Congress is nearing the final stretch of the recess period before the midterm elections. If you have the opportunity to attend a campaign event in the next week or two, this is a great chance to get some “face time” with the candidates in your area and inquire about their understanding and support of CTE. After the election, a brief but busy “lame-duck” session will be held before the formal swearing-in of the 118th Congress, where the bulk of the focus will be on fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations bills. ACTE will be providing you with the resources you need to effectively develop relationships with new Members of Congress and urge them to support policies that will help advance high-quality CTE for all learners. In the meantime, here is a brief update from Washington:
- Student Debt Relief Update: On October 20, the Department of Education formally opened the application for student loan borrowers to obtain up to $20,000 in student loan debt forgiveness. However, the program has been temporarily paused from processing debt discharges after the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay of the program until it hears further testimony. Visit the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) website for further information.
- National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Releases Postsecondary Enrollment Data: On October 17, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released postsecondary enrollment data covering the fall 2022 semester. Key findings revealed that overall postsecondary enrollment is down, but community colleges are continuing to see strong enrollment numbers boosted by increasing numbers of matriculating students. You can read the full report here.
- Election Watch 2022: State Ballot Measures: State ballot measures are important components of the voting process in which citizens are provided the opportunity to voice their input on various legislation topics, including education. Gathered using the Statewide Ballot Measures Database by the National Conference of State Legislatures, ACTE has compiled some of the education-related state ballot measures that will be determined by voters in November. Read more about the state ballot measures that could impact CTE here.
- National Science Foundation Launches Workforce Program for Emerging Technology Jobs: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a grant opportunity to fund partnerships between workforce development entities and organizations with expertise in emerging technologies. The Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program will provide $30 million to increase access to career pathways in emerging technology fields, such as advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, semiconductors and microelectronics. Read more about the grant here.
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