CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

House Education and Workforce Committee Holds WIOA Reauthorization Hearing

Yesterday, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing focused on reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).  

The witnesses for the hearing were:  

• Dr. Stephen Moret, President and CEO of the Strada Education Foundation 

• Molly Dodge, Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers at Ivy Tech Community College 

• Robert Sainz, Chair of the National Youth Employment Coalition 

• Nicholas Moore, Director of the Office of Education and Workforce Transformation for Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) 

Lawmakers on both sides highlighted their interest in reauthorizing WIOA this Congress and noted various aspects of A Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA), which almost passed Congress in December. ASWA was a bipartisan agreement that would have reauthorized WIOA that was originally included in the continuing resolution being considered at the end of the year, but was removed at the last minute. 

Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-PA), co-chair of the House CTE Caucus, used his time to ask the witnesses about how WIOA and Perkins could be better aligned. He noted that WIOA planning guides should include states’ wider strategic vision for CTE as outlined in Perkins V. In response to this, Nicholas Moore added that Alabama added “Perkins CTE to our combined plan in 2020” and did so again in 2024.  

Witnesses also addressed the need for better data to improve alignment between training programs and good-paying jobs. Dr. Moret said that one way to do this would be to codify and expand the Workforce Data Quality Initiative grants, as included in ASWA. 

A recording of the hearing can be found here. 

House Holds Hearing on the State of American Education

Earlier this week, the House Education and Workforce Committee held their first full Committee hearing, “The State of American Education” to discuss issues facing students and their families, as well as faculty and administrators. Witnesses included Parents Defending Education President Nicole Neily, American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Preston Cooper, Society for Human Resource Management President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr., and NAACP Legal Defense Fund President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson.

Chair Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) set the tone for the hearing with agenda items including university spending, foreign influence, social issues and workforce development. On workforce development, Rep. Walberg noted that a priority for the 119th Congress is a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). He discussed with witnesses the high-level impact of the legislation, emphasizing the opportunity to strengthen the law and ensure that American workers have the skills and knowledge to succeed as they seek alternative pathways. Rep. Walberg also questioned witnesses on the significance of WIOA within the context of AI, and they agreed more funding needs to go toward skilling and upskilling.  

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) also noted that WIOA almost passed in the latest Continuing Resolution, passed last year to extend government funding through March, but was removed at the last minute. He also addressed the conversation surrounding a probable Executive Order that President Trump intends to introduce to eliminate the Department of Education, reminding his colleagues and the public that the Department of Education cannot be eliminated without Congressional approval.  

Rep. Courtney raised the relationship between the Department of Education and Perkins, emphasizing the important role the Department plays in assisting with the goals outlined in CTE legislation and providing funding to critical workforce development programs like welding and nursing.  

House CTE Caucus co-chair Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) highlighted CTE programs focused on agriculture and business. He also referenced a recent uptick in enrollment in CTE and work the House Education and Workforce Committee has done to bolster CTE in recent years. 

Reps. Rick Allen (R-GA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Mark Messmer (R-IN) also raised their concerns for ensuring that CTE programs and Registered Apprenticeships are properly funded.  

Meet the New Members of the Senate Appropriations and HELP Committees

With the 119th Congress underway, Senate leaders recently announced their committee rosters for this Congress. The Senate Committees on Appropriations and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) will have several new faces.  

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will take over as chair of the Appropriations Committee. The long-time Senator served as the ranking member in the previous Congress. In addition to Appropriations, she serves on HELP and has made education a priority during her entire Senate career.  

Joining the committee for Senate Republicans are Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Mike Rounds (R-SD). Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is currently still on the committee for this Congress; however, he will leave Congress when he gets confirmed as Secretary of State. That will open another spot on the committee for an additional Republican. 

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) will move to the role of ranking member having served as chair this last Congress. Similarly to Sen. Collins, she sits on HELP and was the top Democrat on that committee for several Congresses. Democrats joining the committee are Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). They replace Sens. Joe Manchin (I-WV), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Jon Tester (D-MT). Sens. Manchin and Sinema both retired from Congress and Sen. Tester did not win re-election. 

Moving to HELP, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) will take over as the new chair of the committee. For the 118th Congress, he served as the ranking member. He came to the Senate in 2015 and previously served in the House of Representatives from 2009-2015. His priorities on education and workforce include introducing the College Transparency Act as well as negotiating a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). ACTE endorsed the College Transparency Act in the 118th Congress. As chair, it will be his responsibility to set the direction of the committee. 

On the Republican side of the aisle, four new members will join the committee for the 119th Congress. They are Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Banks (R-IN) and Josh Hawley (R-MO). Of these new members, Sen. Banks is the only new member of the Senate. He was elected to the House in 2016 and served his entire tenure on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. 

Two members who were on HELP in the previous Congress will not return. Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Ted Budd (R-NC) have rolled off the committee to pursue other assignments.  

On the Democratic side, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will remain as the top Democrat on the committee, but he will shift to serve as the ranking member for this Congress.  

The Democrats will also welcome three new members to the committee: Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Andy Kim (D-NJ). All three are freshmen Senators in the 119th Congress. Sens. Blunt Rochester and Kim previously served in the House while Sen. Alsobrooks served as the Executive for Prince George’s County in Maryland. 

In the coming weeks, ACTE will be reaching out to all the new members and advocating for CTE, and our longtime priorities. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch ([email protected]).    

Lawmakers Introduce CR, Includes WIOA Reauthorization

12/19/24 NOTE: Since this blog was posted yesterday, the apparent deal on the CR has run into a number of issues, and it is unclear when or if it will move forward. Congressional leaders are now considering a number of different strategies to attempt to avoid a govenment shutdown on December 20, and we will share more as the situation unfolds.  

Yesterday, lawmakers revealed a new Continuing Resolution (CR) that would keep the government open until March 14. The current CR is set to expire on December 20. 

The CR includes several other policy priorities of lawmakers, including a proposal which would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The leaders of the House Education and the Workforce have been publicly supportive of including the “A Stronger Workforce for America Act” (ASWA) in the stopgap funding measure. 

The WIOA reauthorization bill contains several provisions that would impact the CTE community: 

• Authorizes an approximately 3% increase in funding for Title I formula programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and maintains these levels of funding through FY 2030. 

• Eliminates requirements that local stakeholders, including mandated one-stop partners programs like postsecondary CTE programs, attempt to negotiate the sharing of the physical infrastructure costs of local one-stop centers. Instead, the bill directs states to make use of the law’s existing “state funding mechanism” and slightly increases the contribution amounts from within WIOA to help cover these expenses. 

• Renames out-of-school youth “Opportunity Youth” and adds new underlying youth populations that would be eligible under this definition. ASWA also slightly modifies the law’s prescribed split of Title I Youth funding to 70% for this population and 30% for in-school youth activities, allowing more flexibility to serve youth who might be enrolled in CTE programs. 

• Establishes the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant, a new $65 million mandatory-funded youth apprenticeship competitive grant program. These funds could be used to develop, expand, or improve youth apprenticeship programs, and it includes language seeking to align these efforts with programs funded by Perkins V. 

• Maintains the existing governance structures of WIOA while slightly increasing the required organized labor representation of local workforce boards. 

• Codifies the “Strengthening Community Colleges Workforce Development Grants Program,” which is intended to support community colleges workforce development programs. 

• Includes a requirement that at least 50% of Adult and Dislocated Worker Title I funding be used for training activities. However, the legislation would allow up to 10% of this requirement to be fulfilled through the provision of supportive or individualized career services. 

The CR will head to the House floor where many expect lawmakers to vote on the measure tomorrow. Then it will head to the Senate where it is expected to be taken up quickly. 

As new details emerge, ACTE will keep you updated on all the latest activity, and we will be providing much more information on the new WIOA provisions if they are enacted. If you have any questions about any aspect of the bill, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch ([email protected]). 

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 and most important item on the list is government funding. Funding is currently authorized through a continuing resolution (CR) that lasts until December 20, and appropriators are actively negotiating a fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending package. The results of the election may determine if another CR into 2025 is needed or if the process can be wrapped up before the 119th Congress is sworn in. Many in both parties, including House Appropriation Chair Tom Cole (R-OK), would prefer that final appropriations bills are wrapped up in December. 

Other pieces of legislation that are considered “must pass” are the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Farm Bill. The House passed their NDAA in June while the Senate has yet to bring a bill to the floor. Similar to the appropriations process, the leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services committees are negotiating a final package that will hopefully receive a vote in December. Not as much progress has been made on the Farm Bill, and some pieces of that bill have technically already expired. Lawmakers in both chambers have expressed concern over the lack of progress, and it is becoming more likely that Congress will need to pass an extension, similar to the extension that was passed in December 2023. Both the Farm Bill or extension and the NDAA could be targets for other, unrelated policies or programs to be attached as they move through Congress.  

In the Senate, the main focus for the chamber will be confirming appointments to the federal judiciary before a new presidential Administration succeeds the Biden Administration. That will not leave much time to take up legislation that is not considered “must pass.” Legislation that could fall victim to the tight schedule includes a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) have been engaging with their House counterparts, Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) on negotiations around this bill. Even if these four leaders come to an agreement, there may not be enough floor time available in the Senate to pass a final package.  

As the lame duck session begins next month, ACTE will be sure to you in the loop as new developments

HELP Committee Holds Hearing on WIOA Reauthorization

On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing about reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

In his opening statement, Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) noted that in the 10 years since Congress passed WIOA, the country has experienced “monumental changes.” He added that “advancements in technology have displaced workers with one estimate showing the current shifts toward automation could put up to 39 million Americans out of work by 2030.” 

In their testimonies, the witnesses called for increased funding for training programs. Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, said that both WIOA and Pell Grant funding are not keeping pace with the needs of employers, workers and communities.  

Additionally, David Bradley, senior director for workforce policy at Jobs for the Future, noted that in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, programs and activities for adults, dislocated workers and youth under WIOA’s formula grants to state and local workforce areas were funded at $3.2 billion. He added that this funding level is not “adequate to meet all the promises in WIOA system, nor is the system currently designed to meet today’s extensive career navigation, skills development, and worker transition needs as a stand-alone program.” 

Short-term Pell was another major theme of the hearing with witnesses and members of the committee calling for the expansion of the Pell Grant. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) used his time to talk about the importance of short-term Pell. In his opening, he noted, “Not everybody can access a four-year degree or even a two-year degree, but we also know that by 2031, more than 70 percent of jobs will require some form of postsecondary education or training beyond high school.” 

He later announced that the HELP Committee will have a mark-up of the JOBS Act this summer, which has a bipartisan group of 49 co-sponsors in the Senate. ACTE has been a long-time supporter of the JOBS Act and will continue to advocate for its passage. 

House Passes WIOA Reauthorization

On Tuesday, the House, in a 378-26 vote, overwhelmingly passed H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act. This bill would reauthorize the Workforce, Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).  

Specifically, this bill requires that 50% of the adult and dislocated worker funding go toward upskilling workers through individual training accounts (ITAs), streamlines the eligible training provider list requirements to focus on outcomes and ensure eligible programs are aligned with the skill and hiring demands of employers, establishes a demonstration authority to provide several states and local workforce boards the flexibility to reimagine their workforce system, and facilitates skills-based hiring by validating workers’ competencies gained through prior experience and authorizing state and local boards to provide technical assistance to employers on implementing skills-based hiring practices. However, ACTE did have some concerns with the bill, notably the lack of mandatory inclusion of CTE leaders on workforce boards and lack of specific dedicated funding for the one-stop system.  

The ball is now in the Senate’s court, and lawmakers there are currently working on their own bipartisan legislation with the stated goal of a bill passing out of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee by Memorial Day.  

The Senate is expected to craft its own legislation, though there may be many similarities between the two bills. Final enactment of a WIOA reauthorization bill this year will depend on the Senate acting, and the degree to which the Senate and House bills differ. It will be challenging for the chambers and parties to come to an agreement in an election year.  

ACTE recently participated in a briefing for Senate staff on the links between WIOA and CTE programs where we answered questions and outlined our WIOA priories. ACTE will continue to work with Senators on a WIOA proposal that builds more meaningful connections between CTE and workforce systems. 

House Education and Workforce Committee Approves WIOA Reauthorization Legislation

On December 7, Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act. The legislation would comprehensively reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and make significant changes to core aspects of this legislation including eligible training provider lists and the provision of training services by the system. 

Specifically, this bill requires that 50% of the adult and dislocated worker funding toward upskilling workers through individual training accounts (ITAs), streamlines the eligible training provider list requirements to focus on outcomes and ensure eligible programs are aligned with the skill and hiring demands of employers, establishes a demonstration authority to provide several states and local workforce boards the flexibility to reimagine their workforce system, and facilitates skills-based hiring by validating workers’ competencies gained through prior experience and authorizing state and local boards to provide technical assistance to employers on implementing skills-based hiring practices. ACTE will providing more analysis of key provisions related to CTE, such as funding for community colleges, the youth funding streams and the infrastructure funding mechanism, over the coming weeks.  

The House Education and the Workforce Committee took this bill up on December 12 and approved the legislation in a bipartisan 44-1 vote. The bill now moves to the House floor. 

On the passage of the bill, Foxx said, “Today’s legislative package reflects our commitment to aligning the priorities of education and the workforce. To that end, we must continue to advocate for policies that develop vital workforce programs and help Americans move into in-demand jobs more quickly. I believe the measures passed today achieve this goal and ensure students and working Americans have the skills necessary for a changing economy.” 

An additional summary of the bill can be found here. A recording of the markup can be found here. 

DC Digest December 2-8:

This week, Congress was in session working to finish work on key issues ahead of the final days of the calendar year. There has been little progress on many of the “must pass” bills, including the FY 2024 funding bills. As things stand, funding is set to expire on January 19 for four of the 12 appropriations bills and on February 2 for the remaining eight, including the Labor, Health and Humans Services, and Education bill. More news and notes below:

• Short-Term Pell Proposal Unveiled by House of Representatives: Earlier this week Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) along with Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) introduced R. 6586, the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act, a bill that would allow Pell Grant funding for short-term postsecondary degree programs with the goal of aligning education opportunities with workforce needs. Read more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.
  
  
• House Releases Draft WIOA Reauthorization Bill: On Dec. 7, the House Education and the Workforce Committee introduced R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act. The bill would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). We are currently reviewing the comprehensive legislation and will have more information soon!

• Department of Education Announces Education Innovation and Research Funding to Help Address Academic Recovery: ED has announced $277 million in funding aimed at addressing academic recovery and educational equity and innovation through the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant program. The grant awards will be dispersed into the following sections: $90.3 million for STEM, $87.2 million for social emotional well-being, including student engagement and $76.5 for projects in rural areas.

• Department of Education Announces Additional Student Loan Debt Relief: ED has announced the approval of almost $5 billion in student loan debt relief for more than 80,000 student borrowers, bringing the total approved debt cancelation of the Biden-Harris Administration to over $130 billion for approximately 3.6 million Americans. This new round of debt cancellation comes from fixes made to ED’s income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness system and its Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, so could impact some educators

• Department of Education Announces Funding to Support Research and Development, Postsecondary Completion for Underserved Students: ED has announced over $90 million in grant awards for more than 20 colleges and universities, including some community and technical colleges, to support research and development at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). These new grants are focused on improving postsecondary student outcomes, including retention, transfer, credit accumulation and overall completion.

• National Skills Coalition (NSC) “Launches Expanding College and Career Possibilities: A Policy Action Initiative”: Close ACTE partner, NSC, has launched a new initiative that will gather skills advocates across 20 states with the goal of creating resources, supports and policy solutions for increasing college affordability, holistic supports, and completion of quality non-degree credentials that offer pathways to quality careers and further education. The initiative staff will do this by engaging in peer learning, policy action labs and tailored technical assistance, research and promotion.

House Oversight Committee Holds Hearing on Community Colleges and Apprenticeships

On October 25, the House Oversight and Accountability subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs held the hearing titled, “The Power of Apprenticeships: Faster, Better Paths to Prosperous Jobs and Less Waste in Higher Education.” This hearing discussed ways to draw more youth into exploring career options through CTE, apprenticeships and other work-based learning models.  

Those testifying were: 

• Paul Winfree, President and CEO of the Economic Policy Innovation Center 
• Erin Davis Valdez, Policy Director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation 
• Casey Sacks, President of Bridge Valley Community and Technical College (and former Deputy Assistant Secretary at OCTAE) 
• Tony Ewing, President of Advanced Fixtures, Inc. 
• Apryle Gladney, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at Washington University in St. Louis 

Sacks testified that one of the key strengths of community colleges is their ability to create tailored educational pathways for students. These pathways are designed in close collaboration with local industries, ensuring that the curriculum remains current and relevant. Sacks also noted the push among many community colleges and other workforce advocates to expand Pell Grant eligibility to cover short-term workforce education programs. And while she stated that the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) already provides vouchers known as individual training accounts (ITAs) that would cover those programs, she emphasized how challenging those ITAs are to use. “ITAs pay for what essentially short-term Pell would be, but it’s a lot more burdensome,” she said. 

On apprenticeships, Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) asked Sacks how states could remodel their funding structures to better accommodate pre-apprenticeships. She stated that WIOA state plans are grounded in federal compliance when they should be focused on the needs of local communities and employers. 

A recording of the hearing can be found here.