The Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) recently began implementing an Interagency Agreement (IAA) to transfer administration of career and technical education (CTE) funding through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act from ED to DOL. This move is likely to have far-reaching negative impacts on CTE programs and learners across the country.
ACTE and our partners are strongly opposed to any attempt to delink CTE from the American education system. We maintain significant concerns regarding the disruption this will have on Perkins implementation and the services it provides to students nationwide. Coordination between programs already exists without the need for such a drastic move that creates—rather than reduces—significant new administrative challenges for CTE leaders and practitioners.
ACTION NEEDED: Contact your Members of Congress and urge them to oppose any transfer of Perkins administration to the Department of Labor!
Moving the administration of Perkins funding from ED to DOL, while maintaining statutorily required oversight at ED, will create significant administrative confusion and add unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, increasing the risk of funding delays and disruptions to program delivery. The move to Labor would shift the focus of Perkins V and weaken the crucial link between CTE and the broader education system, while jeopardizing the development of programs of study, the integration of rigorous academic standards, and alignment with graduation requirements. It is essential to protect CTE funding and program implementation by urging your Members of Congress to consider this proposal via the legislative process, rather than unilaterally moving these functions without congressional input.
