The Sites and Styles of Rural Career Education: The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools recently released their third statewide assessment of rural CTE programs. 

The researchers surveyed rural school districts across the state and found that all the responding districts offer CTE courses in some capacity, most commonly in agriculture, business/finance and career exploration. Most rural districts also offer some form of work-based learning, primarily field trips/tours (80.4%), career fairs (76.3%) and job shadowing (67.8%). Nearly half partner with other districts to offer CTE courses, and 21.4% offer CTE dual-credit courses. When asked about transportation, 34.7% of districts indicated that students can get to work-based learning experiences via district buses. For CTE courses outside of a student’s district, this rises to 50.2%. 

From the open-ended responses, the researchers found that rural districts struggle significantly with CTE teacher recruitment and retention and with funding and facilities, stating that their infrastructure is expensive and outdated. The location of schools also prevents many from partnering with employers.  

For more rural information and resources, visit ACTE’s Community of Practice for Rural CTE through our CTE Learn portal. 

Value of Industry-recognized Certifications Earned by High School Students: A study from the Annenberg Institute examines the relationship between industry-recognized certifications (IRCs) and labor market outcomes.  

Analyzing data from six cohorts of Texas high school graduates, the researchers found that, on average, IRC attainment is associated with an 8.7% increase in earnings. Each additional IRC is associated with a 3.2% earnings increase. CTE concentrators who earn an IRC aligned with their field experience a 14.7% growth in earnings, while those who get a misaligned certification experience no increase.  

When disaggregating by cluster, IRCs in transportation are associated with the highest increase in earnings (+33%), followed by construction (+30.4%), education (+23.8%) and hospitality (+19.5%). When comparing learner groups, white, male and non-low-income students experience larger earnings gains compared to other student groups.  

Community College Credentials and AIREA Jobs: A brief from the Community College Research Center analyzes the national landscape of advanced infrastructure, energy and agriculture (AIREA) jobs and related community college credentials. Pulling from several national education and labor data sources from 2010-23, the researchers found the following: 

• Overall, AIREA roles accounted for 27% of job postings while 17% of community college credentials were in AIREA fields. 
  • AIREA credential attainment increased by 69% in 2010-23, outpacing growth in non-AIREA fields (+55%). 
  • 26% of short-term certificates were in AIREA fields, compared to 20% of long-term certificates and 10% of associate degrees. 

• AIREA fields with the most job postings include truck drivers, automotive service technicians and industrial engineers. 

• Job demand across AIREA fields has grown significantly over the past decade, with a sharp increase following the COVID-19 pandemic.  

• Workers with less than a bachelor’s degree in AIREA jobs earn about 31% more annually than their counterparts in non-AIREA jobs. AIREA workers who hold a bachelor’s degree earn about the same as similarly skilled workers in non-AIREA fields. 

In addition to the brief, the center also released a data tool where practitioners can examine AIREA job postings and credential data in their local region and by college. 

Young Adult Workforce Landscape Analysis: A study from the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce examines how workforce development organizations across the nation serve adults aged 18-29. After surveying over 200 organizations and conducting several focus groups, the researchers compiled their findings into three sections: 

• What’s Working in Young Adult Workforce Development: Organizations with higher job placement rates dedicate staff to regularly engage with employers and connect adults with work-based learning and occupational training. These organizations also maintain close contact with adults after job placement, closely track and analyze program data, and offer individualized support.  

• What’s Holding the Field Back: Funding is an issue cited by most organizations. Many also struggle significantly with long-term data tracking and analysis, and few have staff who maintain contact with adults after job placement. There are also inconsistent definitions for terms such as “opportunity youth” and “disconnected,” making collaboration with other organizations more difficult. 

• New & Innovative Practices: Organizations have begun adopting new strategies to support adults in today’s workforce, including promoting the development of soft skills and diversifying their funding streams. Several also integrate AI to assist adults in writing resumes and similar activities, and most groups are receiving feedback through surveys, youth councils and other initiatives to inform their programs.  

On March 4, the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee held a hearing titled, “Preparing for the Future: America’s Community Colleges.” The witnesses for the hearing included:  

• Dr. Patricia G. Sims: President, Drake State Community & Technical College 

• Dr. Brad Hall: President, Blackfeet Community College 

• Shawn M. Morgan: Vice President of Workforce and Strategic Initiatives, Bevill State Community College 

• Shalin Jyotishi: Founder and Managing Director, Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative, New America 

Committee members and witnesses emphasized the essential role community colleges play in expanding access to opportunity and strengthening the nation’s workforce. Lawmakers highlighted how these institutions provide affordable, flexible pathways to in-demand careers while simultaneously responding to local labor market needs. There was broad bipartisan recognition of the importance of community colleges in supporting students of all backgrounds and propelling the American economy.  

Witnesses urged Members of Congress to maintain, and in some cases increase, funding for various crucial federal programs that many of their students rely on, including Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants, Pell Grants, Workforce Pell, WIOA and Perkins.  

A recording of the hearing can be found here.  

In February, Senate CTE Caucus co-chairs Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ted Budd (R-NC) and Todd Young (R-IN), along with House CTE Caucus co-chairs Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), introduced the 2026 CTE Month Resolution in their respective chambers. The resolution highlights the role of CTE in ensuring the U.S. has a competitive and skilled workforce and promotes CTE as a respected pathway for students in America.  

The Senate resolution passed unanimously on Feb. 26 and the Senate CTE Caucus co-chairs were joined in support by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Katie Britt (R-AL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), James Lankford (R-OK), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 

Upon passage, Sen. Young said, “This resolution recognizes the importance of career and technical education and encourages more educators and students to seek out CTE programs. Preparing the students of today for the jobs of tomorrow will lead to more opportunities, a stronger economy, and a highly skilled workforce.” You can see statements of support from other co-sponsors in the original Press Release announcing the resolution. The House CTE Month Resolution was introduced on Feb. 12 and is still available for cosponsors, due to procedural differences in the House and Senate.  

Rep. Thompson gave this statement upon introducing the resolution, “Career and Technical Education helps strengthen our workforce and prepares students for employment in a wide range of exciting positions. I am proud to lead this bipartisan resolution to celebrate the role CTE plays in our country and the countless contributions made by CTE professionals and educators.” Rep. Bonamici also said, “As co-chair of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, I’m pleased to introduce this bipartisan resolution with my colleague Rep. Thompson to recognize February as CTE Month. CTE provides critical opportunities for students to prosper academically and learn marketable skills. Investments in CTE support domestic manufacturing and infrastructure, laying a strong foundation for the country’s future.” 

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released a report outlining recommendations on reforming the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), including focusing on CTE and college and career pathways as among the most urgent education challenges. These recommendations align with Secretary McMahon’s supplemental priorities, which identified CTE and work-based learning as focus areas for future discretionary grant programs.  

The report, compiled by Senior Advisor Dr. Amber Northern, argues that while IES has contributed significantly to education research and the nation, much of its current work does not capture the on-the-ground realities and challenges facing local and state leaders and educators. The report identifies six broad recommendations for reforming IES: 

• IES should focus on the most urgent education challenges rather than spreading resources across disconnected projects. 
• The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) should develop a streamlined and coordinated data strategy instead of funding multiple data collections and surveys that may be redundant. 
• IES should prioritize multi-state grants that seek to scale interventions and policies instead of awards to individual states and institutions. 
• Research conducted by IES should focus on practicality, innovation and relevance.  
• IES should ensure that the research and technical assistance activities of its Regional Educational Labs (RELs) is responsive, timely, coordinated and disseminated across the nation. 
• IES should narrow the scope of the What Works Clearinghouse to focus on practical guides and tools backed by a strong evidence base. 

The report also makes recommendations around state longitudinal data systems, including supporting technological upgrades, enhancing technical assistance, expanding the types of entities who can receive grants and improving interoperability among states. Other recommendations include improving cross-agency data collaboration and utilizing AI tools to support researchers and improve dissemination. 

The report comes after significant staffing reductions and grant cancellations occurred at IES last year.  

On Feb. 23, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced on Feb. 23 that it will be implementing two new interagency agreements with the Departments of State and Health and Human Services. These agreements, similar to previous ones last year, will transfer the management of certain programs and grants to these new agencies. Specifically, the Department of State will become responsible for tracking foreign gift reporting for public and private higher education institutions, and Health and Human Services will become responsible for administering certain family engagement and school support programs, including the School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV), School Safety National Activities, Ready to Learn Programming, Full-Service Community Schools, Promise Neighborhoods, and Statewide Family Engagement Centers. Visit this new landing page on ED’s website to read about all the interagency agreements announced so far. Read more policy updates below.  

• Resolution Recognizing CTE Month Passes Senate: The Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), co-chairs of the Senate CTE Caucus, recognizing February 2026 as CTE Month. 
• Resolution Introduced by Sens. Blunt Rochester and Tuberville to Celebrate CTE Teachers Adopted by Senate Unanimously: On Feb. 26, Sens. Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Tuberville (R-AL) introduced a resolution celebrating the impact of CTE educators and work-based learning coordinators, which was adopted by the Senate unanimously.  

• U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Announces $81M to Support Training & Employment for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals: DOL announced on Feb. 25 that approximately $81 million in grant funding is available to assist people reentering their communities after being incarcerated by helping them gain experience and secure employment in skilled trades and high-demand industries. Read more about grant eligibility and how to apply here.     

• House Committee on Small Business Holds Hearing to Highlight CTE Programs: On Feb. 24, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing titled “Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success” to examine how CTE programs are a viable pathway to the workforce and how more skilled workers could reduce the labor shortage hurting small businesses. Read more on the blog.  

• ED Releases Plan for Next Steps for the Institute of Education Sciences (IES): The Trump Administration enacted significant grant and staffing cuts to IES early last year, but has now released a report for the future of the agency. In one recommendation, it calls for more concentrated grant-making on a few high-priority areas, including CTE specifically.  

• State of the Union Includes Few Mentions of Education: On Feb. 24, President Trump delivered the annual State of the Union address. This year’s address did not include any significant focus or new initiatives in the education or workforce development areas – just a brief reference to the Presidential AI Challenge. That likely means there will be no big new proposals in the Administration’s budget request, which is expected later this spring.  

• House Education and Workforce Committee Holds Another AI Hearing: On Feb. 24, the House held yet another hearing in its ongoing series on AI’s impact on education and the workforce. This week’s hearing focused on the impact on educators. Read more on the blog.  

• Senate Democrats Ask GAO to Investigate Interagency Agreements (IAAs): Senate Democrats requested a comprehensive investigation from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about the impacts of the first IAA between ED and DOL concerning CTE and adult education and subsequent IAAs.  

• Judge Rejects ED’s Request to Delay Student Loan Forgiveness Processing: On Feb. 24, a judge rejected ED’s second request to delay student loan forgiveness processing for post-class applicants under Sweet v. McMahon. This could lead to tens of thousands of borrowers receiving automatic discharges of their federal student loans in the next few months.  

ACTE and Advance CTE just released their 13th annual joint report on state CTE policy, State Policies Impacting CTE: 2025 Year in Review, which examines state-level CTE and career readiness policy trends from across the nation.

In 2025, 49 states enacted 172 CTE-related policies: the largest volume of state CTE policy activity in a single year since before the coronavirus pandemic. These actions span legislation, executive orders and budget decisions that continue to strengthen education-to-career pathways and align learning with workforce needs.

This year’s analysis highlights sustained and growing state investment across the top policy categories, including:

• Funding and industry partnerships/work-based learning, which tied as the most common policy areas
• Data, reporting and accountability, reflecting states’ emphasis on transparency and return on investment
• Access and supports and industry-recognized credentials, expanding opportunities for learners of all backgrounds

Read the 2025 report and register to join Advance CTE and ACTE March 5, 2–3 p.m. ET, for a companion webinar that will provide a high-level overview of national policy trends and a deeper dive into how Texas advanced policies in 2025 related to credentials, apprenticeships and workforce alignment.

On Feb. 24, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing entitled, “Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success.” The witnesses for the hearing included:

• Mike Gibson: Executive Director, Associated General Contractors of Kansas
• Keith Gunuskey: Superintendent of Schools, Wallenpaupack Area School District
• Nikki Nix: Chief Academic Officer, Godley Independent School District
• Zach Boren: Senior Vice President, Apprenticeships for America

Committee members and witnesses focused on the persistent challenges that small businesses face in finding skilled workers. Lawmakers repeatedly emphasized that CTE programs play a pivotal role in preparing students for high-demand careers while supporting local growth. In regard to funding, there was bipartisan agreement on sustained investments in CTE.

The witnesses also highlighted that CTE programs, particularly those developed in partnership with employers, help students gain the necessary skills to be better prepared for the workforce.

A recording of the hearing can be found here.