On June 4, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released its funding bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.
On June 5, the bill was considered in subcommittee. A recording of the subcommittee markup can be found here.
Overall, the bill proposes broad cuts to both the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Labor (DOL). The bill would cut ED by approximately $8 billion (10%) and DOL by $3.7 billion (27%).
In some positive news, the bill includes an $8 million increase for CTE programs under the Perkins Act, and there is no indication that the subcommittee accepted the Administration’s proposal to prohibit Perkins funds from being used for postsecondary CTE programs. However, the bill eliminates funding for the Adult Basic Education program, which is consistent with the Administration’s budget request, and cuts numerous other programs that support CTE programs and learners, including once again also proposing the complete elimination of ESSA Title II funding for educator development and cutting the Federal Work Study program.
The bill would also fund the following programs at these levels:
- Every Student Succeeds Act Title I Grants – $16.5 billion, a decrease of $1.9 billion
- Pell Grant – $22.7 billion, an increase of $250 million and $7,445 for the maximum Pell Grant award, and increase of $50 (However, this increase is paid for by cutting subsidized student loans)
- Registered Apprenticeships – $290 million, an increase of $5 million
- Strengthening Community College Training Grants – $75 million, an increase of $10 million
In addition to these programs, the bill would eliminate funding for the WIOA Adult training program and the WIOA Youth Job Training program.
The bill will next be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee, and that markup is tentatively scheduled for June 9. In the following weeks, Senate appropriators will release their funding bill for FY 2027. Many expect that their bill will be much different than the House version. Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol will need to reach a compromise to avoid a shutdown.
ACTE will continue to provide appropriations updates as the process continues to unfold.
