session. Thirty-nine of the States passed formal acts of acceptance in 1917; the remaining nine States accepted through their governors, the governors' acceptance being valid until 60 days after the beginning of the next session of the legislature. Through legislative enactment or the governor's action every State in the Union was qualified to participate in the benefits of the Federal funds for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918. Of the nine States where the act was accepted by the governor, four had sessions of the State legislature in 1918, and in that session formally accepted the act. The remaining five passed enabling legislation at the 1919 session. At the close of the fiscal year 1918-19 every State of the Union had, through a formal act of the legislature, accepted all of the provisions of the Federal vocational education act. The Federal law provides that State legislation shall specifically cover three points: (1) The acceptance of the provisions of the Federal act. (2) The creation or designation of a State board to administer the act. (3) The appointment of the State treasurer as custodian of Federal funds. These three points are now covered by the legislation in each of the States. It is evident that State legislation covering only these three points would not place the State in the position of being able actively to cooperate with the Federal Board in the promotion of vocational education within the State except in so far as the funds available from the Federal Government could be matched dollar for dollar by funds raised in local communities or by funds otherwise appropriated by the State. Since the Federal Board for Vocational Education deals with the board created or designated by a State law, State provision for administration is absolutely necessary. Usually State funds did not exist which could be legally expended for the promotion of vocational education by the State board or its officials. Again, if vocational education is to be promoted within a State, State subsidies supplementing Federal moneys make it possible for the State to meet the vocational education needs of a State more completely than they can be met by requiring the Federal money to be matched by local money. In many of the States the act of acceptance became what may be called the basic State vocational education act. The early experience of the State in the administration of vocational education made evident the necessity for State legislation which would provide adequate State funds and define the duties and powers of the State board for vocational education. Since the vocational work provided for in the Federal act is not always authorized by State legislation, some States have provided in the vocational act to give express power to local boards of education to organize vocational schools. The question of the certification of teachers also needed attention in many of the States in order that the State board for vocational education might have express legal authority to fix the qualifications of teachers of vocational subjects. Teacher training for teachers of agriculture, trades, and industries, and home economics must be conducted by the States subsequent to the fiscal year 1919-20, if the States are to continue to receive the benefits of the Federal act, and such teacher training must be under the direction and supervision of the State board for vocational education. In order that there might be no misunderstanding concerning this authority, many of the State legislatures passed acts specifically designating the State board for vocational education to have control of all vocational teacher-training work. For these and other reasons many of the States, at the 1919 session of the legislature, passed acts revising, supplementing, or amending the original act of acceptance, and in most instances providing additional State funds for vocational education. The table on page 15 shows the date of legislative acceptance of the Federal act, the allotment from Federal funds for 1919-20, and the amount of State appropriation for vocational education for the year 1919-20. An examination of this table will show that 35 of the States have, for the fiscal year 1919-20, State funds equal to or greater than the maximum allotment from Federal funds. The legislatures of 43 of the 48 States met in regular session in 1919. Of these 31 passed vocational legislation of importance other than such appropriation acts as would provide increased funds; 25 of these States passed legislation amending, reenacting, or extending a previous act of acceptance, or accepting the act for the first time. The new acts of acceptance and the revisions of the old acts generally provide for a complete definition of the powers of the State board for vocational education, provide for the establishment and maintenance of vocational schools by districts, and usually include provisions for increased appropriations. INCREASED STATE APPROPRIATIONS. In 40 of the 43 States meeting in 1919 provisions were made for appropriations for the promotion of vocational education in excess of those provided by previous sessions of the legislature. These State funds in some cases are raised specifically to match the Federal funds; in other cases funds are available from previous State laws for the promotion of vocational education, and in three cases a mill tax is provided giving a permanent State fund for vocational education. In order that the Federal act may accomplish its maximum purpose, each State should have upon its statute books laws which make the State a responsible partner with the Federal Government. This would include financial provision for the administration of vocational education and for reimbursement to schools. Federal aid is extended to the States as a stimulation to a program of vocational education in each State. The conditions on which the allotments are made recognize vocational education as a function of the State. In order then that each community within the State may have equal opportunity with every other community the State funds appropriated for vocational education should be sufficient to provide reimbursement to any and all communities meeting the standard set up by the State and desiring to receive such reimbursement. While few of the States hav› yet passed legislation covering all desirable points, progress made thus far indicates that additional constructive legis lation will be passed at succeeding sessions of the State legislatures. State acts of acceptance and funds provided by States. 1 State funds in excess of Federal funds. Special mill tax creates vocational fund. 1 Fe leral act accepted by governor in 1917, acceptance effective until next regular session of legislature. ⚫ State appropriations for special schools. 1917 73, 609.36 230,000.00 Do. 1919 181, 391.60 181, 391.60 Do. 1917 65, 322. 14 65,322.00 Do. 1917 69,231.08 40,000.00 Do. 1917 |