CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Congress, White House Strike Deal on Debt Limit

House Republicans and White House negotiators reached a deal over the weekend on a legislative package that would suspend the debt ceiling until January 2025, set limits on federal spending in fiscal years (FY) 2024 and 2025 for defense and non-defense programs, rescind some unspent COVID relief funding, change some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) rules that would limit eligibility for some, and reallocate some of the Internal Revenue (IRS) funding provided in the Inflation Reduction Act. Congressional leaders in the House and Senate are now working to pass H.R. 3746, The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, before the United States defaults on June 5. 

Notably, the Fiscal Responsibility Act will place caps on FY 2024 and FY 2025 non-defense funding, which includes funding for education and workforce development programs. After a number of adjustments, the deal will hold non-defense spending roughly flat in FY 2024 and increase it by 1% in 2025. If Congress does not complete this year’s appropriations process before January 1, 2024, the bill would also enact an automatic continuing resolution which would prevent a government shutdown by implementing a 1 percent across-the-board funding cut from the previous fiscal year. 

Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees were delayed in marking up their FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bills because of the debt limit impasse. Once the debt limit bill has been passed, appropriators will resume work on an appropriations bill that will include funding for CTE programs. Their jobs will be much more challenging though, and it will be very difficult to secure any increases for any education or workforce programs under these caps.  

Despite these challenges, ACTE is closely monitoring developments in the appropriations process, and we will keep you updated so that you can continue to advocate for the highest possible levels of CTE spending within this budget agreement. Please let us know if you have any questions! 

DC Digest: May 20-26

This week in Washington was again dominated by negotiations to raise the debt ceiling before a June 1 default date. As of late this week, some progress has been made toward reaching a deal, but the House is set to leave town for the Memorial Day recess period. It is expected that lawmakers will be called back to Washington to vote potentially early next week if a deal is reached over the weekend, providing for at least 72 hours to review any legislation. We will be closely monitoring the negotiations, as they may have significant implications for CTE and workforce development programs. The Senate is in session next week, but the House is out of Washington for the next week. In the meantime, here are a few notes: 

• OCTAE Releases Notice of Proposed Priorities for Perkins Innovation and Modernization: On May 24, OCTAE released the Notice of Proposed Priorities (NPP) for the Perkins Innovation and Modernization grant program for FY 2023. View the Federal Register notice here. Comments must be received on or before Thursday, June 15, 2023. Read more about the NPP here. 

• Department of Education Shares Recommendations for Artificial Intelligence: The Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology (OET) has released a report, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations," summarizing opportunities and risks for AI in teaching, learning, research and assessment based on public input. A webinar will be held on June 13, 2023, from 2:30-3:30PM ET. Read the full report here, core messages here and look for more information about the webinar at tech.ed.gov/ai. 

• Department of Education, NASA Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Advance STEM and Space Education: NASA and the Department of Education have signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to strengthen efforts to increase access to high-quality STEM and space education to students and schools across the nation. Read more about the partnership here. 

• Student Loan Hearing: The House Education and the Workforce Committee on May 24 held a hearing titled, “Breaking the System II: Examining the Implication of Biden’s Student Loan Policies for Students and Taxpayers.” Republicans on the Committee pressed senior department officials for firm answers and commitments on responding to requests for documents and details and on other issues. This hearing was the second in a series examining the implications of the Biden administration’s policies on the student loan system. This time, Under Secretary James Kvaal and Federal Student Aid (FSA) chief operating officer Richard Cordray testified. Both defended the administration’s student loan policies and shared some details about efforts to restart loan payments and to modernize the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A recording of the hearing can be found here. 

Legislation to Support the Educator Workforce Introduced

On May 11, two bills to support recruitment and retention of the educator workforce were introduced in Congress  – the Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators Act, or RAISE Act, and the Retaining Educators Takes Added Investment Now (RETAIN) Act. ACTE has endorsed both pieces of legislation.

The RAISE Act (S. 1584/H.R. 3264) is led in the House by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Larson (D-CT), Mark Takano (D-CA) and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) and in the Senate by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and was also introduced last Congress. It would provide all eligible educators with a $1,000 refundable tax credit, which could increase to up to $15,000 for teachers in under-resourced schools and communities. It would also double the educator tax deduction to $500 to offset the cost of school supplies.

In addition, the RAISE Act would:

• Create a refundable tax credit of up to $10,000 for early childhood educators with an associate degree or a Child Development Associate (CDA) certificate.
• Provide at least $5.2 billion in annual mandatory funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA) Title II
• Create and fund a federal grant program to support and incentivize local educational agencies to increase teacher salaries, and provide programs to strengthen, retain and diversify the educator workforce.

Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Haley Stevens (D-MI), along with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Tina Smith (D-MN), also introduced the RETAIN Act (H.R. 3265/S. 1567), which would create a similar refundable tax credit for teachers, paraprofessionals, mental health providers and other professionals in Title I schools and early childhood education (ECE) programs. The tax credit initially increases as these professionals become more experienced in an effort to incentivize retention.

DC Digest: May 13-19

This week in Washington, Congress was focused on negotiating a debt ceiling and broader budget deal before the potential June 1 default deadline, and lawmakers plan to continue negotiations throughout the weekend. We are following the debt limit deal closely as it has the potential to impact overall federal spending levels for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, and funding for education and workforce development in particular. While the House is in session next week, the Senate has recessed for a state work period. Senators will return if a deal is reached and ready for a vote. In the meantime, here are some news and notes:

• Broad Coalition Sends Letter on FY 2024 Appropriations: On May 15, a broad coalition of organizations focused on education, workforce, healthcare and other domestic priorities sent a letter to congressional leadership urging against cuts to non-defense discretionary spending in FY 2024 appropriations.

• Secretary Cardona Testifies in House: On May 16, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce during a hearing titled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” The hearing included significant discussions about the value of CTE and the importance of a strong federal investment in CTE and workforce development programs, and you can read more here.

• Department of Education Proposes New “Gainful Employment” Rules: On May 17, the U.S. Department of Education released new proposed regulations related to accountability for all postsecondary certificate programs and degree programs at for-profit institutions. The proposed metrics relate to student loan debt and earnings, and comments are due on June 20. We will have more in-depth analysis soon.
  
  
• Nominations Open for Career Clusters Advisory Groups: Recently, nominations were opened for a set of 15 national advisory groups that will help to provide input into potential changes to the National Career Clusters Framework. See more from Advance CTE here.

• Deputy Secretary of Education Visits CTE Programs: On May 15, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten visited CodeRVA Regional High School in Richmond, Virginia, with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), where they learned about how the school is preparing students for careers in computer science and coding. Read more about the visit here.

• Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Strategies to Train and Connect American Workers to Jobs: On May 16, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new efforts to ensure all Americans can access good jobs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. Read more about these strategies here.

• Department of Labor Announces Funding Availability to Expand Employment of Disabled Youth: The Department of Labor has announced the availability of $1.5 million in funds to support the first year of a cooperative agreement for the operations of a policy development center focused on advancing employment opportunities and outcomes for disabled youth. Read more here.

• Department of Labor Welcomes 98 New Apprenticeship Ambassadors: The Department of Labor has announced the latest 98 additions to Apprenticeship Ambassadors to help the department promote and support Registered Apprenticeship opportunities nationwide. Read more about the program here.

• Department of Labor Hosts Workforce Summit: This week, the Department of Labor hosted “ETA Vision 2030: Investing in America’s Workforce,” with more than 500 key stakeholders. Attendees connected with partners from across the broader workforce ecosystem at a three-day event aimed at leveraging the Administration’s investments in infrastructure, climate and advanced manufacturing sectors to develop talent pipelines and create pathways to good jobs for workers across America. Read more about the conference here.

Secretary Cardona Testifies Before House Education and the Workforce Committee

On May 16, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce during a hearing titled “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education.” The hearing included significant discussions about the value of CTE and the importance of a strong federal investment in CTE and workforce development programs.

Secretary Cardona highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to support CTE and global competitiveness in his opening statement, most notably the Administration’s $200 million investment in a competitive grant program to establish career-connected high schools. He also discussed the $43 million increase proposed for the Basic State Grant, and discussed the expected influx of new jobs created as a result of recent federal investments such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act.

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) spoke about the impact of Perkins funding on regional workforce needs, such as in eastern Connecticut, which boasts a robust shipbuilding industry. “The mission and the curriculum of career and technical education is perfectly positioned to help close the skills gap to fill many of those positions,” said Rep. Courtney. He also called attention to the potential impact of debt limit negotiations on Perkins funding.

Reps. Lori Chavez-Deremer (R-OR) and Committee Chairwoman Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) called out WIOA and short-term Pell as potential areas of bipartisan compromise, while Rep. Frank Mrvan (D-IN) asked how the Administration’s budget proposal would support development of the educator workforce. “Our budget proposal includes measures to drill down and fund pathway programs that are grow-your-own programs,” said Secretary Cardona in response.

Notably, House CTE Caucus co-chair Rep. GT Thompson (R-PA) asked Secretary Cardona about the viability of funding the Career-connected High Schools program instead of directing the funding through the Perkins Basic State Grant program.

“We recognize, sir, that if we continue with the way we're going, we're never going to meet the demand. What we need to do is not only engage in supporting state grants through Perkins, but also make sure that we're providing not only funding, but support, guidance and a push to evolve our high schools to create better college and career pathways to engage to our two-year schools and our workforce partners,” said Cardona of the proposal.

You can watch the full hearing at the link here.

Research Roundup: Community College Financing, Early Postsecondary Credit and Informational Inequity

The Community College Research Center (CCRC) recently released multiple publications covering the effects of community college finance systems, college-credit-in-high-school programs and the role of information inequality in postsecondary outcomes.

Budgets as Value Statements: Mapping How Finance Systems Drive or Reduce Inequities in Community Colleges: This publication underlines the importance of community colleges for postsecondary education and workforce training but notes that these institutions’ potential for improving economic outcomes and equity of opportunity remains unrealized due to inadequate funding and ineffective finance systems. To remedy this and find potential solutions, the CCRC researchers analyzed the funding mechanisms of community colleges in California, Ohio and Texas. Researchers found the following:

• The finance systems of all three states are tied to enrollment incentives, particularly in California where 80% of the financing relates to enrollment.
• The percentage of revenue tied to student outcomes is lowest in Texas (3%) and highest in Ohio (42%).
• Incentives for equitable student outcomes were strongest in Ohio.

The researchers recommend that states begin by mapping their existing revenue streams and related policies as part of efforts to help community colleges better meet goals for postsecondary attainment and career preparation.

Assessing College-Credit-in-High-School Programs as On-Ramps to Postsecondary Career Pathways for Underrepresented Students: In this report, CCRC researchers analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of earning postsecondary credit in high school through the five most common models – AP, IB, dual enrollment, early college high schools and P-TECH schools, and high school CTE programs – to assess how well they serve their intended purposes. The point of this brief is not to select the best model but rather to analyze these models’ strengths and weaknesses to allow practitioners in the field to identify areas for improvement.

Researchers reviewed relevant research and concluded the following about high school CTE:

• There is evidence that CTE programs impact college-going, with concentrators being 7% more likely than non-concentrators to graduate high school and 10% more likely to enroll in a postsecondary program within two years.
• CTE produces strong labor market outcomes, with career academy participants being likely to earn sustainable salaries post-graduation.
• College credit in high school earned through CTE does not always transfer to postsecondary institutions, which speaks to the need for regional CTE networks to improve articulation across secondary and postsecondary programs.

Researchers also encouraged practitioners to consider other factors such as outreach, advising, quality teaching and academic support as part of a multifaceted solution for improving postsecondary outcomes for students, especially those from an underrepresented background.

Choice Is Not Always Good: Reducing the Role of Informational Inequality in Producing and Legitimating Higher Education Inequality: This CCRC report analyzes the societal inequalities that are perpetuated when students make uninformed choices about postsecondary pathways. The researchers emphasize that students from underrepresented backgrounds are more likely to fall victim to the problem of informational inequity when making their postsecondary pathway choices. In this report, they seek to help educators and administrators better understand this inequity gap and ultimately lessen it, to help more students find the right paths for them. The researchers make the following recommendations as potential solutions:

• Expanding college and career advising is crucial: According to a 2011 survey by the College Board, in schools where 75% or more of students were receiving free or reduced-price school lunch, the average student-to-counselor ratio was 427-to-1 while schools with wealthier students have a 352-to-1 ratio.
• Implementing “choice architecture” such as guided pathways could simplify the choices students have to make and nudge them toward pathways that are a better fit.
• Tracking student progress could enable practitioners and counselors to intervene when needed.

CTE Among the Pathway Changes for Better Workforce Outcomes

The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) recently released a report on youth and young adult pathway changes. More specifically, the report sought to identify 10 pathway changes with “the greatest potential to improve employment outcomes” for this population, considering the impact that pathway changes could have on a person’s future during critical junctures of their lives.

The 10 pathway changes involve a variety of initiatives such as increasing educational attainment toward a certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree; specializing in CTE at the high school level; working in the skilled trades; and working in STEM fields. For this analysis, CEW researchers created the Pathways-to-Career policy simulation model that uses longitudinal data to identify the pathway changes that would best increase a student’s chances of working a “good job.” The report defines a “good job” as one that pays at least $38,000 for younger workers and at least $49,000 for workers 45 and older in 2020 dollars, with 30-year-old workers with good jobs earning a median salary of $57,000.

The overarching takeaway from the analysis is that layered pathway changes are almost twice as effective as any individual pathway change, therefore it is important to invest across all three domains: educational attainment, career training and work experience.

When it comes to specializing in CTE in high school, this pathway change was the most likely to lead to good jobs for youth who are expected to graduate from high school but do not plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree by age 22. CTE was also a particularly effective pathway change for white learners, male students and low socioeconomic status (SES) learners; somewhat effective for Black/African American learners; and not effective for Hispanic/Latino learners.

In addition, the analysis shows that pathway changes produce different effects based on students’ race/ethnicity, gender and SES:

• The single most effective pathway change leading to “good jobs” is earning a bachelor’s degree by age 22.
• Most pathway changes are more effective for men than for women, particularly for men without a high school diploma in low-wage jobs who transition to skilled trades occupations.
• For Black students, earning a bachelor’s degree and working in a STEM or other high-paying occupation are the most effective pathway changes.
• For Hispanic/Latino learners, the most effective pathway changes are earning a certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree.

Researchers noted the importance of prioritizing pathway changes considering both effectiveness and the total number of individuals who could be affected by a particular change as well as differential impacts across race/ethnicity, gender and class. The best approach is to make strategically targeted interventions for underserved groups over a one-size-fits-all solution. For instance, the findings above suggest value in promoting CTE pathways that incorporate postsecondary credentials and lead to high-paying jobs for all learners and particularly for Black/African American students and Hispanic/Latino students.

One important caveat to this analysis is that it is based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, an ongoing study that tracks the outcomes of a nationally representative sample of individuals who were aged 12-16 in the late 1990s. Therefore, this data predates many innovations in CTE program offerings and delivery that have occurred in the past 25 years. The researchers acknowledge that their analysis may understate the current impact of CTE on increasing access to good jobs.

Nominations Open for Career Clusters Advisory Groups

Earlier this week, nominations were opened for a set of 15 national advisory groups that will help to provide input into potential changes to the National Career Clusters Framework. See the message below from Advance CTE for more information and instructions on how to apply:

When Advance CTE began the initiative to modernize the National Career Clusters Framework® (the Framework), the Advance CTE Boards of Directors approved the following purpose statement as a north star to guide changes to the Framework: “The National Career Clusters Framework® provides structural alignment and a common language to bridge education and work, empowering each learner to explore, decide and prepare for dynamic and evolving careers.”

To better stand up the Framework as a responsive bridge between education and work, the national project team is organizing 15 Industry Advisory Groups (IAGs) to serve as sector-specific representatives. The IAGs will consist of approximately 20-30 industry stakeholders representing a diverse range of attributes including company profile, geography, and racial diversity. The IAGs will meet virtually three times over the next year to help inform and validate potential changes to the Framework, provide key insights into additional stakeholder engagement and champion the future direction of the Framework. We anticipate the overall time commitment to not exceed a cumulative 10 hours.

To nominate yourself or someone you feel would be well-qualified for these groups and to view additional information about nomination qualifications, please visit this nomination form. Our national partners Indigo Education and WestEd will select the eventual participants for the IAGs; chosen nominees will be notified in late June, and not every nominee will be selected for participation. 

This form is open to the public and shareable; you may make as many nominations in as many fields as you would like. The form will close on Friday, June 9. 

This is one of several upcoming opportunities for all stakeholders to provide input to the National Career Clusters Framework modernization process. We hope you stay connected with our updates and this process to find additional ways to participate in the future.

For additional information, including methodology for determining the IAGs, please visit careertech.org/the-framework or email [email protected]. 

DC Digest: April 29-May 12

The primary focus in Washington this week was negotiations between President Biden and bipartisan congressional leadership meetings to tackle the debt ceiling impasse. In addition, preparation for Farm Bill reauthorization began with bi-partisan meetings at the White House, and hearings were held on appropriations and WIOA reauthorization. Both chambers will be in session next week, and in addition to a continued focus on the debt ceiling, they are also expected to cover the humanitarian crisis at the U.S. border. As we continue to monitor developments across a variety of subjects, here are the news items from this week in Washington:

• Secretary Cardona Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Committee on FY24 Budget Request: On May 11, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. This hearing focused on President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget request for the Department of Education, and included significant CTE content. . Read more about the hearing here.

• Career-Z Challenge Resources Available: The Career Z Challenge, a $2.5 million prize competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) to support work-based learning, has extended its application deadline to June 6, 2023, at 6:00PM ET. Additional new materials can be accessed on the Challenge website.

• Department of Education Announces 2023 CTE Presidential Scholars: On May 10, the U.S. Department of Education announced its 2023 class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, including 20 CTE students. Read more about the winners here.

• Debt Limit Negotiations May Impact CTE Programs: Congress has made little progress in reaching a deal to extend the national debt limit and avoid default. Despite a meeting on Tuesday at the White House between President Biden and bi-partisan congressional leadership, no solution appears imminent. Read more about the implications for CTE here.

• Meet Jimmy Koch, ACTE's New Manager of Government Relations: Jimmy Koch has joined ACTE as our new Government Relations Manager. Read more about Jimmy here.

• House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee Holds WIOA Hearing: On May 11, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Examining America’s Workforce Challenges: Looking for Ways to Improve Skills Development.” The hearing focused primarily on potential reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Read more about the hearing here.

• RAISE Act Reintroduced: On May 11, the Respect, Advancement, and Increasing Support for Educators Act, or RAISE Act, was reintroduced. The bill would provide all eligible educators with a $1,000 refundable tax credit, with an additional credit of up to $15,000 for teachers in under-resourced schools and communities. It would also double the educator tax deduction to $500 to offset the cost of school supplies. ACTE has endorsed the legislation.

• RETAIN Act Introduced: On May 11, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tina Smith (D-MN), introduced the Retaining Educators Takes Added Investment Now (RETAIN) Act, which would also provide tax credits to improve teacher retention. ACTE has endorsed this legislation as well.

• Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act Introduced: On May 11, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), with Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), introduced the Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act, a bi-partisan bill that creates a 5-year grant program at the Department of Labor to support community colleges and CTE centers in developing education and training programs for workforce development utilizing immersive technology including augmented and virtual reality. ACTE has endorsed this legislation.

• Departments of Commerce, Labor and Education Announce SelectTalentUSA, New Partnership to Increase Quality Jobs through FDI: Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su have announced the launch of SelectTalentUSA, a joint initiative to help build a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the growing workforce needs of foreign multinationals as they establish operations in the United States. Read more about the initiative here.

• Department of Education Officials Visit Career Pathway Programs: On May 4, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona traveled to Miami, Florida, with Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) to highlight William H. Turner Technical Arts High School’s medical, construction, and agricultural magnet programs. On May 8, the Secretary traveled to Hampton, Virginia, with House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott to highlight high-quality career readiness programs at Bethel High School. In addition, Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten continued the “Raise the Bar: Lead the World” tour in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, which uses STEM education to accelerate learning and deliver comprehensive and rigorous instruction. You can read more about the visits by viewing Tweets from our Twitter page.

• Rehabilitation Services Administration Invites Applications for Improving Pre-Employment Transition Services for Youth with Disabilities: The U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration has announced a notice inviting applications for the Disability Innovation Fund, Pathways to Partnerships Innovative Model Demonstration Project (Pathways to Partnerships). The application deadline is June 5, 2023. The Notice Inviting Applications and additional information, including the Application Package, can be found here.

• Department of Labor Announces Funding for Pathways to Good Infrastructure Jobs: The Department of Labor has announced the availability of $80 million in funding through its Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program. Read more here.

• Department of Labor Awards Grants for Nursing Workforce Programs: The Department of Labor has announced the award of over $78 million in grants to support workforce training programs in 17 states and address staffing challenges nursing professionals face in the care economy. Read more about the awards here.

House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee Holds WIOA Hearing

On May 11, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Examining America’s Workforce Challenges: Looking for Ways to Improve Skills Development.” The hearing focused primarily on potential reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was last reauthorized in 2014. Witnesses from higher education, career support agencies and national workforce development stakeholders participated in the hearing.

Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Chairman of the Subcommittee, expressed frustration with the workforce system as it stands in his opening statement.

“Employers across the country are searching for talent, and good-paying jobs are available for those who possess the right skills,” said Rep. Owens. “Only about one-third of those participating in WIOA engage in any type of skills development. Less than 100,000 individuals nationwide completed their program in the most recent year. We’re not going to close the skills gap if we stay on this trajectory.”

Lydia Logan, IBM’s Vice President for Global Education and Workforce Development, shared insights from the company’s perspective and outlined their workforce initiatives.

“To help close the skills gap, we offer a range of education, skills, and career readiness programs to U.S. students and job seekers at no cost,” said Logan. “Our programs help Americans get on the path to technology careers by reskilling people in early or mid-career job roles via our registered apprenticeship program or through collaborative partnerships with nonprofit organizations, education systems and skilling programs. Today, we have more than 30 different apprenticeship job roles, from cybersecurity to AI to digital design.”

Bruce Ferguson, CEO of CareerSource Northeast Florida, highlighted the need to simplify WIOA paperwork and offer additional support during the application process in order to ensure small businesses are not discouraged from participating in WIOA.

Dr. Harry Holzer, Professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University, outlined how chronically low levels of investment in WIOA are hampering its efforts. “The core programs in Titles I and II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) – the formula funding streams for adult, displaced worker and youth services plus adult basic education – receive just $4B in federal funding per year,” said Dr. Holzer. “Total funding levels for Titles I and II are now about $6B. In an economy whose Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $25T, and with over 150 million adult workers, these levels are extremely low.”

The witnesses also shared several recommendations for any WIOA reauthorization:

• Aligning education and workforce systems
• Reforming the Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL)
• Making work-based learning a higher priority
• Boosting funding for career guidance and other support services for trainees
• Obtaining data on WIOA training providers, outcomes and labor market skill needs

The chairwoman of the full House Education and the Workforce Committee, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), also noted that career exploration must begin earlier than high school for students, while other Members of the Subcommittee highlighted the benefits of community colleges as training partners and called for additional funding for them – including for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program.

Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) asked how program quality could be ensured if a short-term Pell proposal is signed into law, and Dr. Holzer noted that data would be critical to that effort, and that short-term Pell could serve as a supplement for existing workforce development funding.

You can watch the full hearing at the link here.