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.
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