As education policymakers wrestle with the complexities of school reform and ensuring a well-educated and skilled workforce, career and technical education (CTE) continues to surface as a tested strategy to engage students in their learning and prepare them for postsecondary education and the complex world of the 21st Century. Over the years, CTE has been an important learning option for many high school students. Historically, career and technical education (or vocational education as it has been known) has prepared thousands of students for livable-wage occupations after high school. Recently, CTE programs have revamped their curriculum to include more academic content and demonstrate more clearly how academic concepts are applied to technical or occupational settings. Despite the widespread presence of CTE in most high schools, many policymakers have limited knowledge about CTE and the changes it has undergone or are unsure how CTE can play a role in redesigned high schools and expanded learning options for youth. This paper provides ideas on how federal and state policies can support a greater role for CTE in high school reform by providing meaningful, relevant, and rigorous learning opportunities for all youth. More specifically, this paper addresses the following issues and includes recommendations for each: (1) Perception of Career and Technical Education; (2) Narrow Definitions of Student Success; (3) Limited Involvement of Career and Technical Educators in the Development of Secondary School Policies; (4) Multiple Pathways to Postsecondary Education and Careers; (5) Integrated, Applied Curriculum and Instruction; (6) Multiple Assessments; (7) Connections to Postsecondary Education; (8) Guidance and Advisement; (9) Training and Professional Development; (10) Teacher Certification and Credentialing; (11) Quality of Career and Technical Education Programs; and (12) Evaluation of Student Participation in Career and Technical Education. (Contains 14 footnotes.)