CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

House Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Fiscal Year 2023 Department of Education Budget Request

On April 28, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies of the House Appropriations Committee held its first hearing in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding cycle to examine the Department of Education’s FY 23 budget request, including testimony from Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. During the hearing, several Members of Congress on the subcommittee highlighted the need for strong workforce investments, although the Perkins Basic State Grant was not a topic of discussion.

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) noted that millions of STEM jobs must be filled and that one way to help close the skills gap in computer science and STEM education could be through public-private partnerships. Rep. Fleischmann asked Secretary Cardona what the Biden Administration is doing to improve computer science curriculum and literacy.

Sec. Cardona highlighted the Administration’s proposed Career-Connected High Schools Initiative as one potential pathway. Rep. Fleischmann followed up with a call for bipartisan co-sponsors of

Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) and Sec. Cardona mentioned a recent visit to Henry Ford Community College in Michigan, where he observed students making career connections. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) celebrated the increase to TEACH grants provided in the budget request.

Two Members of Congress, Reps. Andy Harris (R-MD) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) each mentioned the stigma of learning a trade skill instead of attending a four-year institution - Rep. Harris discussed the shortage of auto mechanics, while Rep. Roybal-Allard expressed the need to fix the stigma of choosing work-based learning.

You can watch the full hearing at the link above.

Federal Agencies Release Equity Action Plans

On April 14, the Department of Education and the Department of Labor released their inaugural equity action plans, which are designed to support marginalized, vulnerable and underserved communities. The equity action plans are in response to one of President Biden's Executive Orders and part of a broader effort by the Biden Administration across dozens of federal agencies to address systemic barriers for historically underserved communities.

Specific to workforce development, the Department of Labor plans to focus on:

• developing government apprenticeships to provide pathways to federal service
• collaborating with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBUs), other educational institutions serving diverse populations, national advocacy organizations and other local community partners to help promote registered apprenticeship opportunities
• launching an internal apprenticeship program, investing in industry and sector-based high road training partnerships that focus on equity and job quality
• expanding the scope of apprenticeship data collected in the Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Management Data System (RAPIDS)
• implementing State Apprenticeship Expansion, Equity, and Innovation (SAEEI) grants that bolster states' efforts to expand programming and recruitment strategies to attract a diverse workforce
• investing in high road training partnerships (HRTPs) that bring together workers, labor and other worker organizations, employers and training providers to collaborate in developing industry and sector-based workforce solutions that focus on equity and job quality

The Department of Education plans to:

• advance college access and college completion by investing in HBCUs, TCCUs, MSIs, community colleges, and other under-resourced public institutions
• support schools to raise college completion rates for underserved students
• ensure that state educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) use ARP-ESSER funding to meet students’ social, emotional, mental health, academic and other needs

You can read the full equity action plan for the Department of Education here, as well as the full equity action plan for the Department of Labor here.

Secretary of Education Describes Department of Education Priorities

On Thursday morning, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona spoke to reaffirm the Department of Education’s top priorities for 2022 and beyond. Secretary Cardona discussed the four main priorities that will guide the department in the years to come – supporting recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing opportunity and achievement gaps, making higher education more accessible and ensuring pathways through higher education leading to successful career opportunities. 

Of particular note for Secretary Cardona was the importance of investing in the educator workforce pipeline and ensuring stronger connections between the P-12 system, higher education and the workforce. 

“At the Department of Education, we will work with our partners in the Departments of Commerce and Labor to develop career preparation programs that will run through our community colleges,” said Cardona. 

Cardona also emphasized the need to support students, families and educators as the pandemic continues, including by addressing lost instructional time and learning loss, and by providing additional social, emotional and mental health support for students.

Vice President Harris Visits Milwaukee to Promote Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill

On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership/BIG STEP program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to meet with residents affected by lead pipe contamination and the workers replacing lead pipes in the city to discuss how the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would help modernize American infrastructure.

Vice President Harris was joined by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan. Sen. Baldwin is a Senate CTE Caucus co-chair. 

Harris noted that at its core, this issue is about more than just public health. "It is about developing the skills to do the work that must be done to strengthen the United States of America and our infrastructure," Harris said. 

Concluding her remarks, Harris added that replacing aging infrastructure will help create jobs in a wide variety of in-demand career fields, including construction and manufacturing, as well as boost support for the apprenticeship programs that train workers to complete these upgrades.

Secretary Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) Highlight Connecticut Manufacturing Programs

On January 14, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) visited Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School and Thames River Magnet Elementary School in Groton, Connecticut, to highlight each school’s manufacturing programs. The programs are helping to meet workforce needs in eastern Connecticut and develop the next generation of highly-skilled workers across the state. In addition, the two policymakers reiterated the need for federal CTE and workforce development funding to train workers to do the in-demand jobs of the future. 

“Career [and] technical education is a priority for this administration. It's a priority for me,” Cardona told New London, CT’s The Day newspaper. 

At Grasso High School, 50% of students attending the manufacturing program have jobs lined up after they graduate, including one student who recalled being able to help their family replace a water heater on their own, saving time and money. Groton has expanded access to STEM courses across its public schools, as the district was recently awarded a Defense Education Activity grant from the Department of Defense to expand career pathways in STEM fields and health care. The school is also launching a co-op with nearby Fitch High School to send Fitch students to Grasso for after-school classes to earn credit. 

During the visit to Grasso, Rep. Courtney added to the conversation by explaining to students that their career paths and fields of study align with current and future workforce needs being seen across the country. Courtney cited the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law in November as just one example of a bill that will create jobs to be filled with skilled workers in in-demand fields, including electric vehicle technology, building technology and climate change. 

Grasso also hosts the Three Rivers Community College Manufacturing Apprenticeship Center, which provides training for secondary and adult learners. Students may take courses in machining, welding, electrical, mechanical, shipfitting, pipefitting, maintenance, design engineering, or in any customizable program that is designed to fit a local employer’s needs. 

Sec. Cardona and Rep. Courtney also noted that American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are supporting programs like those at Grasso and at Thames River, helping Connecticut to serve as a model for the nation. Connecticut plans to spend $70 million in ARP funds on workforce development programs across the state.

House Education and Labor Committee Marks Up Portion of Budget Reconciliation Package

UPDATE: The markup continued into September 10, and the full committee approved its portion of the Build Back Better Act, 28-22. Stay tuned to CTE Policy Watch for more details about next steps, including the timing of markups in the Senate. The full House will return on September 20. In the meantime, continue to contact your Members of Congress and urge them to include important investments in education and workforce development in the budget reconciliation bill, and to ensure all CTE programs are included! ACTE is calling on Congress to maintain the robust funding levels provided for these programs in the House Education and Labor Committee’s portion of the Build Back Better Act.

 

The House Education and Labor Committee began marking up its portion of the House’s $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill, known as the Build Back Better Act, on September 9. The Committee’s portion of the bill contains a total of $761 billion in new funding, and in a significant victory, $4 billion for career and technical education (CTE) programs through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V)! 

The bill also includes a significant number of other investments in programs or initiatives that could benefit CTE programs, students and institutions. Relevant components of the bill include: 

 

• Perkins Basic State Grant/Innovation and Modernization: $3 billion in funding through the Perkins Basic State Grant funding stream, with an additional $1 billion in funding for the existing Innovation and Modernization fund, for a total of $4 billion to be distributed through Perkins V. 

 

• Tuition-Free Community College: Beginning in financial aid year 2023-24, the bill provides two years of tuition-free community college for eligible students. 

 

• WIOA Allocations: $16 billion for dislocated worker employment and training; $15 billion for adult worker employment and training activities; $9.05 billion for youth workforce investment activities; $3.6 billion for carrying out ex-offender activities. 

 

• Registered Apprenticeships, Youth Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships: $5 billion for grants, cooperative agreements, contracts or other arrangements to create or expand registered apprenticeship programs, youth apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. 

 

• Community College and Industry Partnerships Grants: $2 billion for grants to community colleges to expanding workforce development and employment opportunities in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations. 

 

• Industry or Sector Partnership Grants: $10 billion for competitive grants to partnerships to expand workforce development and employment opportunities for high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors or occupations, including information technology, clean energy, infrastructure and transportation, advanced manufacturing, public health home care and early childhood care and education. 

 

• Direct Care Workforce: $1.48 billion to award competitive grants to provide competitive wages, benefits, and other supportive services to direct care workers, and for the recruitment, retention and training of direct care workers. 

 

• Adult Basic Education: $3.6 billion to support adult education programs under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. 

 

• Rebuild America’s Schools Grant Program: $81 billion from FY 2022-24 for grants to state educational agencies (SEAs), with $39.6 billion awarded in each of FYs 2023 and 2024. Funds would be awarded to local educational agencies to create and implement facilities plans to address health, safety, educational equity, enrollment diversity, environmental sustainability and climate resiliency of public school facilities. 

 

• “Grow Your Own” programs: $197 million to address teacher shortages in high-need subjects and locations and to increase the diversity of the education workforce. 

 

• Retention and completion grants: $9 billion for retention and completion grants to institutions of higher education. 

 

• Pell Grants: increase the maximum aid amount by $500 per year through the 2029-30 school year. 

 

However, based on the definitions included in the draft legislation, area CTE centers (ATCs) have been left out of the free community college proposal in particular. In many states, these public, fully accredited institutions are the primary delivery of postsecondary CTE certificate programs, but because they do not grant associate degrees, ATCs would not be included in this important program. 

ACTE has sent a letter to Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) of the House Education and Labor Committee expressing concern over the exclusion of ATCs in the Committee’s portion of the Build Back Better Act, and is actively working with Congress to support these critical institutions.   

As this bill moves forward, it is important that CTE stakeholders continue to keep up the pressure on Members of Congress to include important investments in education and workforce development in the budget reconciliation bill, and to ensure all CTE programs are included! 

You can read the full text of the Committee’s print of the Build Back Better Act here. Stay tuned to the CTE Policy Watch blog for the latest developments impacting CTE during the budget reconciliation process!

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Members of Congress to Support CTE Funding During Critical Budget Reconciliation Period!

Following the passage of a budget resolution by the House and Senate, the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will begin drafting their portions of the larger budget reconciliation package. At this stage of the process, the key funding decisions for CTE are being made by members of these committees. We need your help to put pressure on policymakers to prioritize investments in CTE programs and workforce development in the budget reconciliation bill.  

Your advocacy has been instrumental in securing funding increases for CTE for the past several years, and your voice is critical to ensuring that policymakers in Washington understand the many benefits of high-quality CTE programs. The Biden Administration has proposed $10 billion over 10 years for CTE programs in the reconciliation bill as a part of the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget request and American Jobs Plan. More broadly, the Biden Administration is calling for $100 billion in funding for workforce development. However,amidst competing priorities and limited resources available for education spending in the bill, these funds may not be included. 

In addition, there are numerous discussions underway about how to provide up to two years of free college through the bill, and how to support postsecondary retention and completion. ACTE is proactively working to ensure that CTE programs at area CTE centers and certificate programs at other institutions are included in any of these proposals. 

The House Education and Labor Committee is expected to begin considering its portion of the budget reconciliation package as soon as Thursday, September 9, and is putting that proposal together now. The Senate HELP Committee is expected to follow soon after, so now is the time to act! 
 

ACTION NEEDED:  

CLICK HERE to ask your Members of Congress to weigh in with their colleagues on the Senate HELP Committee and House Education and Labor Committee to ask them to support these three priorities in the budget reconciliation bill: 
 

• Include the Biden Administration’s proposed investment of $10 billion over 10 years for CTE programs  
• Match the Biden Administration’s $100 billion request for workforce development funding overall, including CTE funding 
• Ensure that CTE programs are included in any postsecondary proposals, such as free college and college retention and completion initiatives, including programs at area CTE centers.  

Additionally, if you have met with a staff member during NPS or at another time and have a direct contact, feel free to call or email directly rather than using the Action Center link. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and an operator will connect you to your requested House or Senate office. Please contact your Members of Congress today!

President Biden Nominates Dr. Amy Loyd to Serve as OCTAE Assistant Secretary

President Biden has announced that he will nominate Dr. Amy Loyd to officially serve as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), a position that she has held in an acting capacity since April 2021.

Dr. Loyd has extensive experience across the career and technical education (CTE) field, including her work at Jobs for the Future (JFF) that focused on state, regional and federal policies and practices, K-12 education, community colleges, adult education, workforce development, economic development and college and career pathways.

Additionally, Dr. Loyd has prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion throughout her career, including through providing culturally-responsive education, training and wraparound services to Alaska Native and Native American communities through her role as Director of Education at the Cook Inlet Tribal Council.

Currently, she is serving in the Acting Assistant Secretary role for OCTAE after being appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Strategic Initiatives, and has been overseeing national CTE programs, community colleges, adult education and literacy and correctional education programs in this role. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona also commended the pick and stated that he looked forward to her swift confirmation.

Read ACTE’s full statement here.

Application Window for E-Rate Emergency Connectivity Fund Opens

Today, the Federal Communications Commission opened the initial application window for the recently authorized Emergency Connectivity Fund. This $7.17 billion program, included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, was designed to help K-12 schools and libraries provide tools and services that students need for remote learning and help close the "Homework Gap" for students that lack necessary connectivity and devices for school work.  

Schools, libraries, and consortia of eligible schools and libraries that are eligible for support under the FCC’s E-Rate program are eligible to request support through the Emergency Connectivity Fund program. You do not have to be a current E-RATE participant to apply however, and more guidelines on eligibility can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations. Funds can be used to make new purchases of technology such as laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems and routers, as well as to pay for broadband connections. Funds must be requested for the 2021-22 school year, to pay for purchases and services between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022.

More details are available on the FCC website, including a fact sheet about the program and a set of FAQs. There are also a variety of trainings and resources related to the application process on the site as well. You must apply for funds within 45 days, by August 13, so act quickly!

President Biden Releases Full FY 2022 Budget Request to Congress

Earlier today, President Biden released his full Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 federal budget proposal. While the Administration had released a “skinny” budget in April, it only included overview information and few specifics. The budget proposal released today includes full details of the Administration’s priorities for both mandatory and discretionary spending, including spending details for both his American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan that were previously released.

Overall, the discretionary request would restore non-defense discretionary funding to 3.3% of GDP, or $769 billion, which is approximately the historical average over the past 30 years. More specifically, the request includes $102.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, a $29.8 billion or 41% increase over the 2021 enacted level. Further, it includes $14.2 billion for the Department of Labor, a $1.7 billion or 14% increase over the 2021 enacted level.

Many of the largest increases, especially for education, were concentrated on just a few programs, including Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and Pell Grants. A $20 million increase was proposed for the Perkins Basic State Grant, which represents a smaller increase than it received in FY 2021. In addition, the budget included a proposal for an additional $108 million for Perkins National Programs to fund a competitive grant for middle school and high school CTE innovation projects and related technical assistance and evaluation.

In addition, the budget documents outline $1 billion per year in new mandatory funding for the next 10 years as part of the Administration's proposed American Jobs Plan. This would fund a new CTE program to "support the development and implementation of high-quality career pathway programs in middle and high schools, with a priority on programs that connect underrepresented students to STEM and in-demand sectors and help increase the capacity of community colleges to offer high-quality workforce training programs.” It is important to note that this proposal is not likely to be considered through the regular congressional appropriations process, but instead through efforts to pass the American Jobs Plan.    

The president’s budget proposal is not binding, and it will be up to Congress to allocate funds to individual programs through the appropriations process, but is a reflection of the Administration’s priorities for the year and can serve to inform congressional negotiations over spending decisions and new policy proposals.

Specific funding levels relevant to CTE in the Biden Administration’s FY 2022 budget include:

• Perkins Basic State Grant: $1,354,848,000, a $20 million increase over FY 2021
• Perkins National Activities: $115.4 million, a $108 million increase over FY 2021
• Adult Education State Grant: $675 million, the same level as in FY 2021
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity (WIOA) state grants: $3.7 billion, a $203 million increase above FY 2021 enacted levels
• Federal Work-Study: $1.19 Billion, the same level as in FY 2021
• Registered Apprenticeship Programs: $285 million, a $100 million increase above FY 2021 enacted levels
• Pell Grant: $6,895 maximum grant, a $400 increase above FY21 enacted levels (with an additional $1,475 proposed through the American Jobs Plan, bringing the total to $8,370 for the maximum grant)

We will be releasing more detailed analysis and information soon about how you can advocate with Congress for a more robust increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant, and for the inclusion of CTE-specific resources in the American Jobs Plan. Additional resources on the budget can be viewed on the White House’s website, as well as on the Department of Education’s website.