Which Act provided federal grants for vocational programs in 1917?

The Smith-Hughes Act, enacted in 1917, is significant because it marked the first federal initiative to fund vocational education in the United States. The act aimed to provide financial assistance to states for the development of vocational programs that would prepare students for skilled trades and agricultural practices. It focused on high school education and emphasized the importance of vocational education in fostering a skilled workforce, thereby responding to the needs of the economy at that time.

The act supports the idea that vocational training is essential for social and economic progress, laying the groundwork for future national policies regarding vocational education. Other options, such as the Vocational Education Act and the Education Amendments Act, were introduced later and built upon the concepts established by the Smith-Hughes Act, but none have the historical significance or the pioneering role that the Smith-Hughes Act holds in the context of vocational education in the U.S.