The mid-term elections are rapidly approaching, and Congress remains in recess. If campaign events are happening in your area, you may have a chance to interact one-on-one with the candidates, or ask them questions to gauge their understanding and support of CTE. Visit ACTE’s guide to attending town hall events with your policymakers for more tips. If you attend an event and speak with a candidate, let ACTE’s Public Policy team know by emailing Jori Houck, Media Relations and Advocacy Associate, at [email protected].
After the election, the “lame-duck” congressional session will be held before the formal swearing-in of the 118th Congress. Lawmakers have set a packed schedule for after the elections, including completing fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations packages, potential debt ceiling reform and more. In the coming weeks, 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 are some updates from Washington:
- OCTAE Releases First Year of Perkins V Performance Data: The Department of Education has released data from states’ Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) submissions for program year 2020-2021 – the first year that states reported performance data under Perkins V. The release includes CTE participant numbers, CTE concentrator numbers and CTE concentrator performance on the Perkins accountability indicators. Read more about the data here.
- 2022 ACTE Public Policy Award Nominations Now Open: ACTE’s Public Policy Department is pleased to announce that the 2022 Baird-English Advocate of the Year and ACTE Policymaker of the Year Awards are now open for submissions. Nominations for both awards can be submitted by any ACTE member, members of the ACTE Board of Directors or state associations. Read more about how to nominate a candidate here.
- First Look at Fall 2022 Postsecondary Enrollment: Recently, the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) released a first look at postsecondary enrollment estimates for the fall 2022 semester. Compared to the fall prior, overall undergraduate enrollment declined by 1.1%, returning to pre-pandemic rates of decline, with community colleges overall and CTE certification programs experiencing improved enrollment trends. Read more about the data here.
- Election Watch 2022: CTE Funding Preview: The Perkins Basic State Grant program, the only dedicated federal funding for CTE, has received modest yet consistent increases since fiscal year (FY) 2018. The most recent House and Senate proposals for FY 2023 have continued the trend of small but important increases for CTE state grants, and the outcome of this year’s midterm elections could have a tremendous impact on CTE funding outcomes in both FY 2023 and 2024. Read more about the next steps for CTE funding here.
- Department of Education Announces Permanent Changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program: The Department of Education has announced several actions to support borrowers seeking student loan forgiveness, including permanent changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Read more about the changes and view the fact sheet here.
- Department of Education Released Final Rules Amending Some Postsecondary Student Aid Policies: On October 27, the Department released its final regulations to address changes to the federal financial aid “90/10” rule, as well to fully implement Pell Grants for incarcerated students.
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