With a little over three weeks left in recess, Member of Congress continued to work in their districts and communities. Because they plan to work on appropriations when they get back to DC, this is a great opportunity to connect locally with your policymakers to advocate for greater CTE funding! Meanwhile, the Department of Education has been working on new and existing projects such as FAFSA implementation, and the Department of Labor continues to update resources on workforce development. Keep reading for more details!
- Department of Education Launches CTE CHIPS Challenge with $1M Prize Pool: The Department of Education launched the CTE CHIPS Challenge, a $1 million multi-phase prize competition to expand student recruitment, training and placement strategies in semiconductor fabrication (fab) construction and advanced manufacturing careers aligned with the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS). Learn more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.
- Education and the Workforce Committee Questions Department of Education’s Push to Implement Changes to Perkins: House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx and Secondary Education Subcommittee Chair Aaron Bean sent a letter to Secretary Cardona with concerns about proposed revisions to Perkins state plans and reporting processes that will place major burdens on state agencies, school districts and postsecondary institutions that implement CTE programs. ACTE has also been pushing back against these changes.
- Agenda for the 2024 Lame Duck Session of Congress: Congress is not in session until after the November election, but when lawmakers return, they will be coming back to a long to-do list. The first thing on their list will likely be government funding. Read more about their agenda on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.
- Department of Education Announces Successful First Round of FAFSA Testing: The Department of Education announced the launch of their second stage of testing for the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The first round was completed successfully, and several updated resources were announced, including a Financial Aid Toolkit.
- Department of Labor Releases Artificial Intelligence (AI) Resource: The Department of Labor released an “AI Best Practices” roadmap to ensure emerging technologies enhance job quality and benefit workers.
- Department of Labor Released Updated WIOA Resources: The Department of Labor shared updated resources from the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advantage of People with Disabilities, a WIOA policy development center.
- Department of Labor Updates On-the-Job Training Tools: The Department of Labor updated their On-the-Job Training toolkit. They will host a webinar on October 28 to discuss these updates to the toolkit and best strategies for implementation.
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