1. Federal Legislation Impacting Agricultural Education

2. Morrill Act - 1862 Established land-grant colleges
One in every state
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts were emphasized
Established for the common person

3. Hatch Act - 1887 Established agricultural experiment stations
Provided a scientific basis for what was taught in the land-grant colleges

4. 2md Morrill Act
Provided more funds to support land-grant colleges
Established land-grant colleges for minorities

5. The Smith Acts

6. Smith-Lever Act (1914)
Established the Cooperative Extension Service

7. Smith-Hughes Act (1917)
provided federal funds to support vocational education in the public schools

8. Smith-Hughes Provisions
Provided federal funds to support the teaching of vocational agriculture, home economics and trade and industrial education
Provide money to train vocational teachers
Established a Federal Board for Vocational Education

9. Smith-Hughes
Trivia: Teachers who received their salaries from the Smith-Hughes Act were often called “Smith-Hughes teachers” to distinguish them from teachers in schools not receiving Smith-Hughes funding. Agriculture and home economics was taught in many other schools but not all schools received Smith-Hughes monies because of limited funds.

10. Smith-Hughes Funding
Specific amounts of money were allocated to each vocational discipline:
Agricultural appropriations were based on each state’s rural population
Home economics appropriations were based on each state’s urban population
Trade and industrial appropriations were based on each state’s urban population
There was to be a federal-state match on all salaries

11. Smith-Hughes Act - Agriculture
“...under public supervision or control...”
“...controlling purpose...shall be to fit for useful employment…”
“...shall be of less than college grade…”
“...meet the needs of persons over fourteen years of age who have entered upon or who are preparing to enter upon the work of the farm or of the farm home…”
Question: Does the previous phrase also mean adult education?

12. Smith-Hughes - Agriculture
“...that such schools shall provide for directed or supervised practice in agriculture, either on a farm provided for by the school or other farm, for at least six months per year”
This was interpreted to mean that each student (including adults) is to have a “project” (crops or livestock).
If the teacher is to supervise it, then the teacher will need to be employed during the summer. This is the basis for 12 month employment of agriculture teachers.

13. Federal Board for Vocational Education
The Board Consisted of:
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Commissioner of Education
Three citizens appointed by the President
agriculture
manufacturing and commerce
labor

14. Federal Board
The Federal Board hired a staff to handle the daily operations and do the real work.
Charles Prosser was hired as the Executive Director
Federal supervisors were hired in the areas of:
Agriculture (N=7)
Trades and Industries (N=7)
Home Economics (N=3)
Commercial Subjects (N=3)
Research (3)

15. Original Federal Regions
North Atlantic
West Central
North Central
Pacific
Southern
Ag and T&I had regional offices.Two Ag supervisors worked the South; one was for Black schools.

16. Federal Regions -1920 North Atlantic Pacific North Central Southern
In 1920 one region was eliminated and all the regional people moved to Washington.

17. Memorandum of Understanding
In 1918 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was established between federal officials responsible for vocational agriculture and for extension.
This MOU was revised from time to time.
A brief description of each program was provided, then specific duties of each were outlined.

18. George-Reed Act
Provide additional financial support for vocational education
Money was equally divided between agriculture and home economics
Ag money based on farm population
Home economics money based on rural population
Funds were used to hire subject matter specialists in agriculture at the federal level

19. George-Elzy Act (1934)
Provided additional funding for vocational education
Money was evenly divided between
agriculture
home economics
trade and industrial education (amount determined by non-farm population)

20. George-Deen Act (1936)
Provided additional funding for vocational education
Recognized Distributive Education as a part of vocational education
Federal funds could be used to support travel of vocational teachers
President Roosevelt was reluctant to sign the bill because general education needed help also

21. The 1940s

22. World War II
4-H and FFA
Collected scrap metal, rubber, burlap, rags and paper (4-H bought ambulances with proceeds)
Sold war bonds
Grew victory gardens (Feed a Fighter was the H theme)
Repaired and built farm machinery

23. WWII Established food conservation centers
Served as Victory Farm Volunteers
FFA considered buying a bomber
NC 4-H christens two liberty ships - USS Tyrell and USS Cassius Hudson

24. WWII
After the war vocational agriculture launched major educational programs for servicemen under the provisions of the GI Bill of Rights

25. Ag Ed Enrollments

26. George-Barden Act (1946) Increased funding for vocational education
Indicated federal funds could be used to support travel associated with the Future Farmers of America and the New Farmers of America
Money could be used on vocational guidance

27. End of Era 1
The launching of the Sputnik by the Russians and the ensuing events of the 1960s heralded a new era in agricultural education
The times, they are changing.
We are about ready to leave the sow, cow, plow and the stitching and stirring era.

28. Era II

29. Vocational Education Act of 1963
This was a MAJOR piece of federal legislation. It replaced the Smith-Hughes Act.
Categorical funding for specific vocational disciplines such as agricultural education was abolished.
Funding went to states on the basis of their population in certain age categories
States decided how to spend the money

30. Vocational Education Act of 1963
Expanded the scope of agricultural education to include all areas of agriculture, not just farming.
No longer required “supervised practice on a farm”. The idea was to expand the scope of SAE, not do away with it, but that is what some states did.
Expanded the scope of home economics education to include all areas of home economics, not just homemaking.

31. Vocational Education Act of 1963
Established work study programs for vocational students to provide financial support
States had to submit plans for what they planned to do
Eliminated federal supervision/control of vocational programs
Funding for vocational education was substantially increased

32. Educational Amendments (1968)
Amended the 1963 Vocational Education Act
Increased funding for vocational education
Funds could be used for high school programs, people who have left school, retraining, special needs students, construction of area vocational schools, vocational guidance, contracting vocational education with private institutions, ancillary services (research, teacher training) and administering the state plan.

33. Educational Amendments (1968)
Did not categorically fund specific vocational programs, with one exception
Specifically allocated money to Consumer and Homemaking Education
Of the general appropriations to each state
25% had to be spent on disadvantaged populations
25% had to be spent on out-of-school individuals seeking employment
10% had to be spent on handicapped individuals

34. Educational Amendments (1968)
Authorized money for:
Curriculum development (this is the only place agricultural education is mentioned in the act)
Residential vocational schools (schools with dorms)
Research (National Center for Vocational Education Research was established)
Leadership development (selected vocational leaders could get advanced degrees - my wife got her Ph.D. this way)

35. Educational Amendments (1976)
The Educational Amendments of 1976 have five Titles, Title II is concerned with vocational education
Authorized more money for vocational education
Purpose of the act was to
extend, improve and maintain programs
overcome come sex discrimination/bias
develop new programs

36. Educational Amendments (1976)
Monies could be spent on vocational education programs, work study, energy education, area school facilities, support sex equity positions, placement services, Industrial Arts (now Technology Education), support services for females in non-traditional programs, day care services, displaced homemakers, residential vocational centers.

37. Educational Amendments (1976)
There were special appropriations for the disadvantaged
Consumer and Homemaking received special funding
Every vocational program had to be evaluated every five years

38. Carl Perkins Act (1984)
This was the most significant rewrite of vocational education legislation since 1963.
Two broad themes
Accessibility to all persons
Improve the quality

39. Carl Perkins Act (1984)
Fifty-seven (57) percent of state funds were allocated to special populations - vocational education was to be accessible to everyone
handicapped (10%)
disadvantaged (10%)
adult retraining (12%)
single parents and homemakers (8 1/2%)
sex bias & stereotyping (3 1/2%)
incarcerated (1%)

40. Carl Perkins Act (1984)
Forty-three (43) percent of state funds were allocated for program improvement
funds were not to be used to maintain existing programs
Consumer and Homemaking received special funding but 1/3 had to be spent in economically depressed areas
There will be a full time sex equity coordinator and $60,000 is allocated to that

41. Perkins II (1990) The Carl Perkins Act is rewritten
Special populations is still a major focus,
Money can be used to support existing programs
Academic and vocational education was to be integrated
Articulation between secondary and post-secondary institutions

42. School-to-Work Opportunities Act (1994)
A variety of programs were established for students to get them more involved with the world of work and post-secondary education
Grants were given to some states to develop programs
This is for all students
Funding is temporary

43. FAIR Act (1996)
Our current farm bill is titled the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act.
Some people call it the Freedom to Farm Act.
Title VIII contains provisions for Research, Extension, and Education
However, because other sections of the bill were so controversial little attention was really paid to this section of the bill.
For the first time has language for secondary agricultural education.

44. FAIR Act (1996)
Authority for secondary and 2-year post secondary education in agriscience and agribusiness are added to the Secretary's food and agricultural education authorities
This was an attempt to transfer national leadership for secondary agricultural education to USDA from USDE
It partially succeeded, language is present in the bill authorizing it--but there is no money to do it, so nothing has happened

45. FAIR Act (1996)
Even though the national leadership for agricultural education did not move (one representative in the house effectively blocked the move) a $500,000 challenge grant program to improve secondary agricultural education has been established under authority of the USDA.
USDE provides national leadership for agricultural education but USDA is providing funds to improve the program

46. Perkins III (1996)
This is the legislation vocational education is currently operating under
The purpose of this Act is to develop more fully the academic, vocational, and technical skills of secondary students and post-secondary students who elect to enroll in vocational and technical education programs (little emphasis on special populations)
Perkins

47. Conclusion
Legislation for agricultural education during the past 50 years has been influenced greatly by changing societal and environmental concerns.
Federal legislation has often mandated what we are to do.
The focus has shifted to helping certain groups of people.