COE Leaders Attend CSPEN Conference and Meet with Federal Lawmakers on Capitol Hill

Dr. Kirk A. Nooks, president and chief executive officer; Dr. Susan Wright, chief of staff; and Scott Deidun, vice president of operations, represented the Council on Occupational Education (COE) at the Career Schools and Private Education Network (CSPEN) 8^th Higher Education Policy Meeting February 10–12 in Washington, D.C.

The CSPEN conference brought together influential leaders in higher education and federal policy to discuss legislative priorities, regulatory developments and workforce alignment initiatives impacting postsecondary institutions across the country. Conference attendees heard from key education leaders including Tim Walberg, Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee; Nicholas Kent, Under Secretary of Education at the U.S. Department of Education;and Marek Laco, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

“The CSPEN conference is a wonderful event that brings together a number of very influential people in the higher education space. The key takeaway from all speakers has been how much they support higher education and their focused-on transparency and leveling the playing field across the reporting of key student metrics among all college sectors. Additionally, they want to ensure students and families are informed about career opportunities based on their education pathway and that the return on investment is worthwhile for any debt they may take on.” Deidun said.

While in Washington, Wright also conducted meetings on Capitol Hill with members of Congress and legislative aides serving on the Education and Workforce Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees to discuss the impact of COE member institutions and key workforce and higher education policy priorities.

“I appreciated the opportunity to spend time on the Hill meeting with members of Congress and their legislative aides who serve on the HELP Committees.  It was an honor to highlight the meaningful work our member institutions are doing every day on their campuses and the significant impact they have on strengthening the workforce.  I also gained valuable insight into key legislation such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Workforce Pell, which have the potential to benefit so many of our students and institutions,” Wright said.

“Participation in the CSPEN Policy Conference and our meetings on Capitol Hill ensures that COE represents the voice and work of its member institutions in ongoing conversations about transparency, accountability, and workforce alignment in career and technical education,” said Nooks, emphasizing the importance of COE’s engagement in national policy discussions.

COE’s involvement underscores its continued commitment to advocating for policies that support students, strengthen institutional quality and promote informed decision-making for families considering postsecondary education.