The House was back in session this week for a few days before breaking again until September 14, when the Senate also returns from recess. In major news this week, the House passed the continuing resolution to fund the government until December 11, sending it to the President and avoiding a government shutdown before the midterm elections. Read more policy updates below.  

• House Passes Continuing Resolution to Avoid Government Shutdown: On September 1, the House passed the Senate-approved bill that would extend current funding levels for all federal programs (with a few anomalies) until December 11. This will avoid a government shutdown in October ahead of the midterm elections. Read more on the blog.   

• Ask Your Members of Congress to Support Education and Workforce Development Funding as the FY 2027 Appropriations Process Continues: With the CR in place and negotiations continuing, we need Congress to develop and approve appropriations bills that adequately fund education and workforce systems. Click here to urge your Members of Congress to support education and workforce development funding in FY 2027!   

• 2026 Election Watch Kick-Off: The general election is approximately two months away on November 3, 2026, so we are kicking off our 2026 Election Watch coverage! We will be sharing information and resources over the next two months on the blog to help you prepare for the election, as well as a post-election analysis of its implications on CTE policy.  

• ED Announces First Slate of TRIO Awardees: On August 28, the Department of Education (ED) announced more than $186 million in federal college-access funding. Many colleges and universities are among the 326 entities that received a portion of the $142.5 million awarded to TRIO Talent Search grants, according to a list of the first slate of awardees provided by the Council for Opportunity in Education. The Department also awarded $44.7 million in TRIO Educational Opportunity Center grants to 102 entities. 

• Department of Treasury and IRS Move to End Tax-Exempt Status in Private Schools: The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have issued proposed regulations to end federal tax-exempt status for private schools that engage in racial discrimination. Under the proposed rule, a private school would not qualify for Federal tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) if it adopts, maintains, or enforces a policy or practice that discriminates on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin. The proposed regulations would apply to tax-exempt private primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, professional schools, and trade schools.  

• ED Releases Delayed Civil Rights Data: ED recently released federal civil rights data more than eight months after the agency initially stated it would be available. The Civil Rights Data Collection contains national and state-level data that examines students’ access to K-12 educational opportunities.   

• NSF on Track to Award Lowest Number of Grants in Forty Years: Reporting from Nature indicates that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded 30% fewer new grants this fiscal year compared to last year and is on track to award the fewest number of grants in four decades. Some of this funding has been withheld from programs, including several STEM education programs the Department of Justice recently declared unconstitutional.  

• IES Announces Awards for Several Grant Programs: This week, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) announced awards for several grant programs, including $8 million for special education research grants and $17 million for the Accelerate, Transform, Scale initiative. Relatedly, ED revealed in a court filing on August 26 that the IES still has $180 million in research funds left to expend before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. 

• NSF to Reinstate Data Collection on STEM Workforce: On August 28, the National Science Foundation (NSF) indicated that it was planning to reinstate the National Training, Education and Workforce Survey (NTEWS) in 2027. The NTEWS collects data on the national STEM workforce, including STEM workers who hold workforce and industry credentials. The survey was previously terminated as part of the major research cuts at ED and the NSF. ACTE previously wrote about this survey on the blog.  

• Census Bureau Releases Updated PSEO Data: The Census Bureau recently updated its Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data explorer, adding data from over 160 new postsecondary institutions. The explorer allows users to examine the employment outcomes of postsecondary credentials across different fields.  

• GAO Releases Report on High School Aviation Programs: On September 1, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report examining high schools, CTE centers and colleges that offer aviation maintenance programs. From their findings, GAO recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) convene a group of industry stakeholders and aviation experts to consider expanding access to the FAA’s general written knowledge test for aviation mechanics.