CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

DC Digest June 14-20

This week, Democratic Members of Congress addressed the interagency agreement (IAA) to transfer administration of CTE funding from the Department of Education (ED) to the Department of Labor (DOL). In other Capitol Hill news, the Senate continued to work on the confirmation process for Trump Administration appointees while the House took recess. Keep reading for more details! 

• Democratic Leadership Calls on ED to Cease IAA with DOL: Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and  Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) sent a letter to ED Secretary Linda McMahon opposing the efforts to transfer responsibility over CTE programs to DOL.  

• Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Held Hearing on DOL Nominees: The Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on several Trump Administration nominations for DOL and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  

• Senate HELP Committee to Consider Trump Administration Nominees: Next week, the Senate HELP Committee is voting on several nominations at ED, DOL and the EEOC. This includes the Nomination of Penny Schwinn to serve as Deputy Secretary of Education at ED. ACTE will share any relevant updates! 

• Appropriations Process Slows: This week, House Appropriations Committee leaders announced the postponement of several appropriations bills originally scheduled for next week. While the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill is still on the schedule for July 21, but could be pushed back as well. The Senate process has also been delayed, and markups of their bills will not start before the week of July 7.   

 

Senate Releases Reconciliation Package

Following the House passage of their budget reconciliation bill (H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) in May, work has now shifted to the Senate, where each relevant committee is preparing legislative text to be combined into a comprehensive bill

Last week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) released it portion of the budget reconciliation package. While the Senate bill builds on many of the provisions included in the House-passed bill, including significant changes to student loans, it removes the provision that would eliminate Pell Grant eligibility for students enrolled less than half time. It also maintains the current definition of full-time status for the purpose of Pell grants at 12 credit hours per semester, rather than shifting it to 15 credit hours as in the House bill. The Senate bill would provide $10.5 billion in funding to the Pell Grant program, in light of a predicted shortfall.

Like in the House bill, the Senate bill also includes language that would expand Pell Grant access for short-term training programs. Programs between 150 and 599 clock hours in length that are at least eight weeks would be eligible for Pell Grants. Senators included some additional guardrails to ensure program quality. Programs must meet key completion, job placement and earning metrics to maintain eligibility, including verifying that program completion leads to “value added earnings,” meaning that the amount that earnings exceed 150% of the poverty standard, with regional adjustments.

In addition to the HELP Committee bill, the Senate Committee on Finance released its text last night. The Finance Committee is the final Senate committee to release its legislative text.

Similar to the House bill, included in the text is the creation of $5,000 tax credit for K-12 private school vouchers. Students who benefit from the vouchers must be members of a household with an income not greater than 300% of the area median gross income and be eligible to enroll in a public elementary or secondary school. ACTE opposes any proposal that would take resources away from public education.

The Senate reconciliation package will now go directly to the floor to be considered by the full Senate. If the bill passes, it will be sent back to the House for its approval or the creation of a Conference Committee to reconcile the differences between the two bills.

ACTE will continue to monitor the bill and communicate the latest developments as they occur. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch ([email protected]). 

DC Digest June 7-13

Last week, Congress worked on appropriations and the budget reconciliation process, hallmarked by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee releasing text for its reconciliation bill. Meanwhile, court injunctions stopped an Interagency Agreement (IAA) between the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Labor (DOL), which would have transferred administration of CTE funding from ED to DOL. Keep reading for more details. 

• ACTE and Advance CTE’s Statement in Response to ED and DOL’s IAA: ACTE and Advance CTE strongly oppose any efforts to move CTE administration away from ED given the disruption this would cause to Perkins legislation’s implementation and services to students in schools across the country. Urge your Members of Congress to oppose the agreement and protect Perkins funding!  

• Senate HELP Committee Releases Reconciliation Bill Text: The Senate HELP Committee released its higher education budget proposal earlier this week. Similar to the House version, which passed late last month, the bill would expand Pell grant availability to short-term job training programs. There are several differences in the Senate’s bill though. Notably, it does not include a limit on Pell grant eligibility that would have excluded part-time students.  

• Senate HELP Committee to Hold Hearing on Labor Nominees: Next Wednesday, the Senate HELP Committee will hold a hearing to review several Trump administration nominees for DOL and one for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  

• Senate Democrats Send Letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on Job Corps Program: 39 senators joined Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to urge Secretary Chavez-DeRemer to reverse cuts made to the Job Corps program, which offers free career training, support and education assistance for younger Americans. The program was indefinitely paused last month by the Administration, although temporary court order has been issued limiting the pause.  

• Trump Administration Terminates Higher Ed Data System Training: The Administration eliminated a contract to train college officials on how to report data to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) that is used to track trends in higher ed enrollment, completion, financial aid usage and other characteristics.  

 

ACTION ALERT: Urge your Members of Congress to Oppose Moving Perkins Funds to the Department of Labor!

The Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) recently signed an Interagency Agreement (IAA) to transfer administration of career and technical education (CTE) funding through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act from ED to DOL. While the IAA is paused temporarily due to court injunctions related to operations of ED, if enacted, this agreement would have far-reaching negative impacts on CTE programs and learners across the country.  

ACTE is strongly opposed to any efforts to move CTE administration away from ED and is concerned about the disruption this would cause to Perkins implementation and services provided to students nationwide.  

CLICK HERE to contact your Members of Congress and urge them to oppose any transfer of Perkins funding to the Department of Labor! 

Transferring Perkins funding from ED to Labor as outlined in the IAA would create significant administrative confusion and unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, increasing the risk of funding delays or disruptions in program delivery. Several states have already reported significant challenges in receiving timely funding allocations in recent weeks likely due to the IAA.  

This effort would also shift the focus of Perkins and disrupt the critical connection between CTE and the broader education system, posing a threat to the development of programs of study, integration of rigorous academic standards, alignment with graduation requirements that are critical to CTE student success, and potentially disrupt connections between high school and postsecondary CTE—as called for in the President’s FY 2026 budget request. Protect your Perkins funding and the integrity of CTE by telling your Members of Congress to oppose this transfer! 

DC Digest May 31-June 6

Congress returned to DC this week, with work primarily focusing on appropriations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 and the budget reconciliation process. Both chambers heard testimony from Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer testified in the House. Keep reading for more details and stay tuned for updates! 

 

• More on the Trump Administration’s FY 2026 Budget Request: As reported last week, the Trump Administration released its full Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request on May 30. The full budget reinforces the President’s request to make significant cuts to the Departments of Education (ED) and Labor. While Perkins would be level funded in the proposal, there are concerning policy changes included. Read more on the blog. 

• Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Highlights Skilled Workforce on America at Work Tour: Secretary Chavez-DeRemer visited with apprentices in New York and New Jersey, alongside Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Nick LaLota (R-NY) and Thomas Kean Jr. (R-NJ). She also delivered remarks and released statements on the importance of having a skilled workforce.  

• House Passes Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act of 2025: This week, the House passed bipartisan legislation endorsed by ACTE to ensure small businesses have access to information about CTE programs and can hire CTE graduates. The bill would also provide CTE graduates with information on how to launch small businesses. Now the bill will go to the Senate for further consideration.  

• Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) Reintroduces Resolution to Double CTE Funding: Rep. Krishnamoorthi reintroduced a resolution calling to double the federal funding for CTE. ACTE has endorsed this resolution, as these funds are critical to the sustainability and growth of CTE programs nationwide.  

• ACTE Perkins 101 Briefing for Hill Staff: On Friday, ACTE, in partnership with Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Advance CTE, hosted an all-day Perkins 101 briefing for Congressional staff. This briefing was designed to provide staff that could be involved in any potential reauthorization discussions a strong knowledge foundation.  

• McMahon Testifies Before Both Chambers of Congress: Last Tuesday, Secretary McMahon testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies on President Trump’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request for the Department of Education (ED). Then on Wednesday, she testified before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on the policies and priorities for ED. Read more on the blog. 

• Secretary Chavez DeRemer Testifies Before Education and Workforce Committee: Secretary Chavez DeRemer testified at the House Education and Workforce Committee’s hearing on the policies and priorities of DOL. She discussed the importance of expanding apprenticeship programs for underserved communities and highlighted DOL’s recently created apprenticeships. 

• Senate HELP Committee Held Hearing on Trump Administration Education and Labor Nominees: The Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on several ED and DOL nominees, including nominations to Deputy Secretary of Education and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at ED and Assistant Secretary of Labor the Employee Benefits Security Administration at DOL.  

• Court Battles Continue Around ED Staffing: Following a preliminary injunction stopping large layoffs at ED, the Trump Administration has asked the Supreme Court to weigh in and allow them to move forward.  

• New Appointees Announced at ED: On June 6, ED formally announced the appointment of a new late of staff, including former OCTAE Deputy Assistant Secretary Casey Sacks, who will be working temporarily in the Administration as a senior policy advisor on workforce and AI. New OCTAE Deputy Assistant Secretary Nick Moore, who assumed his role several weeks ago, was also included in the announcement.  

Research Roundup: Apprenticeships, Micro-credentials, Virginia Workforce Grants

Apprenticeship: Earn-and-learn Opportunities Can Benefit Workers and Employers: A report from the Government Accountability Office examines current federal support for earn-and-learn opportunities, such as apprenticeships, and the benefits and challenges associated with these opportunities.

The researchers found that participants in Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) are largely concentrated in high-wage, high-demand fields. Of the 10 most common RAP occupations, six are projected to grow faster than the average occupation by 2033 and nine pay above the median wage. The top three occupations for RAP participants in 2024 were electricians, plumbers/steamfitters and computer-related occupations. RAP participants also earned higher wages and completed their programs at a higher rate compared to two-year certificate or associate degree students.  

Despite strong federal support for apprenticeships, stakeholders identified barriers that hinder their growth, including awareness gaps, administrative burden and pressure to pursue a full-time college education. 

Policy Blueprint to Modernize and Expand Apprenticeship Nationwide: A brief from Jobs for the Future describes the current landscape of apprenticeships, arguing that the nation should expand these opportunities to meet the evolving needs of the workforce. Accordingly, the authors pitch several policy recommendations for policymakers to consider, including: 

• Reimagining how apprenticeships are funded by not only increasing funding but also utilizing funding streams such as WIOA and Perkins, establishing tax credits and adopting a formula-based funding model. 
• Streamlining the process for apprenticeship registration, supporting apprenticeships that are competency based in addition to time-based programs and establishing clear timelines for registration. 
• Strengthening pathways into apprenticeships beyond youth apprenticeships by expanding work-based learning opportunities and aligning service programs, like AmeriCorps, with apprenticeship pathways. 
• Reforming data collection and quality standards by creating a centralized apprenticeship database instead of relying on fragmented state data, which is often riddled with errors and duplicate information. 

Evaluating the Effects of Virginia’s Workforce-targeted Free College Program: A report from the Annenberg Institute evaluates the outcomes of Virginia’s Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3). The initiative, which was enacted in 2021, provides tuition assistance for students enrolled in community college programs that lead to high-demand careers, such as education or skilled trades.  

The researchers analyzed data from the Virginia Community College System and found that the initiative increased student grant and financial aid use while also reducing borrowing. These effects were concentrated on middle-income students, a population that may not receive full Pell Grants or other forms of financial assistance. The initiative also increased FAFSA completion, enrollment in eligible G3 programs and certificate attainment. Middle-income students in G3 programs were found to be more likely to earn a certificate than students in non-G3 programs. 

The Emerging Micro-credential Movement in K-12 Education: A report from FutureEd analyzes the evolution of micro-credentials in K-12 education, outlining challenges in this shifting landscape: 

• There is little trust in the value of micro-credentials among employers and colleges. The current micro-credential landscape is massive, and stakeholders lack the tools to assess their value. There is also a mismatch between the skills micro-credentials offer and the skills employers want to see.
• It is difficult to adapt existing infrastructure to implement micro-credentials. To encourage micro-credential attainment in a K-12 setting, schools need to invest in professional development. Micro-credentials must also be rigorous, portable and aligned to academic standards. 
• Many educators worry that micro-credentials would become a form of tracking for students who struggle in a traditional education setting. 

This Week : McMahon Testifies Before Both Chambers of Congress

This week, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testified before lawmakers in both chambers of Congress.

On Tuesday, she testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies on President Trump’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request for the Department of Education (ED). Then on Wednesday, she testified before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on the policies and priorities for ED.

Senators questioned McMahon about the proposed budget for ED, which would cut funding by 15%. Notably, Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith (R-MS) asked McMahon to provide more details about ED’s plans to fund CTE programs. In response, she said, “we're looking very much across all states and we're level funding CTE. It's not being reduced.”

Sec. McMahon returned to the Hill on Wednesday where she emphasized that her main policy priorities for ED include risk sharing related to student loans at postsecondary institutions and workforce Pell. Many other topics were covered in the three-hour hearing that often got contentious.

In support of workforce Pell, McMahon stated that “bold reforms” are needed to help fill the more than 8 million open jobs in the United States.

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) asked about proposed plans to move the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) to the Department of Labor. McMahon stated, “I can tell you that one of the executive orders from the president was that the Commerce Department, Department of Labor, and Department of Education should coordinate and look at workforce programs. There are over 50 – 43 different workforce development programs across all of the agencies. It's certainly inefficient in operation. So, I have had many discussions with Commerce. I've had many discussions with the secretary of labor, and I think there are opportunities to move some of those programs.”

When asked to clarify, McMahon confirmed that she has had discussions to move OCTAE “to the other agencies,” but did not elaborate further on the specifics of OCTAE’s future at ED.

Also of note, Rep. GT Thompson (R-PA), Co-Chair of the House CTE Caucus, asked about ED’s recent decision to eliminate the contract for the National Evaluation of Career and Technical Education (NECTEP) under Perkins. He noted that Congress is set to begin work on reauthorizing Perkins and this data is vital to that work. The NECTEP data was set to be completed and lawmakers want to “maximize opportunities” when reauthorizing legislation. 

McMahon said in response, “we're going to continue to collect the data that we need to collect.” She added that she would look further into the specifics of the NECTEP contract and get back to lawmakers.

The State of CTE: Credentials of Value

Advance CTE recently released a comprehensive report analyzing the current landscape of nondegree credentials, including certificates, industry-recognized credentials, apprenticeship certificates and occupational licenses. Through a national scan of state practices, a 50-state survey and interviews with state leaders, the report shares four key findings:

• Forty-four states have made lists of recognized credentials publicly available, including 34 states with a formal approval process. The most common approval strategy is employer recommendations, followed by educator recommendations, occupational demand data and wage data. Many states have multiple lists for different populations, programs or funding streams.  
• States are farther behind in developing consistent processes for revalidating approved credentials. Only 27 states have a process to revalidate credentials, while only 14 states take occupational wage information into consideration for reapproval. In addition, less than half of states have a process for phasing out credentials and 13 states reported not removing any credentials in the past five years. 
• States are investing in accountability measures and incentives to increase credential attainment. Twenty-six states include industry-recognized credentials in their ESSA and/or state accountability systems; 22 states measure credential attainment as a Perkins V secondary program quality indicator; and 10 states incorporate industry credentials in their high school graduation requirements. Thirty-five states fund credentials with either federal and/or state funds, including 30 states that cover assessment costs and 23 that fund specialized professional development for teachers. 
• Although 35 states collect data to inform their credential data systems, only 15 collect at least three leading indicators such as pass data, and only eight report examining the outcomes of credentials. Common data elements that many states track include certification names, CTE program enrollment and credential providers. 

For each of these findings, the report provides recommendations and reflection questions for state CTE leaders to consider as they work to improve their state’s credential system. Recommendations include taking a unified approach across K-12, postsecondary and workforce; developing stronger revalidation processes; and structuring incentives to focus on credentials that have demonstrated value.  

Alongside the report, Advance CTE also released two data dashboards: one contains information on how states are approaching credentials, and the other lists the top employer-requested credentials, filterable by Career Cluster and state. 

Trump Administration Releases FY 2026 Budget Request

On Friday afternoon, May 30, the Trump Administration released its full Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request. This comes after they released their “skinny” budget request last month.

The full budget reinforces the President’s request to cut $12 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Education (ED). ACTE previously posted about the initial request when it was released in early May.

While information on CTE funding wasn’t included in the initial budget request, the more detailed budget does shed light on the Administration’s priorities related to Perkins. The budget calls for the Perkins State Grant to be level funded for FY 2026 at approximately $1.44 billion. However, there is language in the budget proposal that indicates the Administration wants to shift Perkins funds “to exclusively support middle and high school students at the district level,” and not postsecondary programs. This type of change could not be made without amendments to Perkins.

The National Programs account would be decreased by $2.2 million, leaving the account funded at $10.2 million. In the request, the Administration said that this funding would “support research, development, dissemination, evaluation, assessment, capacity building, and technical assistance activities.” Funds would also be allocated within that total for the Perkins Innovation and Modernization grant, which is suggested to be used “to enhance connections between the education system and Registered Apprenticeships to support unifying the public workforce system, States' career and technical education systems, and the Registered Apprenticeship system.” This would represent a shift from the current grant purposes.

Additionally in the budget request, the Administration requested no funding for adult education programs, which would effectively eliminate the program if enacted. The budget states, “States and localities, not the Federal government, are best suited to determine whether to support the activities authorized under this program or similar activities within their own budgets and without unnecessary administrative burden imposed by the Federal government.” The document goes on to say that federal resources from this account would be redirected to programs like the Perkins State Grants; however, it does not formally move any additional funding into the Perkins account.

Other proposals for ED include:

• 80% reduction in Federal Work Study
• Cuts to the maximum Pell Grant award
• Level Funding for the Every Student Succeeds (ESSA) Title I Grants for local education agencies
• A new $2 billion block grant, called the “K-12 Simplified Funding Program,” would consolidate 18 formula and competitive grant programs but reduce overall funding by 69% across these programs
• $60 million increase for Charter Schools

Funding in the proposal for the Department of Labor (DoL) would be reduced by nearly 35 percent. The budget also calls for combining 11 existing programs into a $2.96 billion block grant called “Make America Skilled Again” (MASA), which would consolidate the following workforce development programs:

• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult grants
• WIOA Dislocated Worker grants
• WIOA Youth grants
• Wagner-Peyser Employment Service State Grants
• Dislocated Worker National Reserve (including the Strengthening Community Colleges program)
• YouthBuild
• Apprenticeship Program
• National Farmworker Jobs Program
• Indian and Native American Programs
• Reentry Employment Opportunities
• Workforce Data Quality Initiative

The proposed funding level represents a 24% cut from current funding levels of these programs. The DOL budget proposal also includes the elimination of Job Corps and several other programs, and shifting the Bureau of Labor Statistics to the Department of Commerce.

Congress returns this week and will continue their work on full FY 2026 appropriations bills. As Congress continues this work, ACTE will be advocating for a robust investment in CTE (at both the secondary and postsecondary levels) as well as other critical programs that increase access to learners of all ages. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch ([email protected]).

DC Digest May 24-30

Congress was on recess this week but will return to DC on Tuesday. The Senate will begin work on the budget reconciliation bill (passed by the House before the Memorial Day recess), while the House is shifting in earnest to work on FY 2026 appropriations bills following the Administration’s release of its full budget request. ACTE will provide more coverage of these events as they unfold, keep reading for more details!

 

• Administration Releases Full Budget Proposal: Following the release of a budget outline early in May, late on Friday the Administration released its full budget proposal. The Department of Education budget request contains a few more details than the original outline, including a proposal for level funding for the Perkins Basic State Grant. However, there are many detailed cuts across both the education and labor portions of the budget, as originally included in the budget outline. More analysis will be available soon!
• Dear Colleague Letter Finalized in Senate: Forty senators signed a letter to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee requesting an increase in Perkins funding for FY 2026. Check out the letter and make sure to thank senators that signed on!
• House Committee on Education and Workforce to Hold Hearing on ED’s Priorities: Secretary McMahon plans to testify before the House Education and Workforce Committee in a hearing next Wednesday titled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” ACTE will cover this on social media and the blog, so be sure to tune in!
• House Education and Workforce Committee to Hold Hearing on DOL’s Priorities: Secretary Chavez DeRemer plans to testify before the House Education and Workforce Committee in a hearing next Thursday regarding the budget and priorities for DOL. ACTE will share any relevant updates!
• Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to Hold Hearing on Education, Labor Nominees: The Senate HELP Committee is holding a hearing next Thursday on four of the Trump Administration's nominees at ED, DOL and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
• DOL Pauses Job Corps Center Operations: DOL announced it will begin a phased pause in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide. This will take effect by June 30, 2025, and aligns with the President’s FY 2026 budget proposal.
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) Releases Review of Registered Apprenticeships: The GAO released a general overview of earn-and-learn programs, primarily focusing on registered apprenticeships and covering programs across the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Labor and Education.