On Nov 5, the House of Representatives passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, clearing it for President Biden’s signature to make it law. Included in this package is $550 billion in new federal spending over the next 5 years on infrastructure-related programs such as roads, bridges, water and energy systems, and more. While most of these investments are related to traditional "hard" infrastructure and do not directly pertain to CTE, there are a handful that generally benefit secondary schools, broadband connection and workforce development.
Secondary School Investments
- $5 billion for clean-energy school buses
- $500 million over 5 years for competitive grants to schools and non-profits to improve energy efficiency
- $200 million over 5 years for clean drinking water, including the removal of lead contamination in schools
Broadband Investments
- A total of $65 billion worth of investments in broadband, including:
- $5 billion for a Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program that will provide grants to increase connectivity to underserved and high-cost areas
- Note: states can provide subgrants to libraries or schools to provide internet-capable devices (25% match generally required)
- $2 billion for Digital Equity Grants, requiring states to develop plans for “digital inclusion” that ensures equitable access to affordable, reliable, and high-speed broadband internet
- Training for adult populations to use internet-capable devices to apply for jobs
Workforce Development
- $10 million for Career Skills Training grants for clean energy job fields through the U.S. Department of Energy
- $5 million for a Transportation Workforce Outreach Program promoting awareness of career opportunities across the transportation sector
- A new Commercial Vehicle Apprenticeship pilot program to provide up to 3,000 apprentices younger than 21 with 120 hours of experience driving commercial motor vehicles
President Biden is planning to sign the infrastructure bill into law on November 15.
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