A meta-analysis from the CTE Research Network 2.0 found that work-based learning (WBL) programs lead to positive outcomes for students. However, few WBL programs are structured to support causal research. 

Through a comprehensive literature scan, the researchers identified more than 7,000 potentially relevant reports. However, only 21 quantitative studies met the study criteria of aligning with the Perkins V definition for WBL, reporting adequate data and comparing a treatment group (WBL participants) to a control group (non-participants).  

The researchers examined the following set of student outcomes for these 21 studies:  

The analysis found that WBL programs yield positive and statistically significant benefits for secondary and postsecondary students. These impacts were clearest for internships, which were the most common delivery method among the studies analyzed:  

• Internships (9 studies) 

• Occupational simulations (4) 

• Research projects (3) 

• Service learning (2) 

• Apprenticeships (2) 

• Medical practicums (1) 

Furthermore, both employer-driven (e.g., internships) and educator-driven approaches (e.g., simulations, research projects) lead to positive and statistically significant benefits when they include student interaction with employers and hands-on, career-related tasks. 

When examining each type of outcome, only academic achievement and socioemotional health were found to be both positive and statistically significant. The remaining outcomes demonstrated positive but not statistically significant effects. 

In addition, the evidence was limited in several other areas, including impacts for adults, impacts of apprenticeship models, and WBL’s effects on longer-term employment and earnings outcomes. 

To help close gaps in the WBL research landscape, the researchers recommend that policymakers and CTE leaders support linked data systems, develop clear criteria for WBL programs, and fund educator-driven WBL when direct access to employers and workplace training is difficult. 

ACTE is a lead partner in the CTE Research Network 2.0, alongside the American Institutes for Research, Boston College and the Georgia Policy Labs. Readers with any questions may reach out to ACTE’s Research and Policy Coordinator Jesus Galvan (jgalvan@acteonline.org). 

As the Senate and House continue to be on recess, there is little activity on the Hill. There was significant activity from the Education Department (ED) this week though, including a proposed overhaul of the postsecondary accreditation system and guidance on educational technology. The nation’s second Workforce Pell Grant eligible program was also approved this week in Indiana. Read more policy update details below.  

• ED Proposes Overhaul of Accreditation System: On August 19, ED issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register including new proposed regulations that would significantly change the postsecondary accreditation system. The proposed changes, based on the recommendations from a negotiated rulemaking committee and an executive order from last year, would streamline the process for recognizing new accreditors and require colleges to prioritize free-speech rights and ensure faculty are intellectually diverse. Comments are due on September 21.   

• ED Approves Second Workforce Pell Grant Program: On August 19, ED approved the nation’s second Workforce Pell Grant program in Indiana. Eligible students at Ivy Tech Community College can now use federal Pell Grant dollars to enroll in its Clinical Medical Assistant program, an 8-week program that prepares students for careers in key healthcare professions.     

• ED Issues Guidance on Educational Technology: On August 20, ED issued a Dear Colleague Letter that outlines how states and school districts can leverage educational technology to support student outcomes and avoid treating all technology use the same. The guidance focuses on ensuring tools are responsibly designed and evaluated to show educational value; promoting collaboration between states, schools, communities and technology providers; and expanding learning opportunities for students through technology. 

• ED Issues Directive on Student Discipline Policies: On August 18, ED issued a Dear Colleague Letter that outlines how discipline policies must treat students regardless of race. The letter follows ED’s rulemaking that removed disparate impact provisions from their regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.    

• ED Will Use Own Systems to Send Most K-12 Funds: Reporting from Education Week indicates that ED will continue to use its own grant system to send states Title I and other ESSA formula grant funds despite IAAs transferring administration of those programs’ administration to the Department of Labor (DOL). ED also confirmed that competitive education grants transferred to other agencies will be awarded by those agencies. 

• SHEEO Launches National Coalition to Scale Work-Based Learning: The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) announced the launch of a 20-state coalition participating in Advancing State and Systems Strategies for Work-Based Learning, a national, multi-state initiative designed to help states build sustainable, scalable approaches to postsecondary work-based learning experiences and quality education-to-career coaching. 

• DOJ Says Some NSF STEM Programs Are Unconstitutional: The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently concluded that several STEM education programs from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that consider race or gender are unconstitutional. The NSF must reallocate funds for these programs, including one aimed at supporting Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs), to other STEM education initiatives. Other programs, such as the Advanced Technological Education program, can remain operational. 

• Gates Foundation Announces AI Learning Grants: The Gates Foundation recently announced the AI Transformation Learning Grants program, an initiative that will award funding to postsecondary institutions pursuing innovative uses of AI and technology. Examples of transformative uses include AI-enabled student support and advising systems, adaptive learning pathways, data modernization and workforce readiness. Applications are due September 11. 

• ED Indicates It Will Disperse Delayed Alaska Native Education Funds: Following a delay of over a month, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) indicated that ED has agreed to disperse Alaska Native Education program funds to grantees. ED did not provide a reason for the delay nor stated when funds will be dispersed. 

• ED Clarifies How Students Can Access Uncapped Loans: ED is reworking the way it determines whether existing students are eligible for uncapped loans. Last week, staffers at the Office of Federal Student Aid clarified how they are calculating “expected time to credential,”, a formula used to determine how long certain students can remain eligible for the Grad and Parent PLUS programs under new loan limits.  

• ED Recalculates Student Loan Forgiveness Counts: ED is reevaluating account histories for borrowers pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness in a way that, in some cases, reduces the number of qualifying payments and pushes those individuals further away from debt cancellation. A spokesperson for ED said they are correcting “coding errors” made by the Biden administration.  

• ED Approves Waivers for Three More States: On August 21, ED approved additional Ed-Flex waivers for Arizona, Nevada and South Carolina, marking 25 states total that are participating in the Ed-Flex program. The program allows states to waive certain federal requirements, including flexibility in how states spend specific federal funds.  

• Secretary McMahon Continues National Education Tour: Secretary McMahon continued visiting states this week as part of her “Returning Education to the States Tour.” At Winchester Public Schools in Virginia, McMahon highlighted the importance of CTE and workforce readiness, touring the district’s area technical center. 

CTE for English Language Learners: A report from the Annenberg Institute leverages longitudinal data from Massachusetts to examine the association between English language learner (ELL) status and CTE participation. Focusing on public high school students who were expected to graduate between 2007 and 2019, the researchers found that ELLs are five percentage points less likely to concentrate in CTE than similar non-ELLs but experience positive postsecondary outcomes when they do concentrate in CTE.  

In addition, ELLs who participate in CTE coursework earn 23% fewer CTE credits than non-ELLs, with the disparity narrowing for comprehensive high schools (12%) and disappearing for regional vocational technical schools (RVTSs). Examining CTE concentration by Cluster, ELLs are less likely to concentrate in Clusters associated with high-wage careers, such as Construction and Engineering & Manufacturing. The researchers suggest that the difference may stem from the CTE program areas ELL students have access to compared to non-ELLs.  

For postsecondary outcomes, ELLs who concentrate in CTE are nine percentage points more likely to enroll in a two-year college and 10 percentage points more likely to enroll in a four-year college than ELLs who did not concentrate in CTE. Also, ELLs who concentrate in CTE earn more after high school, on average, than ELLs who did not concentrate in CTE. 

High School Industry Certifications: A study by Elizabeth J. Glennie, Ben Dalton, Roger Studley and Erich Lauff in Career and Technical Education Research examines whether earning an industry certification in high school is associated with higher rates of postsecondary enrollment and attainment. The researchers utilized data from Florida, focusing on students who entered high school in the 2012 and 2013 school years and tracking them four years after graduation.  

Analysis of the data revealed that earning an industry certification in high school is positively associated with two-year and four-year college enrollment. Looking at degree attainment, earning a high school industry certification is positively associated with two-year degree attainment but not four-year degree attainment.  

When disaggregating industry certifications by Cluster (the research was conducted using the old Career Clusters Framework), the researchers found varied results; for instance, certifications in the Health Science Cluster are associated with two- and four-year college enrollment, but the Information Technology and Architecture & Construction Clusters are only associated with four-year college enrollment.  

Among learner groups, economically disadvantaged students who earned a certification are more likely to enroll in a two- or four-year college than other economically disadvantaged learners, and outcomes are similar for males and females.  

Community Colleges in an AI-driven Economy: The Project on Workforce at Harvard University and the Education Design Lab recently released a playbook that outlines the role of community colleges in an AI economy. Drawing on case studies and interviews with community college leaders, the researchers identify dynamic labor market alignment and institutional agility as key factors for meeting and quickly responding to shifting employer demand.  

The researchers also developed data and technology frameworks that community colleges can use to evaluate their student and labor market data systems and the technologies they use in the classroom.  

• The data framework focuses on labor market and student outcomes data and provides potential sources community colleges can leverage for each metric, from state UI wage records to the MIT Cost of Living Wage Calculator. 

• The technology framework identifies five areas community colleges can support with AI and emerging technologies, outlining potential strategies, challenges and promising models. For example, Sinclair Community College in Ohio recently launched the AI Excellence Institute, a three-year initiative that aims to integrate AI across teaching, learning and workforce preparation. Other areas the framework focuses on include work-based learning, career navigation and employer partnerships.  

Newly released data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows that the majority of high schools across the nation offer CTE, work-based learning and career preparation experiences to students.  

The data comes from the High School and Beyond Longitudinal Study of 2022, a nationally representative study that examines the academic, postsecondary and career opportunities for ninth grade students in the 2022-23 school year. Students, parents, counselors, teachers and administrators were surveyed for the study. ACTE analyzed the new data through DataLab and found the following CTE-related data points: 

• 89% of counselors reported that their school offers CTE, and 79% that their school offers career pathways, clusters or programs of study. 
  • 26% of counselors said that their school offers on-site CTE courses only, 14% off-site only and 50% on- and off-site. 
  • 87% of counselors said that their school allows students to earn dual credits in CTE courses. 

• Among administrators who reported that ninth graders in their school can enroll in CTE programs, the average ninth grade participation rate was 41%. 

• 69% of counselors said that their school provides students with community service and work-based learning experiences, most frequently community service (59%), cooperative education (56%) and job shadows (50%). Mentoring (29%), school-based enterprises (37%) and internships (44%) are less common. 

• Counselors reported that their school offers students numerous resources for career preparation, most frequently job fairs/career nights (90%) and career aptitude information (89%) and less frequently job seeking/interview training (58%) and connections with local employers (52%).  
  • Additionally, 62% of counselors stated that they often or very often assist students with career choices and planning, while only 27% said the same for job placement and employability skills.  

• 67% of counselors said that their school requires students to have an education or career plan.  

A follow-up data collection that was planned for spring 2026 was terminated following staffing cuts and contract cancellations at the NCES. Readers with any questions can reach out to ACTE’s Research and Policy Coordinator Jesus Galvan (jgalvan@acteonline.org) or analyze the data themselves on DataLab. 

With the Senate and House on August recess, it was a relatively quiet week in Washington. The Department of Education (ED) set final deadlines for colleges to submit overdue Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) data. Grants related to workforce development and technical training were also announced this week by several agencies, and a long-anticipated request for comment was published on the E-Rate program. Read more updates below.  

• FCC Publishes Potential Changes to E-Rate Program for Comment: On August 14, the Federal Communications Commission published a proposed rule related to potentially narrowing or even terminating the program, which could have a significant impact on educational institutions. Comments are due October 13.  

• ED Gives Final Notice for Overdue Data: On August 11, ED gave a notice stating that more than 1,900 institutions have not reported or have underreported their Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) data for the 2024 and 2025 reporting cycles. This information was due on Sept. 30, 2025, and Oct. 1, 2025. ED noted that these institutions have until Friday, Jan. 15, 2027, to submit any unreported or under-reported FVT/GE data.  

• ANA Announces Grant Program for Native American Training: The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) announced the availability of grant funds to support Native American economic growth and employability initiatives. One of the program’s priorities is funding centers that train individuals to pursue skilled trades careers in welding, construction, plumbing and other related fields. Applications are due on August 27.  

• Trump Administration Announces Funding for Mining Education: On August 7, the Trump Administration announced that it was investing over $180 million to boost mining education and workforce development efforts. The funds will support programs that train students to pursue mining industries and careers such as metallurgists, geologists, mining engineers and other related fields. 

• IES Plans to Spend Unobligated FY 2025 Funds: According to a lawsuit filed by higher education advocates in June, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) still had $316 million in unobligated funds left from a total of $768 million originally allocated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, which ED had until September 30, 2026, to spend. IES Acting Director Matthew Soldner said they will spend all the remaining money promptly, according to court records released last week. Education groups remain concerned over this spending and are seeking clarity on where the funding is going in the latest court filing.  

• Unions Sue ED Over Professional Degree Designations: On Aug 11, a coalition of unions sued over ED’s new professional degree rules that removed graduate education programs from the definition of a professional degree, lowering the amount of federal loans students in those programs can borrow. The lawsuit follows another one from nursing groups who sued after nursing was originally excluded from the definition.  

• CISA Issues K-12 Cybersecurity Guidance: On August 12, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a free collection of K-12 cybersecurity resources to help school and district leaders mitigate and respond to their unique cyber risks.    

This week is the Senate’s last week in session until September 14, so there was a flurry of activity as they attempted to wrap up work before the August recess. The biggest action relevant to education funding was on a continuing resolution (CR) to extend current funding levels beyond the end of the fiscal year and avoid a government shutdown in October. A number of nominations were also approved, but the budget reconciliation bill providing additional defense spending and farm aid did not move forward, setting up a very busy fall. Read more below: 

• Senate Passes CR: Early on August 8, the Senate overwhelmingly approved a CR that would prevent the government from shutting down after Sept. 30 when the fiscal year ends. The CR would keep 2026 funding levels for most programs through December 11, 2026. It also delayed the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed changes to federal grant rules until that date. However, the Senate CR differs significantly from the previously passed House CR, so the two chambers will need to come to agreement on the text after the recess.  

• ED Launches “Careers in Your Community” Challenge: On August 4, ED launched the “Careers in Your Community” Challenge, the fourth competition in the CTE Momentum series. The challenge invites teams of high school students to develop and submit proposals that improve career exploration at their schools. Proposals are due November 19, 2026. Read more details about the challenge on our blog.    

• ED Approves First Workforce Pell Program: On August 4, ED approved the country’s first Workforce Pell Grant program at Iowa Central Community College. This allows qualifying students in its emergency medical technician program to receive federal dollars for their education. 

• IES Opens Multiple Grant Programs: On August 6, the Institute of Education Sciences released funding announcements for multiple research grant programs, including for the Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences and Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking programs. The deadline for each of these programs is October 1, and interested readers can learn more about the programs here. 

• Groups Announce Grant Program on Innovative Postsecondary Models: On July 31, a group of education organizations announced a grant program that will support groups developing and promoting innovative postsecondary education models, with a focus on career-alignment and preparing students to attain credentials and enter the workforce. The deadline for groups to submit proposals is September 14. 

• Kids Online Safety Act Advances to Senate Floor: On August 5, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a markup of several bills, including the Kids Online Safety Act, introduced by Sens. Blackburn (R-TN) and Blumenthal (D-CT). This bill would require online platforms, including social media, to implement tools and safeguards for users younger than 17. It was approved by the committee and now moves to the Senate floor for a vote.  

• Secretary McMahon Sends Directive to University Presidents, Governing Boards: On August 3, Secretary McMahon issued a letter to university presidents and governing boards with a series of questions, urging them to post public answers. While the letter does not mention ties to funding decisions, the questions do reflect many of the Administration’s priorities.  

• Federal Statistical Agencies Strained Amid Staffing Cuts: All 13 federal statistical agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau and ED’s National Center for Education Statistics, have been faced with deep staffing cuts in the last year. This raises concerns about their ability to produce relevant, timely and accurate statistics for decisionmakers and the public.  

• Nearly Half a Million Borrowers to Have Loans Erased: Reporting this week indicates that about half a million federal student loan borrowers are expected to have their loans erased after the conclusion of a lawsuit that has spanned three presidential Administrations.  

• Secretary McMahon Visits Kansas and Pennsylvania on National Tour: On August 5, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Manhattan High School in Kansas and participated in a roundtable discussion with teachers and administrators focused on CTE and workforce readiness. McMahon also visited Villanova University in Pennsylvania and spoke with university leadership on workforce readiness.  

On August 4, the Department of Education (ED) launched the “Careers in Your Community” Challenge, the fourth competition in the CTE Momentum series. The challenge invites teams of high school students to develop and submit proposals that improve career exploration at their schools. Examples of projects may include improving student awareness of local employers and careers; strengthening connections between students, employers, workforce groups and postsecondary institutions; and helping students understand the education, training and skills that different careers may require.   

Submissions will be judged based upon their impact, feasibility, community connection, student engagement and the career pathway knowledge students demonstrate. Teams must be led by a CTE teacher, coordinator or director and submit their proposal by Thursday, November 19, at 6PM ET.  Up to 10 teams may win and receive an equal share of the $50,000 prize pool. Interested readers can learn more about the challenge here and access a suite of resources to support their projects.