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.  

ACTE and Advance CTE have released the 12th annual State Policies Impacting CTE: 2024 Year in Review report, compiling CTE policy trends at the state level to highlight advancements in the field.

Of the 46 states in session in 2024, 40 states enacted 152 policies affecting CTE and career readiness, including legislation, executive orders and budget provisions. Thirty-seven more policies were enacted in 2024 compared to the prior year. 

In addition to the report, which addresses trends and highlights across state policy, the companion State Policy Tracker is also updated and available to view. The tracker includes legislative, budget and executive actions connected to CTE since 2013! 

Policymakers, as well as state and local leaders connected to CTE, can see policy trends over time and explore past and present CTE policies that could be replicated to support learners and their communities. This resource empowers leaders to build on current innovations, advocate for effective policies and drive positive change in CTE. 

Make sure to also register for the upcoming Year in Review webinar! The webinar on February 27 from 3-4 p.m. ET will provide an overview of the Year in Review report. In addition, we are excited to dive deeper into CTE policy in Indiana, with Anthony Harl, Indiana’s State CTE Director, and Kandy Smitha, Indiana ACTE’s Executive Director. 

Over the last two weeks there has been a significant amount of federal policy activity. The Senate continued its confirmation process for President Trump’s cabinet nominations, including nominees for Education and Labor Secretaries, and both chambers began their work on the budget reconciliation process. Meanwhile, the Department of Education continued to implement policy changes, including updates to Perkins reporting requirements, Title IX guidelines and COVID-19 funding. The Department has also announced cancellations of several grant programs, including teacher training grants and research contracts. Keep reading for more details. 

• Department of Education Announces Plans to Reinstate Existing Perkins Requirements: On February 10, the Department of Education announced that it would be reversing a series of proposed changes to the Perkins State Plan Guide and Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) tool that states use to submit Perkins performance data to them. Read more on the blog! 

• Department of Education Announces Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Career and Technical Education: The Department of Education announced several new sub-cabinet nominations. Kevin O’Farrell was nominated for Assistant Secretary for Career and Technical Education. O’Farrell is currently the Chancellor for the Division of Career and Adult Education in Florida’s Department of Education and is the state director for CTE there. Read ACTE’s statement. 

• Trump Administration Cancels Nearly $900M in IES Contracts: The Trump Administration canceled nearly $900 million in contracts within the Institute of Education Sciences, impacting funding to a wide variety of research projects, including many focused on CTE.  

• Department of Education Cancels Grant Programs: The Department of Education Announces funding cuts and cancellations for several programs, including grants awarded under the Comprehensive Centers Program, grants to train teachers and education agencies and grants to several Regional Educational Laboratories and Equity Assistance Centers. 

• Department of Education Announces Guidance Updates for COVID-19 Funding: The Department of Education announced changes to how remaining COVID-19 relief can be claimed. States will now have to spend the money and submit their receipts for reimbursement.  

• Committee for Education Funding (CEF) Letter to Congress: CEF sent a letter to Congress objecting to the Administration’s actions to withhold funding. The letter, sent on behalf of their members including ACTE, urges Congress to insist that the Administration implement Congress’s laws requiring investments in education.  

• House and Senate Move Forward with Budget Reconciliation: Both the House and Senate have made progress on their respective budget resolutions, which outline the spending and revenue changes that they hope to achieve through the budget reconciliation process. Read more on the blog.  

• Senate Committee Considers Nominee for Education Secretary: Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on Feb. 13. On Feb. 20, the committee voted to advance her nomination to the Senate floor for a full vote to confirm her nomination. For more information on her policy platform, check out the blog! 

• Senate Hearing with Nominee for Labor Secretary: Lori Chavez-DeRemer testified before the Senate HELP Committee on Feb. 19, following her nomination to Secretary of Labor. Chavez-DeRemer previously served in the House of Representatives. On Thursday, Feb. 27, the committee will hold a vote to consider her nomination. If Chavez-DeRemer advances through the committee, there will be a full Senate vote to confirm her nomination. 

• House Appropriators Hold Hearing on Career Readiness: On Feb. 12, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing that focused on the role of community colleges in workforce development. The hearing underscored the significance of community colleges in equipping individuals with skills that drive economic mobility. Read more on the blog! 

• House Education and Workforce Committee Announces Hearing on America’s Workforce and Economy: The House Education and Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on February 26, “Unleashing America’s Workforce and Strengthening our Economy.” ACTE will share any relevant updates from the hearing! 

• Senate HELP Committee Leadership Announces Subcommittee Assignments: The Senate HELP Committee announced the member subcommittee assignments for the 119th Congress. Subcommittees include Education and the American Family,  Employment and Workplace Safety, and Primary Health and Retirement Security.  
• Department of Education Issues OCR Guidance: On Feb. 14, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Dear Colleague letter to states and postsecondary institutions related to the use of race and ethnicity in educational activities. The letter takes a wide view of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (SFFA), suggesting it will be used as a framework to evaluate other education activities and potentially withhold funding.  

In a series of votes that started on Thursday and concluded early this morning, the Senate adopted a budget resolution that will serve as its blueprint for “budget reconciliation” legislation. Budget reconciliation is a complex special process that allows the majority party to consider legislation that only needs a simple majority to pass in the Senate, rather than the normal 60-vote threshold (eliminating the need for bipartisan compromise). A reconciliation bill can change mandatory spending, revenues, deficits or the debt limit, in line with the instructions provided in the budget resolution but is very limited related to other policy changes.

Senators voted 52-48, mostly along party lines, to advance their targeted measure. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the lone Republican to vote against the resolution. The marathon voting session, known as a “vote-a-rama” lasted about 10 hours, as Senate Democrats offered several amendments in an attempt to amend the resolution.

The resolution helps pave the way for Republicans to pass roughly $340 billion in funding through budget reconciliation, with an emphasis on carrying out President Trump’s border plan. “What we’re doing today is jumpstarting a process that will allow the Republican Party to meet President Trump’s immigration agenda,” said Senate Budget Committee chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

House Republicans will also need to pass their own budget resolution, and leaders in both chambers will need to come together to officially start the reconciliation process. House Majority Leader Steve Scalice (R-LA) and House Majority Whip Tim Emmer (R-MN) said that they intend to bring their own budget resolution to the floor next week. However, since the House is currently pursuing a different strategy than the Senate, it is unclear how the process will move forward. Ultimately,

both the House and Senate will need to pass the same resolution before Republicans can begin constructing a budget reconciliation package.

As this process continues to unfold, ACTE will keep you updated on the latest developments and its potential implications for CTE. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org).

The House CTE Caucus’s CTE Month Resolution is still open for sign ons! CTE Caucus co-chairs, Reps. Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), have introduced the resolution in the House. The resolution has also been introduced in the Senate and was passed last week. Due to different process rules in the House and the Senate, the House resolution is still open to co-sponsors! 

CLICK HERE to ask your Representatives to cosponsor this year’s CTE Month resolution. 

This resolution recognizes February 2025 as CTE Month. CTE Month is a critical time in raising awareness of the role that CTE plays in connecting learners to high-wage, in-demand career opportunities that are vital to building a 21st-century workforce and strengthening the American economy.  

Strong support for the CTE Month Resolution will help to ensure that CTE is a priority for the 119th Congress. Using ACTE’s Action Center, you can identify your Representative and send a message to their office to ask them to co-sponsor the Resolution. If you have direct contacts in your Member’s offices, we urge you to call or email them directly.  

House members have the entire month of February to cosponsor the Resolution. Representatives can sign on as a cosponsor of the House CTE Month Resolution by contacting: 

• Brian Arata (brian.arata@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Thompson’s office 

• Allie Pearce (allie.pearce@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Bonamici’s office