Today, the Department of Education (ED) announced a series of Inter-Agency Agreements to shift the administration of funding for programs within six offices to four new agencies:

• The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education programs and the Office of Postsecondary Education institution-based programs are moving to the Department of Labor
• The administration of Indian Education programs is moving to the Department of the Interior
• The administration of International Education and Foreign Language programs is moving to the Department of State
• Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) and Foreign Medical Accreditation are moving to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

In making the announcement, officials suggested that these moves would eliminate red tape, provide more parental empowerment, promote school choice and better align with workforce needs. However, advocates for many of these programs have expressed significant concerns, much like the CTE community did when the original Inter-agency Agreement was signed to move CTE and adult ed to the Department of Labor, which was the model for these new arrangements.

ED indicated that additional IAAs may follow as they evaluate the remaining programs left at the Department of Education. It is not yet clear what the timelines are for these shifts. ACTE will continue to evaluate the developments and provide updates on the potential impacts. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org), if you have any questions

With the government open again, lawmakers are resuming work on Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills, including education funding. Both the House and Senate have released their FY 2026 funding bills for the Department of Education (ED).The Senate bill provides level funding for Perkins State CTE grants and the House bill provides a $25 million increase. However, there are significant concerns about the House bill because it includes steep cuts to other education and workforce programs that support CTE learners, educators and schools.

As lawmakers resume work and the appropriations process moves forward, it is essential that Congress provides both increased support for CTE and sustained investments to education and workforce programs across the continuum to ensure all learners have the opportunity and resources needed to build skills for lifelong career success.

ACTION NEEDED: CLICK HERE to urge your Members of Congress to support education and workforce development funding in FY 2026!

Send a message directly using the ACTE Action Center. You can also call or email directly any personal contacts that you have in your Members’ offices, such as from a meeting at NPS, or call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and an operator will connect you to your Member of Congress.

In the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025, Congress created a new federal school voucher-type mechanism, formally known as the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). Under the law, individuals can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for donations to nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). These SGOs then issue scholarships/vouchers that families can use for private school tuition, tutoring, transportation, textbooks, special-needs services and other expenses, including for public school students.

To be eligible for the scholarships, families must be in states whose governors choose to opt-in and have household incomes up to about 300% of the area median income, which in many places covers a large majority of families. States must voluntarily opt in (via the governor or designated authority) and must submit approved SGOs to the federal government.

This new program is relatively complex from an implementation standpoint, and many details need to be ironed out. The next steps in the implementation process include:

• States must decide whether to opt in: Governors must indicate by January 1, 2027 whether the state will participate in the program. States that opt in will submit a list of approved SGOs and develop state‐level rules in line with the federal framework.
• Federal regulations must be issued: The law gives the Department of Treasury responsibility to issue regulations that flesh out how the tax-credits will work, how SGOs will operate, how eligibility will be verified and how private schools will be regulated. It is currently unclear when these regulations will be released, especially given the recent government shutdown.
• States and SGOs will establish program infrastructure: States must put in place approval processes for SGOs, set standards for voucher eligibility, decide how the funds flow, and determine whether to restrict uses.
• Schools, families, and SGOs will need to prepare for the rollout: States that opt in will need to reach out to families, develop application processes for income eligibility (up to 300% of AMI), disclose what services and schools qualify and ensure forms and accountability systems are in place, such financial tracking and verification.

A number of groups have already begun weighing in on how they think the program should be set up, and many states leaders are already involved in conversations about whether they will participate. It is important to be involved in these conversations in your state to weigh in on how participation in the program might impact public school funding, including for CTE programs.

Today, on Nov. 17, Education Week released a special report on the intersection of CTE and AI in the classroom and workplace. ACTE worked extensively with EdWeek as they developed the report, providing expertise to reporters and making interview recommendations. The report consists of the following articles: 

• How AI is Changing CTE – This Q&A between EdWeek and ACTE’s Associate Deputy Executive Director Michael Connet focuses on how AI and technology are being implemented in CTE programs to create opportunities for students and solve problems.  

• ‘What Are You Doing on AI?’ How This District Added it to Career Education – This article describes how Ignite—a career pathway program in Bentonville, AR, public schools—incorporates AI into its curriculum. Students in the program have used AI tools to enhance their graphic design coursework, create a meal-planning app for expectant mothers with gestational diabetes and pitch a new product to Walmart customers.  

• Classroom View: How AI is Influencing Teacher Approaches to CTE – Pulling from the experiences of six CTE teachers, this article examines how CTE teachers are utilizing AI in the classroom to support their work and expand opportunities for students. While AI tools have been useful for CTE teachers (particularly newcomers), keeping up with advances in the field can be difficult. ACTE Board member Lavyne Rada is featured in this article.  

• Businesses Want Employees With AI Skills. Are K-12 CTE Programs Keeping Up? – As demand for AI-related skills rises among employers, this article investigates how K-12 CTE programs across the nation are beginning to implement AI tools in their curriculum. Some states began shortly after the AI boom: for example, leaders in South Carolina began developing an AI CTE pathway in 2022. The pathway, which will last for four years, introduces students to basic AI concepts before developing more comprehensive problem-solving and application skills. Most schools and districts are in the early stages of adoption, integrating AI into computer science and other related fields. 

The report also contains the results of a nationwide survey conducted by the EdWeek Research Center. The survey, which questioned 472 CTE teachers and administrators, found that nearly one-third expect their school or district to introduce CTE programs in the digital technology, IT, AI and cybersecurity fields. 

After 43 days, the federal government reopened this week after Congress passed a continuing resolution that will fund most federal programs at their current level until January 30 next year. The deal also included funding for several agencies for FY 26, but lawmakers are still negotiating FY 26 funding for the Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL). Read more on the blog here. In other news, ED made several postsecondary-related announcements, and the House will host a CTE hearing next week. Read more updates below. 

• ED Announces New Postsecondary Grant Opportunities: On Nov. 10, ED announced seven new priorities under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) for the FY 2025 grant competition. Two of the priorities relate to short-term programs: one will support developing new programs that align with Workforce Pell requirements, and one will support expanding current short-term programs. The other priorities will focus on accreditation, AI and civil discourse. The deadline for postsecondary institutions to submit applications for these grants is Dec. 3. 

• ED Shutdown RIFs Reversed as Government Reopens: As part of the deal Congress made to reopen the federal government, all ED employees who were fired during the shutdown must now be reinstated. ED is also prohibited from conducting additional reduction-in-forces (RIFs) through January 30 when the CR expires. 

• 2023-24 Perkins Data Released: ED’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education recently released 2023-24 Perkins enrollment and performance data. Readers can view the data through the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network’s Data Explorers. ACTE will analyze this new data and release a blog post soon on our findings.  

• House to Host Hearing on CTE: Next week on Wednesday, Nov. 19, the House Education and Workforce Committee will host a hearing on CTE: “From Classroom to Career: Strengthening Skills Pathways through CTE.” ACTE will be attending the hearing and reporting back on the blog. 

• ED Invites Comments on IPEDS Changes: On Nov. 13, ED posted a notice in the Federal Register inviting comments regarding proposed changes to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The changes, which were originally announced in August, would require postsecondary institutions to submit applicant race and sex information to ED. This new notice would exempt two-year and open-enrollment colleges who only award aid based on financial need from having to submit this information. Comments are due on Dec. 15. 

• National Postsecondary Enrollment Data Released: On Nov. 11, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released preliminary postsecondary enrollment trends for the fall 2025 semester. The data reveals that enrollment in two-year colleges and undergraduate certificate programs rose the most, particularly in trades-related fields. See the data here.  

• Deadline for “Your AI Horizons Challenge” Approaching: The deadline for teams to participate in ED’s “Your AI Horizons Challenge” (the third challenge in ED’s #CTEMomentum challenge series) is on Wednesday, Nov. 19. You can learn more about the challenge here. 

• Trump Admin Appeals PRWORA Ruling: On Nov. 7, the Trump Administration appealed a federal judge’s ruling that halted implementation of new interpretations of Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) provisions in 21 states. The new interpretations would prohibit Perkins V funds from supporting undocumented immigrants in postsecondary CTE programs. ACTE and a group of education organizations sent questions to ED on these changes earlier this year, but responses have been delayed due to court activity. 

After 43 days, Congress has reached an agreement to reopen the federal government. The deal will temporarily fund most federal programs at current levels through a continuing resolution that lasts until January 30. The package also includes a three-bill minibus that would fund the following agencies for all of FY 2026:

• Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
• Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies
• Legislative Branch

The Senate first passed the measure on Monday in a 60-40 vote with every Republican except Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) voting in favor, along with eight Democrats

The House returned to session after a long absence to approve the bill on November 12, by a vote of 222-209, and it was immediately signed into law by the President.

With the government reopen, negotiations to fund the remaining agencies for FY 2026 will resume ahead of the new January deadline. Lawmakers in both chambers have released proposals to fund the Department of Education (ED) but remain far apart. The Senate proposed level funding for most education and workforce programs in their version of the bill, including level funding for the Perkins State Grant. However, the House proposed steep cuts to education and workforce programs, including a 15% cut to the Department of Education and 30% cut to the Department of Labor, although they did include a $25 million increase for Perkins.

ACTE will continue to update members as action unfolds. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org).

Promising Combinations of Dual Enrollment, AP/IB and CTE: A study from the Community College Research Center analyzes how students combine different types of accelerated coursework (CTE, Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (AP/IB) and dual enrollment) and how these combinations impact their postsecondary outcomes. 

Using administrative data from several high school cohorts in Texas, the researchers found that, in 2022, 72% of students in the state took an accelerated course. Twenty-one percent of students took CTE courses, 3% took dual enrollment courses and 29% took AP/IB courses. Four percent of students participated in both dual enrollment and CTE courses. Compared to the 2015 and 2016 cohorts, the 2022 cohort had a higher proportion of students enrolling in each course type. Men, low-income, Hispanic and Black students were less likely to take an accelerated course. 

The researchers also found that, by age 24, students who took accelerated courses had stronger postsecondary and earnings outcomes compared to students who did not. Students who participated in both dual enrollment and AP/IB had the highest earnings, followed by dual enrollment takers with a CTE focus and students who participated in other dual enrollment courses. Students who took both dual enrollment and AP/IB were also the most likely to earn a postsecondary credential after high school. 

Aligning Assets and Actions for Rural CTE Success: The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) recently released findings from its statewide assessment of rural CTE programs in Illinois. AIRSS surveyed 281 rural and small school districts—spanning 97% of Illinois’s counties—and found the following: 

• Ninety-one percent of rural and small school districts report offering CTE programs. 

• The most common clusters that rural districts offer courses in are Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (82%); Arts and Communications (56%); and Finance and Business (54%). 

• The most common challenges cited by rural districts are educator shortages (69%), insufficient financial resources (47%) and insufficient equipment or facilities (45%). 

• Sixty-four percent of rural districts report that their CTE programs are aligned with local labor demands, and 58% say that their programs align with future labor needs. 

From these and other findings, AIRSS developed recommendations and a Rural CTE Action Matrix, detailing specific policy and practice recommendations for K-12, workforce and government stakeholders.

For more rural information and resources, visit ACTE’s Community of Practice for Rural CTE through our CTE Learn portal. Additionally, ACTE is offering a professional learning track for rural CTE professionals at this year’s CareerTech VISION conference (to view sessions, filter by “Special Tracks” for “Rural CTE”). 

Analyzing State Accountability Systems for Dual Enrollment: A brief from the College in High School Alliance (CHSA) and Advance CTE examines how dual enrollment is incorporated into state accountability systems.   

• Forty-two states include dual enrollment participation or success as an indicator in at least one of the following three accountability systems: ESSA, Perkins V and/or state accountability.  

• Thirty-four percent of states incorporate dual enrollment participation or success for ESSA compared to 16% for state accountability and 12% for Perkins V. 

• California, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho and Nevada are the only states that include dual enrollment in all three systems. 

Snapshots from Alabama, Tennessee and Utah provide additional context on the impact of accountability systems on dual enrollment. For additional information, the CHSA maintains a spreadsheet that details how individual states report dual enrollment data. 

Virginia’s Community Colleges and the Changing Higher Education Landscape: A report from Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shows that postsecondary CTE enrollment in the state is shifting toward short-term credential and workforce programs, such as the FastForward program. The proportion of postsecondary CTE students in FastForward programs rose from 13% in 2018 to 27% in 2025. The authors suggest that shifting national trends and fewer requirements for establishing non-credit programs compared to credit programs in the state may explain the rising enrollment figures. 

The FastForward program also has strong outcomes: 95% of participants complete the program, and completers who obtain a credential earn about $10,800 more annually than before the program. About three-fourths of FastForward program completers earn an industry-recognized credential. 

Most of the state’s community college CTE programs are also aligned with careers on the state’s high-demand occupation list, including 82% of FastForward programs and 76% of CTE credit programs. The CTE credit programs with the most enrollees are Registered Nursing, Computer and Information Systems and Allied Health Professions. For FastForward programs, they are Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor, Highway and Road Construction Trades and Welding Technology.