This week, the Department of Labor announced several new opportunities and resources for workforce development. Meanwhile, the Department of Education continues to work on this fall’s FAFSA rollout and Title IX implementation as the 2024-2025 school year draws near. In Congress, August recess is in full swing. This is an excellent opportunity to meet with your members locally, and you can still contact their DC staff via the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121). Keep reading for more information!
- Department of Education Announces New Schedule and Process to Launch 2025-2026 FAFSA Form: The Department of Education announced that the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA® form) will be launched through a new process. Starting on October 1, the Department will release the 2025-26 FAFSA form for testing with a limited set of students and institutions. The Department will make the application available to all students on or before December 1.
- Title IX Regulations Continue to Face Legal Challenges: Last week, the Biden Administration’s new Title IX regulations took effect in some states but continue to face legal challenges in 26 states and over 100 schools in others. Most recently, a federal judge ruled that the regulations cannot be enforced in Oklahoma.
- Department of Agriculture Announces New Resource: The Department of Agriculture shared a new resource for workforce development professionals in rural communities, the USDA Rural Workforce Guide for Rural Workforce Development. This outlines a four-part approach to building a skilled rural workforce.
- Department of Labor Announces Webinar in Preparation of National Apprenticeship Week: The Department of Labor announced a webinar, “National Apprenticeship Week 2024” for August 21. They plan to share information on how to register events and submit proclamations, and resources for planning and promoting events in anticipation of National Apprenticeship Week.
- Biden Administration Announces Next Phase of Good Jobs Challenge: The Department of Commerce launched a new phase of funding for the Good Jobs Challenge, providing an opportunity to build off the success of the first round of the Good Jobs Challenge awards and investing $25 million into high-quality, locally led workforce training programs that lead to good jobs.
- New Funding Opportunity with YouthBuild Grant Program: The Department of Labor announced a new funding opportunity for the YouthBuild Grant program to support organizations that provide pre-apprenticeship services to opportunity youth aged 16 to 24. The Department will fund approximately 75 projects nationwide with individual grants ranging from $700,000 to $1.5 million.
- Department of Labor Announces New Initiative to Train the Semiconductor Workforce: The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Chips for America Research and Development Office have announced a collaborative effort to advance semiconductor workforce development with the intent of creating a National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME), supported by a Network Coordination Hub.
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