This week in Washington was another quiet one for CTE-related policy items with lawmakers now adjourned until after the November midterm elections. Lawmakers are expected to continue work on fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations packages and a potential tax bill negotiation during the “lame-duck” congressional session after November 8. This is a great time to review our advocacy toolkit resources and equip yourself with the tools you need to effectively advocate for CTE with policymakers, your community, the media and other stakeholders. We will soon have a new crop of legislators for the 118th Congress, which presents an opportunity to inform them about CTE and encourage their support! We will be covering the election and what it means for CTE over the next few weeks. In the meantime, ACTE will keep you updated on any key developments. Here are some news and notes:
- Illinois ACTE Media Tour Makes Stops in Carbondale, Harrisburg: On October 4, Illinois ACTE and ACTE visited Carbondale Community High School CTE programs and postsecondary CTE programs offered through Southeastern Illinois College. Across both tour stops, guests viewed several cutting-edge CTE programs. Read more from the visits here.
- Illinois ACTE, ACTE Tour O’Fallon Township High School and Belleville CTE Programs: On October 3, ACTE and Illinois ACTE conducted a site visit to three southern Illinois secondary institutions that have demonstrated exemplary commitments to supporting CTE in their schools. Read more about the first day of the tour here.
- Department of Labor Announces Funding to Support Nursing Workforce: The Nursing Expansion Grant Program will support nursing training programs designed to expand the pipeline of nursing professionals while advancing equity and creating pathways for workers to fill these jobs and improve the nation’s healthcare system. The funding application is available here. Read more about the grants here.
- School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program (SBMH) Now Accepting Applications: The Department of Education SBMH grant program provides competitive grants to state educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and consortia of LEAs to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health service providers delivering school-based mental health services to students in LEAs with demonstrated need. This grant program provides $144 million each year for 5 years. Two technical assistance webinars for prospective applicants will be provided: one on October 11th, 2022, and one on October 19th, 2022. The application will close on November 3, 2022.
- Jill Biden Visit to Tacoma Technical College: On October 6, First Lady Jill Biden visited Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Washington to highlight the college’s workforce development programs and emphasize the need to invest in workforce training. You can read more about the visit here.
