This week was ACTE’s annual National Policy Seminar, where approximately 400 attendees had the opportunity to hear the latest education policy developments from policymakers, participate in visits to Capitol Hill to advocate for CTE programs nationally and attend a reception highlighting students across eight Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs). As ACTE advocates were on the Hill, Congress was wrapping up a work session and preparing for a two-week recess, so there was lots of activity. Read more policy updates below!  

• House Dear Colleague Letter Secures 57 Signatures: The letter, which was circulated by Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), shows continued bi-partisan support for increases in CTE funding. We expect to have a Senate letter soon! 

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Announces Career-connected Grant Opportunity: On March 11, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced that it is seeking employer-led consortia to partner with state and local education agencies to develop meaningful alignment between K-12 education and industry needs. Selected consortia will receive up to $365,000 in funding to develop strategies and initiatives that bridge education and workforce systems together. Applications are due by April 20. 

• NSF Announces AI Workforce Initiative: On March 25, the National Science Foundation announced the TechAccess: AI-Ready America Initiative, which aims to equip employers and workforce programs with AI tools and resources through Coordination Hubs that are housed in states. The deadline for states to submit full proposals is July 16, and the Department will be hosting a webinar for interested states on April 14. 

• Federal Judge Extends Deadline for Colleges to Submit Admissions Data: On March 24, a federal judge extended the deadline for colleges and universities to submit raced-based admissions data to ED from March 18 to April 6. The extension applies only to public postsecondary institutions in the 17 states that sued the Department. 

• FAFSA User Updates Planned for this Summer: The Office of Federal Student Aid announced at a conference earlier this month that it is planning to roll out updates to the FAFSA form this summer focused on improving user experiences. The changes also include an enhanced fraud detection system to combat financial aid fraud. ED celebrated over 10 million submitted 2026-27 FAFSA forms this week. 

• ED Updates College Scorecard Data: This week, ED updated earnings, graduation and cost data on the College Scorecard, with plans to update data on federal loan borrowing and transfer outcomes later this year.    

• ED Announces SIP Eligibility for FY 26: On March 24, ED launched the FY 26 eligibility application for the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP). The SIP is a capacity-building grant for low-resourced colleges under the Higher Education Act. This application allows colleges to prove they serve high numbers of low-income students and have low per-student expenditure in order to compete for Title III and Title V grants. The deadline for applications is April 23, 2026.   

• DOL Launches ‘Make America AI-Ready’ Initiative: On March 24, DOL announced the launch of “Make America AI-Ready,” a free artificial intelligence literacy course that will help American workers learn the basics of AI.  

• ED to Move Out of Lyndon B. Johnson Building in Washington, DC: On March 26, ED announced that they will be moving out of the Lyndon B. Johnson headquarters in order to downsize and save approximately $4.8 million annually in operating costs.  

• Senators Urge ED to Reverse Actions Regarding Office of Civil Rights: On March 20, Sen. Schiff (D-CA), along with other Senate Democrats, released a letter to ED expressing concerns for the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) within the department. They wrote that the Reduction in Force (RIF) orders have undermined OCR’s capacity to carry out their mission and urge ED to reverse these actions.