CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

DC Digest: April 5-11

Though it was another relatively quiet week for Congress since both Chambers were out of session, several announcements from the Department of Education were released last week. In addition, on Friday, President Biden proposed a $1.5 trillion annual budget for 2022 fiscal year, including an increase to non-defense spending for governmental agencies such as the Department of Education, which would see a 40.8% increase from the current funding levels under the proposal (which did not provide detailed funding levels for all programs like Perkins). Here some other notes from the week: 

• Department of Education Releases Second Volume of its COVID-19 Handbook: On April 9, the Department of Education released its second volume of COVID guidance, the COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students' Needs. In this volume, the Department provides additional strategies for reopening schools for in-person learning, and recommendations for promoting equity by addressing opportunity gaps that were exacerbated by the pandemic. It also provides strategies to address the social, emotional, mental-health and academic impacts of the pandemic on students, educators and staff. Following the release, Sec. Cardona held a roundtable discussion with students and parents on the impact of the pandemic. 
   
• Department of Education Announces More Political Appointees: More political appointees were announced by the Department of Education. Among these political appointees, Amy Loyd was announced as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE). Read our full blog post here.  
   
• Department of Education Begins Issuing ESSA Testing-related Waivers: The Department of Education issued a number of responses this week to state requests for waivers related to the statewide academic assessments required under ESSA. Waivers granted generally related to timing of assessments, participation and accountability, and for the most part the Department has not supported states efforts to cancel test completely. State ESSA waivers will have a future impact on the availability and quality of data for reporting on student academic achievement under Perkins as well. Copies of waiver responses can be found here. 

• National Groups Support the College Transparency Act: On April 5, ACTE joined 147 education-related groups, including members and partners of the Postsecondary Data Collaborative and National Skills Coalition, to send a letter in support of the College Transparency Act.  The College Transparency Act is a bipartisan legislative proposal which would modernize the postsecondary reporting system to ensure students and families have clear and concise information as learners consider higher education opportunities.  

DC Digest: March 29-April 4

Last week, President Biden released his highly anticipated Infrastructure bill proposal. The $2 trillion “American Jobs Plan” aims to create millions of jobs while rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. It is expected to span eight years if enacted, and education and workforce development was a significant part of the proposal. To learn more about the proposal, read more in our full blog post. Elsewhere on the Hill was relatively quiet with both the House and Senate out of session, but there were several other Administration announcements. Here are some notes from last week: 

• Agricultural Workforce Training Priority Released: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative announced an agriculture workforce training priority to help expand student’s access to agricultural jobs through the development of new workforce training programs or the expansion, improvement or renewal of existing workforce training programs at community, junior and technical colleges and institutes. An informational webinar about this priority will be held April 5, from 2-3 p.m. ET. 
   
• President Biden Investigating Legality of Canceling $50,000 in Student Loan Debt: On Thursday, the Biden Administration requested that the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona prepare a report on the president’s legal authority to cancel up to $50,000 in student debt per borrower. This has been a hotly debated topic throughout the pandemic, and more details will be available in the coming weeks. Also under the student loan debt theme, Secretary Cardona joined a roundtable discussion with student loan borrowers and advocates to discuss the impact of student loan debt.  
   
• Student with Disabilities Get Relief for Student Loans: The Department of Education announced actions to help students who have total or permanent disabilities who had their student loans discharged, but have faced reinstatement or other penalties for not submitting earnings documentation during the COVID-19 national emergency.  
   
• Expanding Relief to Additional Federal Student Loans in Default: The Department of Education also announced an expansion of the pause on federal student loan interest and collections to all defaulted loans in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program aimed to help those who were burdened by debt during the pandemic. This expands the action taken by the Biden Administration that included pausing student loan interest, repayment, and collections activity through Sept. 30, 2021. 

DC Digest: March 22-28

The House was in recess last week while the Senate was still in session, and congressional action related to education was relatively light, with the main activity being around nominations. The focus on the Hill has begun to shift toward a potential economic recovery-focused plan with announcements expected in the coming weeks, that would include significant investments in rebuilding U.S. infrastructure. Here are a few other relevant notes from last week:  

• Labor Secretary Confirmed: On Monday, Marty Walsh was confirmed by the Senate as the Labor Secretary to the Department of Labor. This will be the last confirmation of a political cabinet appointee until the Senate returns after their two-week recess. 
   
• Hearing for the Nomination of Cynthia Marten: On March 24, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee held a hearing for the nomination of Cynthia Marten to serve as Deputy Secretary of Education. During the hearing, Senator Kaine (D-VA) asked Marten how equity was achieved in CTE programs during her tenure as the Superintendent of San Diego.  
   
• Letter to Invest in Workforce Development: In a letter sent to President Biden, which ACTE signed on to, more than 70 organizations urged the President to invest no less than $100 billion for workforce development in the next recovery package to ensure that all workers have the skills and reemployment assistance necessary for a truly inclusive economic recovery.  
   
• Department of Education’s National Safe School Reopening Summit: Also on March 24, the Department of Education hosted the National Safe School Reopening Summit which gathered together education stakeholders, President Biden, Vice President Harris, First Lady Dr. Biden, Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona and Director of the CDC and Prevention Dr. Rochelle Welensky to discuss best practices on reopening schools quickly and safely. During the event, the Administration made several announcements about the use of COVID-19 relief funds, including the distribution of funds to K-12 funding.  
   
• NAEP 2021 School Reopening Survey: This week, the Department released the findings of its first national survey on school reopening. The findings show progress of schools' efforts to reopen schools for in-person learning, and as of February, the survey results showed 76% of schools were open for full-time or hybrid learning. The Department of Education released a statement on the findings as well.

• New Outreach on SNAP Benefits Eligibility: The Department is urging postsecondary institutions to make direct outreach to students who may meet temporarily expanded eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) guidelines. Expanded eligibility includes any student eligible to participate in federal work study or who has an “expected family contribution” of 0 in the current academic year.

DC Digest: March 15-21

Both the House and the Senate were in session last week, and it was a busy week in Washington! Activity in Congress included more confirmation hearings for political appointees and a shift toward moving forward on a variety of other issues now that the COVID-19 relief bill has been signed into law. The Department of Education is working quickly to allocate funds under that relief bill, the American Rescue Plan Act, and has announced funding allocations for states under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. These funds should be distributed to states this month. Here are some other CTE-related happenings from DC last week:   

• New CDC Guidance for Spacing Students in Schools: The CDC announced that K-12 schools can now space students three feet apart if masks are worn, rather than six feet apart that was previously suggested. This new development could allow schools to reopen for in-person learning for more students.  
   
• Additional Funding for School COVID-19 Testing: The Biden Administration announced Wednesday that $10 billion of the American Rescue Plan would be used for COVID-19 testing in schools. The CDC will also provide technical assistance to state and local health departments to help with creation of school testing programs if these programs are not already available.  
   
• Winners of 2020 Catalyzing CTE Through Pay for Success Competition Announced: The Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education announced the two winners of the 2020 Catalyzing CTE Through Pay for Success Competition. This competition was created to explore opportunities for expanding high-quality CTE programming to underserved communities. The award recipients, the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida, and ESC R-19 in El Paso, Texas, and their project partners will explore how the Pay for Success model could help build CTE pathways in their respective regions.  
   
• New Department of Labor Grants: The Department of Labor announced new Young Adult Reentry Partnership grants. Six organizations will be awarded $25 million with the goal of providing education and employment training to young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who left high school before graduation or to those who are or were incarcerated. These funds will support partnerships with community colleges, the criminal justice system, employers, employer associations, unions providing training or labor-management partnerships. Applications are due April 26, 2021. 
   
• Apprenticeship Expansion Grants Available: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) also announced approximately $87.5 million for grants to states to expand Registered Apprenticeships. State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity and Innovation (SAEEI) Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $2 million to $10 million based on state-specific capacity and needs. Of the total grant funding, up to $40 million will be awarded to states that prioritize an expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Applications are due April 26, 2021.  
   
• House Hearing on Future of Higher Education: On March 17, the House Education and Labor Committee’s Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee held a hearing on, “Rising to the Challenge: The Future of Higher Education Post COVID-19.” Witnesses discussed a wide range of issues related to the impact of the pandemic on postsecondary education, including how to address enrollment challenges and support the most vulnerable students.  

• JOBS Act Reintroduced in House and Senate: The Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2021, or the JOBS Act, was reintroduced in the House and Senate last week by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH), and Representatives Andy Levin (D-MI) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH). This bill would expand federal Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term job training programs, and is a top priority of ACTE. Read more on our full blog.  
   
• College Transparency Act Reintroduced: The College Transparency Act, another of ACTE’s priorities for inclusion in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, was reintroduced in the House and Senate as well. This bill would create a student-level data network to provide students, colleges, employers, policy leaders and the public with more complete information about which programs are helping students to earn credentials and get good jobs. Last Congress, the Act was supported by 235 bipartisan members of the House, and earned support from over 200 organizations, including ACTE.  

DC Digest: March 8-14

The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, titled the American Rescue Plan, was passed by the Senate on March 6, went back to the House for final approval and was signed into law by President Biden last Thursday. The package allocates an additional $170 billion for K-12 schools and higher education, including about $120 billion for K-12 schools and $40 billion to support higher education institutions. Read more on our full blog and the statement from the U.S. Department of Education. Here are a few other notes from the week: 

• Plan to Get School Staff Vaccinated: The Department of Education released a statement about getting school staff the COVID-19 vaccination. The department promises to continue providing additional guidance and information on how to access appointments through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, a collaboration between the federal government, states and territories, and pharmacy networks to increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations, in addition to state and local vaccination programs. Along with the department’s guidance, the CDC released an update to a COVID-19 vaccine toolkit resource for schools, school staff and students, as well as information on how teachers, staff and students can get vaccinated and how to schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine. 

• House Appropriations Committee Restoring a Limited Version of Earmarks: House Appropriations Chairwoman Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) announced that the House would restore earmarks, albeit a more transparent and limited version, ending a decade-long prohibition. The Senate is debating the measure but has yet to decide on how to proceed, if at all. However, this move could greatly benefit education because historically higher education was one of the bigger recipients of earmarked funds. Read more on our full blog. 

• Guidance for Schools on How to Use the American Rescue Plan Funding: The Department of Education announced additional guidance on how to use the American Rescue Plan’s $140 billion funding to K-12 schools to help schools implement safe reopening measures and address the needs of students. 

• New CTE-related Grant Awardees: The Institute for Education Sciences awarded two new CTE-related grants under the Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking competition. One grant was awarded to the Delaware Department of Education for a project titled The Distributional Effects of Secondary Career and Technical Educational (CTE) Programs on Postsecondary Educational and Employment Outcomes: An Evaluation of Delaware's CTE Programs of Study, and the second grant was awarded to the Tennessee Department of Education for Analyzing and Understanding the Educational and Economic Impact of Regional Career Pathways. 

DC Digest: March 1-7

Last week, the focus in Congress was largely on the Senate debate on the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that was passed by the House two weeks ago. The bill was ultimately passed on a 50-49 party-line vote Saturday afternoon. The COVID-19 relief package provides funding for both secondary and postsecondary education, as well as to shore up state budgets. It now goes back to the House for final passage, which is expected to occur this week. Here are a few more notes from last week: 

• Cardona Confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education: On Monday, the Senate voted to confirm Miguel Cardona as the 12th U.S. Secretary of Education. Once confirmed, Mr. Cardona sent a letter to parents and students and a separate letter to educators and education stakeholders outlining some of his plans and hopes for the future of education during his time as Secretary. 

• More Department of Education Political Appointees Announced: The Department of Education announced 20 more political appointees. Included in this round of confirmations is the new chief of staff for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), Jen Mishory. 

• President Biden Pushes for All Teachers to Have Access to Vaccine: On Tuesday, President Biden called on all states to make vaccinating teachers a top priority. He would like to see all teachers have access to at least one dose of the vaccine by the end of March. Following the President’s remarks, Secretary of Education Cardona echoed this sentiment and said that vaccinating teachers is a top priority.  

• Subcommittees for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Announced: On Tuesday, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released subcommittee assignments. Notably, the Subcommittee on Children and Families will be chaired by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and the Ranking Member will be Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA).  

DC Digest: February 22-28

The last week of February marked the end of CTE Month, but we hope you were able to experience and participate in some of the events that took place around the country!. Many events shone a spotlight on CTE-related policies, initiatives and advocacy efforts this month, such as ACTE’s National Policy Seminar last week. In addition, last Friday, ACTE and Advance CTE release the eighth annual State Policies Impacting CTE: 2020 Year in Review which highlights major trends in CTE and career readiness policymaking from 2020, and includes a companion online state policy tracker that tracks and analyzes legislative actions by state and content area. On Tuesday, March 2, at 3pm EST, we will be hosting a webinar discussing the report and the trends we saw this year, along with potential policies that might be enacted in 2021. Here are a few other notes from last week:

• House Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package: Late Friday night, the House passed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Included in this large relief package is $130 billion in funding to help K-12 schools reopen for in-person classroom instruction, as well as $1,400 stimulus checks, a $400 weekly unemployment insurance boost through the end of August, $8.5 billion in funding for continued COVID-19 vaccine efforts, among other items. The bill now goes to the Senate, and Democratic leadership wants it to be signed into law by mid-March. 

• Guidance on Assessing Students During COVID-19: The Department of Education’s Office of Education and Secondary Education released a letter providing an update on assessment, accountability and reporting requirements for the 2020-2021 school year. The guidance to states emphasizes that the Department will not be issuing complete, blanket waivers of assessments this school year, but does offer some flexibility in the administration of assessments this year due to COVID-19, and urged continued transparency in reporting assessment data as a source of information for parents and educators to target resources and support.  

• Statement on Student Assessment: Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) of the House Committee on Education and Labor and Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) released a joint statement on the importance of statewide assessments. They emphasized the value of statewide assessment data as a reliable, valid and comparable measurement of student achievement.  

• SNAP Eligibility Expanded During COVID-19: The U.S. Department of Education partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and issued guidance to postsecondary institutions about the temporary expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for learners in need due to the economic burden of the pandemic. These expanded benefits are available to learners who participate in state or federally financed work study or have an expected family contribution of $0 in the current academic year, which includes learners who are eligible for a maximum Pell Grant. 

• Webinar on Access and Equity in CTE Programs and the Workforce: The National Skills Coalition and the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Center hosted a webinar to share best practices that can be implemented in CTE programs and workforce development initiatives that include inclusive and diverse policies to better engage learners regardless of the learners’ background.  

• Webinar on Advancing Innovation in Adult Education: The Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) and the Manhattan Strategy Group hosted a webinar to highlight the benefits of strong partnerships between adult education programs and workforce partners. During the webinar, a panel discussion covered topics such as strategies to keep and manage partnerships, addressing challenges with partnerships in rural areas, employability skills, career pathways and more. 

DC Digest: February 15-21

This week is ACTE’s National Policy Seminar! Participants will get updates on current education policy and the new Congress and Administration, as well as opportunities to advocate for CTE with their representatives during virtual Hill visits. It is an important time for advocacy, as Congress works to complete the next COVID-19 relief bill. While both the Senate and the House were out of session last week, work continued behind the scenes on a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Here are a few other notes from last week: 

• Student Load Forgiveness Conversation: President Biden, when talking about student loan forgiveness last week, indicated that he supports forgiving $10,000 of student loan debt due to the strain on borrowers from the pandemic. 
   
• Under Secretary of Education Announced: On Friday, President Biden announced the nomination of James Kvaal to be the Under Secretary of Education. Kvaal’s background has primarily been in higher education, and he is expected to continue this focus during his tenure if approved.  
   
• President and Department of Labor on Registered Apprenticeships: On Wednesday, the Biden Administration announced several initiatives related to expand and invest in registered apprenticeship programs. Actions including endorsing the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, reinstating the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships, and pausing or reversing efforts around Industry-recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs). As a response to the President’s announcement, the Department of Labor announced several actions being taken related to the suspension of the IRAP program.  
   
• Chairman Scott’s Statement on Registered Apprenticeships: Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott of the House Education and Labor Committee released a statement in response to President Biden’s support of apprenticeships. The President endorsed the  National Apprenticeship Act of 2021, which was introduced by the Chairman in January. Scott stressed the need to invest in the registered apprenticeships in order to help with economic recovery efforts in high-demand industries and sectors, such as manufacturing, health care, technology and construction. ACTE has endorsed the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 and is actively advocating for its passage. 
   
• Actions to Increase COVID-19 Testing in Schools: President Biden announced new actions being taken to expand COVID-19 testing, improve the availability of the tests and better prepare for new variants of COVID-19. One of the actions being taken is a partnership between the Health and Human Services Department and the Department of Defense to provide $650 million in funding for K-8 schools to establish regional coordinating centers which organize laboratories across the country into COVID-19 testing networks to collect specimens, perform tests and report results to the relevant public health agencies.   

DC Digest: February 8-14

Last week, the primary focus on the Hill was the Senate impeachment trial of former President Trump, which ultimately ended on Saturday with 57 Senators voting to convict the president, not enough for the two-thirds majority required. In the House, most of the activity was related to the next COVID-19 relief package, and several committees moved pieces of the legislation forward. We are also busy preparing for ACTE’s virtual 2021 National Policy Seminar (NPS), taking place the week of February 22, which will provide a timely opportunity to engage with Members of Congress. Check it out on ACTE’s website. Here are some other notes from last week:

• House Education Subcommittee Rosters Announced: Leaders of the House  Education and Labor Committee announced subcommittee rosters on February 8. Democratic and Republican rosters are now available. Notably, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL) and Rep. Murphy (R-NC) will serve as the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment, which has jurisdiction over most CTE-related issues.
  
• Secretary of Education and Labor Nominees Move Forward: On Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 17-5 to approve the nomination of Miguel Cardona to be Secretary of Education and 18-4 to approve Martin Walsh as  Secretary of Labor. Both nominations now move to the full Senate. 
• New COVID-19 Guidance Released for Schools: On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released updated guidance related to the reopening of K-12 schools that is much more detailed and based on community infection rates. The Department of Education followed with Volume 1 of a new COVID-19 Handbook. The handbook provides strategies, guidance and considerations for safely reopening K-12 school for in-person learning, including masking practices, physical distancing and a roadmap for stakeholder engagement. The second volume of the handbook will be released in the coming weeks.
• New COVID-19 Guidance: On Friday, the CDC released updated guidance on safely reopening schools for in-person learning, which is intended to act as a companion guide to the Department of Education’s COVID-19 Handbook. The updated guidance builds on previous recommendations, and includes new mitigation strategies to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, as well as an updated, color-coded chart that divides school reopening options into four zones, based on the level of community transmission.
• Senate Appropriations Committee Announced Leadership and Subcommittee Rosters for 117th Congress: On Friday, the Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and  Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AK) announced the majority and minority chairs, ranking members and the subcommittee rosters for the 117th Congress. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) will continue to lead the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee in this Congress, but with their roles reversed. Sen. Murray will be chair of the Subcommittee and Sen. Blunt the ranking member. 
• House Education and Labor Committee Approves Additional COVID-19 Relief Bill: On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee voted 27-21 to approve a $357.9 billion draft proposal for inclusion in the COVID-19 relief package that's slated to move through Congress under the FY21 budget reconciliation process. A full summary is available in this blog post.

DC Digest: February 1-7

Last week, the Senate finally approved its organizing resolution, allowing Democrats to assume full control of the chamber and new committee chairs to be seated. Both chambers of Congress also approved a budget resolution containing reconciliation instructions, which will make it easier for Democrats to move forward with an additional COVID-19 relief package. You can read a primer on reconciliation here. In recognition of CTE month, Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional CTE Caucus, introduced a resolution that recognizes February as National CTE Month. The resolution emphasizes the important role of CTE in economic recovery, as well as highlights the value of CTE programs for all learners. Here are some other notes from last week:

• More Department of Education Political Appointees: The Department of Education announced 13 more political appointees last week. These 13 appointees will lead various aspects of the Department during President Biden’s term. There are still no political appointees that have been announced for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education.
• HELP Committee Hearings for Education and Labor Secretary Nominees: On February 3, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, held a hearing on the nomination of Miguel Cardona as the U.S. Secretary of Education. During the hearing, several Senators emphasized the importance of CTE, and in interviews leading up to the hearing, Cardona highlighted the importance of CTE and the important role community colleges are going to play for post-COVID-19 economic recovery. A separate HELP Committee hearing was held for Marty Walsh to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. In his confirmation hearing, Walsh emphasized increasing equity and inclusion in the workforce, and collaboration with both the Commerce and Education Departments to provide more on-the-job training efforts, among other things. Read the full blog here. 
• Chair and Ranking Member of HELP Committee Formally Announced: On Wednesday, the HELP Committee announced that Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) will officially serve as the Chair of the Senate HELP Committee and Richard Burr (R-NC) will serve as the Ranking Member of the Committee during the 117th Congress. 
• New Project to Gather Data on Schools Reopening: The Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences announced a new project “NAEP 2021 School Survey," which will collect both national and state data to understand the impact of COVID-19 on students and the status of in-person learning. This project is aimed to help safely reopen schools for in-person learning.