Yesterday, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing focused on reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).  

The witnesses for the hearing were:  

• Dr. Stephen Moret, President and CEO of the Strada Education Foundation 

• Molly Dodge, Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers at Ivy Tech Community College 

• Robert Sainz, Chair of the National Youth Employment Coalition 

• Nicholas Moore, Director of the Office of Education and Workforce Transformation for Gov. Kay Ivey (R-AL) 

Lawmakers on both sides highlighted their interest in reauthorizing WIOA this Congress and noted various aspects of A Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA), which almost passed Congress in December. ASWA was a bipartisan agreement that would have reauthorized WIOA that was originally included in the continuing resolution being considered at the end of the year, but was removed at the last minute. 

Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-PA), co-chair of the House CTE Caucus, used his time to ask the witnesses about how WIOA and Perkins could be better aligned. He noted that WIOA planning guides should include states’ wider strategic vision for CTE as outlined in Perkins V. In response to this, Nicholas Moore added that Alabama added “Perkins CTE to our combined plan in 2020” and did so again in 2024.  

Witnesses also addressed the need for better data to improve alignment between training programs and good-paying jobs. Dr. Moret said that one way to do this would be to codify and expand the Workforce Data Quality Initiative grants, as included in ASWA. 

A recording of the hearing can be found here. 

On March 5, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education held a Member Day. Member Days are an opportunity for Members of Congress who are not part of the Subcommittee to voice their interests and let the appropriators know what funding they want for their districts and communities. Witnesses included House CTE Caucus co-chair Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), both of whom advocated for continued investment in education, specifically CTE.  

Rep. Thompson began the hearing by emphasizing his strong support for CTE programs, noting how they provide learners with career-ready skills and work to develop America’s most valuable resource – its people. He highlighted the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act that reauthorized Perkins in 2018, citing the success that CTE programs have had in subsequent years. Rep. Thompson also expressed gratitude for the recent increase in Perkins funding secured in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and urged the Subcommittee to support Perkins in FY 2026. 

Rep. Magaziner also expressed support and interest for CTE. He reminded the Subcommittee of a previous letter he issued with several other Members of Congress asking for increased funding for CTE Modernization and Innovation grants and emphasized the need for bipartisan support. Rep. Magaziner also urged the Subcommittee to invest more funding into Pell grant expansion and expressed concerns over education and workforce cuts proposed in the most recent House budget bill. 

On February 14, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released a Dear Colleague Letter suggesting a broad interpretation of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and directing educational institutions to comply with instructions outlined in the letter related to civil rights and anti-discrimination. However, many educational institutions had questions about the broad interpretations and directives provided in the Dear Colleague letter.

To address some of those questions, ED released an additional set of Frequently Asked Questions on March 1. Notably, the FAQs largely only focus on race, and not other student characteristics. The questions addressed include:

• Can schools separate students by race if they treat all students equally?
• Are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs unlawful under Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard? 
• How will OCR investigate allegations of covert discrimination? 
• How will OCR proceed with schools that it determines are out of compliance with Title VI? 

The FAQs do suggest that some DEI programs would not be found in violation of the civil rights law, assuming programs do not “engage in racial exclusion or discrimination” and “are open to all students regardless of race.”

It is important to note that the Dear Colleague Letter and related FAQs are merely guidance and do not have the force and effect of law and do not create new legal standards. The issues addressed in both are already facing legal challenges however, which are likely to continue.

ACTE has released a set of briefs that describe the components of Perkins V legislation in an easy-to-understand manner. These short publications can serve as an introduction for teachers, administrators, policymakers, journalists, partners and others who are new to the purpose, importance and impact of this federal law.

• Perkins 101: Introduction to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (February 2025)
• Perkins 101: Federal Funding (February 2025)
• Perkins 101: Accountability (February 2025)
• Perkins 101: Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (February 2025)

Please read and share these resources with individuals who would benefit from understanding the role that Perkins plays in CTE program offerings and student outcomes.

The Administration continues to move forward on efforts to reduce federal spending and staffing. In Congress, leaders are still negotiating on possible options to address Fiscal Year 2025 funding since the current continuing resolution (CR) expires on March 14. Republicans are also continuing conversations on how to move forward on the budget reconciliation process now that both the House and Senate have passed different budget resolutions. Meanwhile, ACTE has been concluding CTE Month Activities with the annual CTE School Month Visit and publication of the State Policies Impacting CTE: 2024 Year in Review report. As we wrap up the month, use ACTE’s Action Center to urge your Representatives to support the House CTE Month Resolution!  

• House Education and Workforce Committee Holds Hearing on Economy and Workforce: The House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing this week, “Unleashing America’s Workforce and Strengthening Our Economy,” discussing challenges and opportunities that the American workforce is encountering.  

• Senate HELP Committee Advances Lori Chavez-DeRemer's Nomination for Secretary of Labor: The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to advance Lori Chavez-DeRemer's nomination for Labor Secretary. Chavez-DeRemer's nomination will move to the Senate floor for a full, final vote at a later date. ACTE will share more updates on her nomination as they develop. 

• Update on DOGE Access to Education Data: A federal judge has barred the Department of Education and the Office of Personal Management (OPM) from sharing sensitive information with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This information could include Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, income and assets, citizenship status and disability status. Democrat Leadership in the House Education and Workforce Committee have issued letters to the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and Labor on this matter. 

• Department of Education Announces “End DEI” Portal: The Department of Education published a new portal for teachers, students and others to submit reports of these practices in schools.  

• OPM Releases Guidance on Mass Government Layoffs: The OPM released a memo with instructions for federal agencies to make plans for significant force reductions. Plans are due on March 13, and must also include broader agency restructuring suggestions, which could feed into the Administration’s goals to eliminate the Department of Education.   

• ACTE and Advance CTE Release State Policies Impacting CTE: 2024 Year in Review: ACTE and Advance CTE released the 12th annual report compiling CTE policy trends at the state level to highlight advancements in the field, accompanied by a webinar held on February 27. Read more about the report on the blog! 

• ACTE and Crossland High Schol Host Annual CTE Month School Visit: ACTE partnered with Crossland High School to host the annual 2025 CTE Month School Visit. ACTE is grateful for the commitment and collaboration with Crossland High School in hosting this thoughtful event in celebration of CTE Month. Read more about the visit on the blog! 

• House Education and Workforce Committee Announces WIOA Hearing: The House Education and Workforce Committee announced a hearing for next Wednesday (March 5), “Strengthening WIOA: Improving Outcomes for America’s Workforce.” We will share any relevant information from this hearing and keep you updated! 

State Approaches to Short-term Postsecondary Credentials: A recent report from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education discusses how states have been investing in and overseeing short-term credentials, highlighting existing challenges and gaps in state policies.

The report identifies several different policy levers, such as state financial aid and quality standards, and describes why these levers are critical to quality in short-term postsecondary credentials. The publication also shares state initiatives and resources that states can draw upon to improve their work. Recommendations are also made for future research, such as the impact of artificial intelligence or student definitions of success, and areas for state policy building like data collection and student education and career navigation.   

Community Colleges Advancing Economic Mobility: The Project on Workforce at Harvard University and the Education Design Lab released a report examining how community colleges are utilizing labor market information (LMI) and emerging technologies, such as generative AI, to improve the economic outcomes of underserved students. Researchers studied four minority-serving community colleges and identified promising practices at each institution. 

While each college has unique programs and areas of focus, several trends did emerge across the colleges, including the important role and limitations of LMI as well as the growing role of data dashboards and career coaching platforms. The findings also suggest that other tools like campus communications systems and case management software can help cash-strapped institutions streamline their work. 

Forging Partnerships to Align Education and Industry for the Workforce of Tomorrow: A report from the Business-Higher Education Forum discusses skill shortages and challenges identified by workforce and education leaders alongside the need for stronger partnerships between business and higher education. 

Sixty-two percent of employers reported that their industry faces challenges when seeking out the talent with skills needed for today’s workplace. Employers also reported significant disconnects in three general areas of skills: 

• Durable Skills: Sixty-two percent of employers report difficulty with finding entry-level candidates proficient in durable skills like teamwork and communication. 
• Business Skills: Sixty-five percent of employers struggle finding candidates with digital literacy and data proficiency skills. 
• Technical Skills: Sixty-six percent of employers struggle with finding technical skills talent for current and growing roles. 

The report ends with recommendations for overcoming challenges in forming and maintaining partnerships between businesses and higher education institutions. They include establishing a consensus on skills definitions, improving methods of assessing skills and being transparent on goals. 

How Credit for Prior Learning Can Help Older Adults and Veterans: A report by the Council for Adult and Experimental Learning (CAEL) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) explains why postsecondary institutions should take more action in developing CPL policies for older adults and veterans. Older adults often need to upskill for job security and growth, and with the U.S. military providing significant educational and work opportunities, it is important that postsecondary institutions consider how adults and veterans can translate their experiences for credit. 

Researchers analyzed data from more than 230,000 adult learners at 72 postsecondary institutions and found that 43% of service members (active military and veterans) utilized CPL policies to some degree, compared to 3% for civilians. Adult learners who engaged in CPL completed their degrees faster and had higher retention and completion rates compared to adults that did not. CPL also saved students a significant amount of money and time: $1,500 to $10,200, depending on the sector, and 9-14 months of time for students who earned 12 or more CPL credits. These findings support previous research by CAEL, which found that service members with CPL credits had higher completion rates than veterans without CPL credits. 

On February 25, ACTE partnered with Crossland High School to host the annual 2025 CTE Month School Visit. Crossland is the CTE Hub in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and is home to 19 CTE programs ranging from Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology to Arts, Media and Communication.  

The visit included welcoming remarks from Superintendent Millard House II, Crossland Principal Michael Gilchrist and ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Curry. It was attended by Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Board Members, local and national CTE advocacy groups and other stakeholders. Following these remarks, student ambassadors guided guests through in-depth tours to see the various CTE classrooms and programs that Crossland has to offer. 

Attendees were escorted to classrooms that showcased programs in IT and engineering , carpentry, automotive, nursing, electrical, culinary arts and more. Teachers welcomed guests into their classrooms to hear about what the students are working on at this point in the academic year, as well as long-term projects such as house construction and electrical work, restoring vehicles and building their own computers. Crossland students and faculty demonstrated the value of hands-on education and spoke with visitors about the valuable opportunities available to their students, including apprenticeships, internships and industry certifications.

Following these tours, guests reconvened to observe a student panel featuring seniors at Crossland in various career pathways. Students discussed how they chose their pathways and the goals they hoped to achieve after Crossland, some looking to pursue four-year colleges and others working to start their own businesses to give back to their community and families.  

Students were also able to voice their needs and expectations for the future of their programs. Access to materials for English learners, increased awareness for their programs and extensions of programs to help students learn not only what is required of them to work in their field, but what is necessary to help them thrive were among these requests. This insightful panel was followed by a networking reception, catered by the students in Crossland’s culinary program. 

ACTE is grateful for the commitment and collaboration with Crossland High School in hosting this thoughtful event in celebration of CTE Month. Specifically, ACTE extends heartfelt thanks to Crossland Principal Michael Gilchrist, CTE Assistant Principal Greer Bacchus, PGCPS CTE Director Pamela Smith, PGCPS CTE District Administrator Regina Spruill and PGCPS CTE Career Support Coordinator Karla Laney. ACTE also extends a warm thank-you to our generous sponsor for this event, the National Association of Homebuilders.