CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

DC Digest: September 19-25

Despite both chambers of Congress remaining in Washington, it was another quiet week for CTE-related items. The agenda for lawmakers included legislation to support law enforcement, actions to shore up funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), energy permitting regulations, committee hearings and a few pending nominations. Both chambers continue their work this week, where the top priority is developing an omnibus spending bill, discussed in more detail below. As this process unfolds, ACTE will keep you updated on the CTE news you need. In the meantime, here are some news and notes.

• Department of Education Guidance on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and TEACH Grants: Recent changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) and updates to the TEACH Grant program may provide ACTE members with an opportunity to receive PSLF credit for federal student loan payments previously made and enjoy streamlined requirements for the TEACH Grant program. Read more about the changes here.

• Department of Labor to Rescind Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program: The Department of Labor has announced that it will rescind the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program and focus resources on registered apprenticeships. The Federal Register is scheduled to publish the final rule on September 26, 2022. You can view the draft rule here.

• Sens. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Chris Coons (D-DE) Introduce Senate Companion to Supporting Small Business and Career and Technical Education Act of 2022: On September 19, Sens. Marshall and Coons introduced the Supporting Small Business Career and Technical Education Act, which directs Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Women Business Centers (WBCs) to assist small businesses in hiring career and technical education (CTE) program graduates. The bill also gives CTE program graduates access to SBDC and WBC resources that are useful for starting a small business. Read more about the bill here.

• Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Update: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has announced that the Senate will hold weekend talks in hopes of drafting an “omnibus” funding bill to extend government funding beyond September 30. Of the 12 appropriations bills Congress develops each fiscal year, none have passed and been signed into law for fiscal year (FY) 2023. A stopgap funding measure will be required to avoid a government shutdown. Lawmakers will also try to insert their own spending priorities into the omnibus bill, including humanitarian, immigration and defense aid. The Senate plans to begin floor consideration of the spending package on Tuesday, September 27. ACTE will keep you posted on all developments in the appropriations process.

• House and Senate Introduce Resolutions Marking September as Workforce Development Month: On September 20, S. RES. 780, to designate September 2022 as “National Workforce Development Month,” was considered and agreed to in the Senate. A companion resolution was introduced in the House on September 22.

• ACTE Joins Statement on Sustainable Systems for Quality Teaching: ACTE has signed on to a letter outlining the need to support the educator workforce. You can read the full letter here.

DC Digest: September 12-18

Last week in Washington, lawmakers in both chambers returned to a relatively light September legislative agenda. Lawmakers’ primary focus in the next week or so will include negotiating and passing a stopgap “omnibus” spending bill to avoid a government shutdown after current funding expires on September 30. Members of Congress may also try to insert other provisions into the bill, including aid for Ukraine and COVID-related aid. ACTE will continue to monitor the budget process for fiscal year (FY) 2023 as work continues on those appropriations bills. As we await further CTE-related news, here are some news and notes:

• ACTE Region V Vice President Shani Watkins Testifies Before House Small Business Committee: On September 15, the House Committee on Small Business, Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development, held a hearing titled, “Back to School, Back to Startups: Supporting Youth Apprenticeship, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development,” featuring ACTE Region V Vice President Shani Watkins. During her testimony, Watkins described the CTE programs offered at her school and her varied business partnerships, including how those partnerships provide students with access to paid work-based learning experiences and connections to apprenticeships and future careers. Read more about the hearing here.

• Department of Education Awards Funding to Support and Develop the Educator Workforce: The Department of Education has announced new grant awards to help recruit, prepare, develop and retain a strong, effective and diverse teacher workforce through the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant program. This year’s investment includes 22 new five-year grants totaling $24.8 million. The TQP program funds teacher preparation programs in high-need communities at colleges and universities for the undergraduate and “fifth-year” level, and for teaching residency programs for individuals new to teaching with strong academic and professional backgrounds. Learn more about the grants here.

• White House Issues Executive Order on Biotechnology Workforce: President Biden has issued an executive order to expand training and education opportunities in biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Within 200 days, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education and other relevant agencies shall produce and make publicly available a plan to coordinate and use relevant education and training programs, such as opportunities at technical schools and certificate programs, CTE, and expanded career pathways into existing degree programs for biotechnology and biomanufacturing. Read the full Executive Order here.

• Sen. Luján (D-NM), Reps. Leger Fernández (D-NM) and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) Introduce Legislation to Expand Federal Loan Forgiveness for Educators: Sen. Ben Ray Luján and Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández and Jahana Hayes have introduced the Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2022 to expand the federal Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) program. The Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act of 2022 updates the TLF program by expanding the most robust benefits to all teachers and leaders working in high-need schools, including CTE teachers. It also enhances benefits and allows service under this program to concurrently count toward the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Read more about the bill here.

• House Education and Labor Chairman Introduces College Affordability Legislation: The LOAN Act would lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The legislation doubles the federal Pell Grant by increasing the max award over 5 years to $13,000, building on the $1,775 increase to the maximum award as proposed in President Biden’s budget; improves the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program by shortening the time to forgiveness and broadly codifying the current PSLF waiver; makes loans less expensive by expanding access to subsidized loans, limiting capitalization of interest including after forbearance and deferment, and creating a safety net for vulnerable borrowers; and lowers interest rates by ensuring that no new loan will have an interest rate higher than 5 percent and allowing both federal and private borrowers to take advantage of these lower rates. Read more about the bill here.

• Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Shares Thoughts on Higher Education: House Education and Labor Committee Ranking Member Rep. Virginia Foxx shared her thoughts on higher education legislation and the Republican’s Higher Education Act proposal in a recent speech at the American Enterprise Institute. She mentioned an alternate proposal to the JOBS Act and expanding Pell Grants to short-term postsecondary programs, offering “We must change our mentality and recognize there are many paths to the American Dream. The REAL Reforms Act takes the first step towards doing just that. It opens up opportunities to the middle class beyond the traditional college model by expanding the Pell Grant to career-focused credentials offered at a fraction of the cost of that model.”

• Department of Education Names 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools: Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has recognized 297 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022. The recognition is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. View the full list here. 

DC Digest: September 6-11

Although the Senate returned to Washington last week, action on CTE-related items was again minimal, with much of the focus on confirming pending nominees and holding hearings. Both chambers will be in session this week, and it is expected that appropriations negotiators will continue work on an “omnibus” agreement to extend government funding beyond September 30 as work continues on Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 spending bills. As we await more from Congress, here are some key news and notes:

• House Small Business Committee to Hold Hearing Featuring ACTE Member: On September 15, at 10:00am ET, the House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing titled “Back to School, Back to Startups: Supporting Youth Apprenticeship, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development.” ACTE Board of Directors member Shani Watkins will be serving as a witness at the hearing. ACTE will have more coverage later this week of her appearance before the committee.

• OCTAE Assistant Secretary Talks CTE at Advance CTE Fireside Chat: On September 6, the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) Assistant Secretary Amy Loyd spoke with Advance CTE Executive Director Kimberly Green as a part of Advance CTE’s Fall Fireside Chat series. You can view a recording of the webinar here.

• House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Juvenile Justice: On September 8, the Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on investments in juvenile justice programs. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) mentioned the Community Healing Initiative, which is a partnership between Latino Network, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center and other organizations that offers culturally appropriate interventions and workforce development opportunities to youth of color in the juvenile justice system. Naomi Evans of Coalition for Juvenile Justice said that job training with holistic supports is also critical. Witness Father Steven Boes mentioned that his faith-based program, Boys Town, has a workforce development partnership with Union Pacific and trains welders. You can watch the full hearing here.

• Secretary Cardona Announces Back to School Bus Tour: On September 12, First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary Cardona will kick off the bus tour in Tennessee with a visit highlighting ways states and districts are recruiting and preparing qualified educators into the classroom. Read more about the tour here.

• Department of Labor Awards Trade Adjustment Assistance Funding: The Department of Labor has announced funding to provide training and employment services in 45 states and Puerto Rico to eligible workers. The awards are the department’s final distribution of FY 2022 funds to states through the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers Program. The program supports training, employment and case management services, job search and relocation allowances and income support during training.

• Department of Labor Awards Funding Expand Access to Jobs: The Department of Labor has announced the award of $45 million in grant funding to 13 colleges in 12 states to help expand CTE education programs. The grants will enable institutions to focus on specific industry sectors and career pathways training for skill development, rapid reskilling and employment in in-demand jobs. Read more about the grants here.

DC Digest: August 29-September 5

CTE-related action in Washington was minimal last week. This week, Congress is set to return and their to-do list will include starting negotiations on an “omnibus” government funding package that may also contain supplemental funding for Ukraine, COVID-19 preventative measures and more that was requested by the White House. Congress must pass appropriations bills or a continuing resolution to extend government funding by September 30 in order to avoid a government shutdown. Here are some other news and notes to catch you up as we Congress returns:

• White House Announces Plan to Address Educator Shortages: On August 31, the White House announced its strategy to help K-12 schools address staffing shortages in teaching and other critical school professions. The Biden Administration plans to work with the private sector, nonprofit organizations and state and local education and workforce leaders to better highlight open positions and expand teacher apprenticeship opportunities. These efforts will be overseen jointly by the Department of Education and Department of Labor. Read more about the White House plan here.

• First Lady, Secretary Walsh, Secretary Raimondo Highlight First Group of Apprenticeship Ambassadors: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden celebrated a milestone at the White House for the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, where members of the initial cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors discussed steps being taken to expand apprenticeship programs throughout the nation and promote the benefits of registered apprenticeships in numerous industries. Read more about the initiative here.

• Department of Education Awards Funding to Alaska Native Education Programs: The Department of Education has awarded 28 three-year grants totaling $35.3 million through the Alaska Native Education (ANE) program to Alaska Native organizations and entities in Alaska governed predominately by Alaska Natives. Eligible activities include training and professional development for educators, early childhood and parent outreach and enrichment programs. Read more about the awards here.

DC Digest: August 22-28

Back to school season is in full swing! With many students returning to school, this week also marks the next to last week of the August congressional recess, as Congress will not return to Washington until after Labor Day. The biggest news in Washington last week was the announcement of executive actions on student debt by President Biden, which you can read more about below. It is not yet clear how this administrative action will impact congressional activity once they return in September. In the meantime, here are some news and notes:

• Biden Administration Announces Executive Actions on Student Debt: Last week, President Biden announced his Administration’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt for individual borrowers making less than $125,000 per year who previously received a Pell grant, and up to $10,000 of federal loan debt for other borrowers making less than $125,000 a year. He also announced a final extension of the student loan repayment, interest and collections pause that was first put into place in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the plan here.

• Department of Education Releases 2022 Back-to-School Checklist: The Department of Education has released a back-to-school checklist for parents, highlighting uses of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding for student support, school improvement and more.

• Department of Labor Announces Grants to Expand Job Opportunities for Women in Apprenticeships and Nontraditional Occupations: The Department of Labor has announced the award of $3.4 million in funding to help recruit, train and retain more women in quality pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs and nontraditional occupations. Administered by the department’s Women’s Bureau and Employment and Training Administration, the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants will support organizations in Arizona, Illinois, New York, Virginia and Washington. Learn more about the grants here.

• Department of Labor Awards Grants to Fund Registered Apprenticeship Hubs: The Department of Labor has announced the award of $50 million in Apprenticeship Building America grant funding for registered apprenticeship hubs, which are organizations that help employers design, develop and deliver programs in new and fast-growing industries and occupations. The department is awarding the grants to nine organizations in California, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington. Read more about the apprenticeship hub grants here. 

DC Digest: August 15-21

Congress is still adjourned for the August recess and will not return to Washington until after Labor Day. Washington is very quiet, but early last week President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), legislation that contains climate change, tax and health care provisions. Many Members of Congress are still holding constituent events during the next few weeks, and you can visit this blog post to learn more about capitalizing on those opportunities. In the meantime, here are some news and notes:

• Department of Education Announces $8 Million in New Grants to Help Colleges Strengthen and Diversify the Teacher Workforce: The Department of Education has announced $8 million in grant funding through the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence (Hawkins) program, which supports comprehensive, high-quality teacher preparation programs at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). The Hawkins Program will focus on key aspects of a high-quality teacher preparation pipeline, including evidence-based, comprehensive teacher preparation programs that provide extensive clinical experience. Read more about the grant funding here.

• Department of Labor Announces Programs that will Support Justice40 Initiative: The Department of Labor has announced the addition of four programs administered by the Department’s Employment and Training Administration to the Justice40 Initiative: Reentry Employment Opportunities, YouthBuild, Job Corps and the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities program. The Justice40 initiative aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, training and workforce development, and other federal investments to disadvantaged communities. Read more about the Justice40 initiative here.

• Department of Labor Announces ApprenticeshipUSA Branding Effort and Public Conversations: The Department’s Office of Apprenticeship has created the “ApprenticeshipUSA” brand to establish an identity and shared understanding of the national registered apprenticeship system. In addition, the Department has begun a national online public dialogue on registered apprenticeships, which will remain open through September 5, 2022.

• Department of Education Announces Application Opportunity for CTE Research Network Grant Lead: The CTE Research Network, authorized under Perkins National Programs and operated through the National Center for Education Research at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), conducts research on CTE through projects funded by other IES grant competitions. This competition is for a new network lead beginning in FY2023.  Applications are due February 23, 2023.

DC Digest: August 8-14

Last week in Washington, lawmakers departed for the annual August congressional recess, but the House briefly returned on Friday, August 12, to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains primarily health care and climate change provisions. After House passage of the bill, both chambers will remain in recess until after the Labor Day holiday. Many Members of Congress will be holding constituent events during the next few weeks, check out this blog post to learn more about capitalizing on those opportunities! In the meantime, here are some news and notes:

• August Recess Legislative Wrap-Up: There was a flurry of activity as Congress prepared to adjourn for it the annual August congressional recess. Read more about key federal legislation from the last several weeks here.

• Department of Education Announces College Completion Grants: The Department of Education has announced $5 million in grant funds to support a new College Completion Fund for Postsecondary Student Success. The funding will support grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to encourage postsecondary retention, transfer and completion. Read more about the grants here.

• Department of Education Hosts Raise the B.A.R. Summit: On August 11, the Department of Education held the “Raise the B.A.R.: Bold + Action + Results in College Excellence & Equity Summit.” The event featured higher education leaders from colleges, systems and organizations across the country. CTE was briefly mentioned as a solution to the national educator shortage – Secretary Miguel Cardona noted Tennessee’s Grow-Your-Own teacher apprenticeship model as an example of an effective solution.

• CDC Releases Updated COVID-19 Recommendations for Schools: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released updated guidance for schools to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as the 2022-23 school year arrives. Read the full guidance here.

• Members of Congress Introduce Student Apprenticeship Act of 2022: Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced H.R. 8567 and S. 4658, respectively, legislation that would establish and support postsecondary student apprenticeship programs.
  
  
• Tina Smith (D-MN) Introduces Addressing Teacher Shortages Act of 2022: Sen. Smith introduced S. 4694, legislation that would establish an “Addressing Teacher Shortages Program,” through which the Secretary of Education shall award competitive grants to support teacher recruitment and retention efforts and schools in underserved communities. Read the full text of the bill here.

DC Digest: July 25-August 7

Congress has left Washington for the annual August congressional recess, following Senate completion of a rare weekend session to negotiate and advance a budget reconciliation package with climate change and health care proposals. Lawmakers also focused on passing veterans’ health care legislation and final passage of the CHIPS Act during the past two weeks. The House may return from recess as soon as August 12 to vote on the Senate’s budget reconciliation package, but both chambers will then be in recess until after Labor Day. For now, Members of Congress are focused on holding events in their states and districts, which provides an excellent opportunity for you to engage with your representatives about supporting CTE! As we await the return of lawmakers to Washington, here are some news and notes:

• Bobby Scott Tours Virginia Workforce Development Program: On August 3, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) toured the Peninsula Workforce Development Center on the campus of Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) to meet with employers and job seekers and announce the award of $11 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Good Jobs Challenge. Read more about the visit here.
  
  
• President Biden Signs CHIPS Act into Law: On August 2, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act) into law, allocating $280 billion in funding and tax incentives to boost domestic production and innovation in the semiconductor industry and broader science and technology-related industries. Read more about the bill here.

• Senate Releases FY23 Appropriations Bills: The Senate Committee on Appropriations has released its first drafts of its fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations proposals, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill. Although the bill gives a more modest increase to education funding overall than the House bill and the President’s request, it proposes a $60M increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant.

• House Education and Labor Committee Holds Child Nutrition Bill Markup: On July 27, the House Committee on Education and Labor advanced the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act on a 27-20 vote. The bill would reauthorize and update federal child nutrition programs by investing in school meal programs, modernizing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), addressing food insecurity during the summer, improving school meal capacity and sustainability and strengthening the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

• Department of Commerce Announces Good Jobs Challenge Winners: On August 3, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced grant awards to 32 workforce training partnerships across the country as part of the $500 million Good Jobs Challenge funded by the American Rescue Plan. The Good Jobs Challenge seeks to increase the supply of trained workers and help workers secure jobs in 15 key industries that are essential to U.S. supply chains, global competitiveness and regional development. You can read the complete list of award winners here.

• Nasser Paydar Confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education: On August 4, Dr. Nasser Paydar was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education at the Department of Education. Dr. Paydar is the former chancellor emeritus of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Read more from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona here.

• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Releases Data on Student Recovery: The Department of Education’s NCES has released new data about school responses to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2021-22 school year and supports available to students. Read more about the data here.

• Department of Education Hosts Career Pathways Summit: On August 4, the Department of Education held a webinar to discuss current dual enrollment state policy and practice, the future of dual enrollment and the role of federal policy.

• Secretary of Commerce Raimondo, Secretary of Labor Walsh Launch Job Quality Toolkit: The Department of Commerce has launched the Job Quality Toolkit, which provides strategies and actions to help small-and-medium-sized organizations recruit and retain a high-performing workforce. The Toolkit’s strategies are organized around eight drivers, or essential elements, of a good job: Recruitment & Hiring; Benefits; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA); Empowerment & Representation; Job Security & Working Conditions; Organizational Culture; Pay; and Skills & Career Advancement. Read more about the toolkit here.

• Department of Education Releases Draft Higher Ed Rules: On July 28, the Department of Education published draft regulations to implement several changes to federal financial aid programs, including the “90/10” rule and rules for prison education programs. The draft regulations can be viewed in the federal register and public comments are due on August 26, 2022.

DC Digest: July 18-24

This week was another quiet one for CTE-related items. Congress focused on passing a “minibus” of six appropriations bills, holding January 6th Committee hearings, negotiating a budget reconciliation package with key members of Congress and negotiating on the CHIPS Act, a package that contains funding for semiconductor manufacturing and investments, as well as some elements of the USICA/America COMPETES Act. The scaled-down bill may get a vote as soon as the week of July 25. However, language similar to the JOBS Act was not included in the draft text of the bill that was released on July 20. We are working to elevate the issue to Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), one of the lead negotiators on the bill. ACTE is also monitoring the expected release of the Senate Appropriations Committee's FY 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. As we await more details, here are some news and notes from Washington: 

• ACTION ALERT: Ask Members of Congress to Include JOBS Act Language in the CHIPS Act: We need your help in putting pressure on your Members of Congress to include the JOBS Act language in the text of the CHIPS Act! If you reside in Arizona, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Washington or California, your Members of Congress are in a key position to impact negotiations, making it crucial that CTE advocates in these states weigh in now as the negotiations quickly shift in a new direction. ACTION NEEDED: Contact your policymakers in the House and Senate to ask them to support the extension of Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term CTE programs as they negotiate the CHIPS Act.

• Departments of Labor and Commerce Announce Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint: Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the 120-Day Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint, an effort to train a skilled cybersecurity workforce through registered apprenticeships, support numerous industries’ use of Registered Apprenticeships to develop and train a skilled and diverse cybersecurity workforce. The initiative seeks to recruit employers, industry associations, labor unions, educational providers, community-based organizations and others. Read more about the initiative here.

• FY23 Appropriations Update: On July 20, the House passed a “minibus” package of six FY2023 appropriations bills, but the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill was not included. The House may bring the remainder of the bills to the floor as soon as this week, or they may wait until after the August congressional recess to do so. The Senate Appropriations Committee also plans to release its draft FY2023 bills during the week of July 25 without holding markups. ACTE will continue to monitor the appropriations process and will provide updates as they come.

• House Bill to Establish Agriculture Workforce Training Program Introduced: On July 19, Reps. Tom Emmer (R-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME) introduced a bill to establish a grant program for eligible institutions to carry out agriculture workforce training programs. You can read the full text of the legislation here.

• Bill to Expand Cybersecurity Workforce Placed on Senate Calendar: S. 2274, the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Expansion Act, has been reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and placed on the Senate legislative calendar for floor consideration. The bill was co-introduced by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), and would establish a federal government cybersecurity apprenticeship program and a pilot program on cybersecurity training for military veterans transitioning from the military. You can read the full text of the legislation here.

DC Digest: July 11-17

Last week in Washington was another quiet week for CTE. Lawmakers focused on considering the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), looking for a path forward on the America COMPETES Act/USICA negotiations, passing veterans’ benefits legislation and negotiating a potential budget reconciliation package with key members of the Senate. Both chambers will be in session for the rest of the month, where there is expected to be a procedural motion in the Senate to begin consideration of a standalone bill that contains funding for semiconductor manufacturing and investment tax credits. There is currently no plan to hold appropriations bill markups in the Senate, while the House may put its version of the FY 2023 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill on the floor as soon as the week of July 18. As we await more details, here are some news and notes from Washington:

• ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Senators to Support Robust Funding for CTE in FY 2023: The House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill proposes a $45 million increase to the Perkins Basic State Grant program, a year-over-year increase equal to what was enacted in the FY22 spending bill. Now, the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee are set to begin crafting their version of the FY23 spending bill. CLICK HERE to ask your senator to support robust funding for high-quality CTE programs in the Senate’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill!

• White House, Department of Education Highlight American Rescue Plan Funding: On July 13, the White House held an event titled, “White House Summit on the American Rescue Plan and the Workforce,” to highlight how American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding has been used to support pandemic recovery and workforce-related initiatives, particularly in the public health and infrastructure fields. Additional ARP funding was also released to high-need postsecondary institutions. Read more about both here.

• America COMPETES/USICA Update: On July 14, news reports stated that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would move to consider a standalone package of funding for semiconductor manufacturing as soon as Tuesday, July 19, after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) halted conference negotiations on the bipartisan and bicameral America COMPETES/USICA. The status of several provisions under negotiation, including the JOBS Act and College Transparency Act (CTA) are still unclear, as lawmakers increasingly appear likely to bypass the conference negotiations in hopes of passing the bill before the August congressional recess. ACTE will continue to monitor any new developments as they come.

• Department of Labor Awards Funding to Support Job Exploration and Training Options for Young People: The Department of Labor has awarded grants to out-of-school time organizations to connect with local and state workforce boards, organizations and education partners to introduce young people to career possibilities and provide education, training, supportive services and work experience to better prepare young adults for careers. Read more about the grants here.

• Department of Labor Announces First Cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors: The Department of Labor has announced 207 officials and organizations were chosen to serve as the first cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors to share their experiences and collaborate with the department’s Office of Apprenticeship to support apprenticeship opportunities. The chosen ambassadors include community-based organizations, educators, employers, equity partners, industry, labor and state associations, program sponsors and workforce partners. View the full list of Apprenticeship Ambassadors here. 
   
• NCER Awards Education Research Grants: The National Center for Education Research (NCER) has awarded new grants under its Education Research Grants Program. Two grants were awarded for CTE-related projects, titled “CTE Teacher Labor Markets, Attributes, and Student Outcomes” at Georgia State University and “Exploring Noncredit CTE Program Factors that Strengthen Workforce Pipelines” at the University of California, Irvine. Awards were made to 35 institutions in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

• Department of Education Announces Engage Every Student Initiative: The Department of Education has announced a public-private partnership with Afterschool Alliance, The National Comprehensive Center, the National League of Cities, The National Summer Learning Association and the School Superintendents Association who will work with over 20 allied organizations to ensure that students have access to out of school time (OST) learning opportunities year-round. Read more about the initiative here.