Just before adjourning for the year, Congress managed a huge victory for CTE teachers and other public sector workers. Early Saturday morning, by a vote of 76-20, the Senate passed the Social Security Fairness Act, H.R. 82. The House had passed the bill in November, so this Senate action cleared the way for the bill to be sent to the President and signed into law!

The Senate had to move through a number of procedural steps and defeat several amendments before finally approving the bill. This action marked the culmination of decades of advocacy to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) within the Social Security program. These provisions unfairly reduced Social Security benefits, including spousal benefits, for those who worked in private sector jobs and paid into Social Security, but also worked in a public sector job and earned a pension, depending on how the retirement system was structured in a state. They were particularly problematic for CTE teachers in about 15 states because many of our teachers work in the private sector before transitioning to teaching later in their careers. It made it even more difficult to recruit CTE teachers in these states because they faced losing their already earned Social Security benefits.

The bill that was passed completely eliminates these provisions, which should restore Social Security benefits for anyone who meets other eligibility criteria but had suffered a reduction or elimination of their monthly payment because of GPO or WEP. It is not yet clear how quickly the Social Security Administration will be able to adjust payments for current retirees, but the bill states that any payment after December 2023 should not be subject to GPO and WEP, so it appears some catchup payments will be needed in addition to monthly adjustments going forward.

We are relieved that retired CTE educators who were being penalized by these provisions will finally see relief, and that it will be just a little easier to recruit CTE educators moving forward!

12/19/24 NOTE: Since this blog was posted yesterday, the apparent deal on the CR has run into a number of issues, and it is unclear when or if it will move forward. Congressional leaders are now considering a number of different strategies to attempt to avoid a govenment shutdown on December 20, and we will share more as the situation unfolds.  

Yesterday, lawmakers revealed a new Continuing Resolution (CR) that would keep the government open until March 14. The current CR is set to expire on December 20. 

The CR includes several other policy priorities of lawmakers, including a proposal which would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The leaders of the House Education and the Workforce have been publicly supportive of including the “A Stronger Workforce for America Act” (ASWA) in the stopgap funding measure. 

The WIOA reauthorization bill contains several provisions that would impact the CTE community: 

• Authorizes an approximately 3% increase in funding for Title I formula programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and maintains these levels of funding through FY 2030. 

• Eliminates requirements that local stakeholders, including mandated one-stop partners programs like postsecondary CTE programs, attempt to negotiate the sharing of the physical infrastructure costs of local one-stop centers. Instead, the bill directs states to make use of the law’s existing “state funding mechanism” and slightly increases the contribution amounts from within WIOA to help cover these expenses. 

• Renames out-of-school youth “Opportunity Youth” and adds new underlying youth populations that would be eligible under this definition. ASWA also slightly modifies the law’s prescribed split of Title I Youth funding to 70% for this population and 30% for in-school youth activities, allowing more flexibility to serve youth who might be enrolled in CTE programs. 

• Establishes the Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant, a new $65 million mandatory-funded youth apprenticeship competitive grant program. These funds could be used to develop, expand, or improve youth apprenticeship programs, and it includes language seeking to align these efforts with programs funded by Perkins V. 

• Maintains the existing governance structures of WIOA while slightly increasing the required organized labor representation of local workforce boards. 

• Codifies the “Strengthening Community Colleges Workforce Development Grants Program,” which is intended to support community colleges workforce development programs. 

• Includes a requirement that at least 50% of Adult and Dislocated Worker Title I funding be used for training activities. However, the legislation would allow up to 10% of this requirement to be fulfilled through the provision of supportive or individualized career services. 

The CR will head to the House floor where many expect lawmakers to vote on the measure tomorrow. Then it will head to the Senate where it is expected to be taken up quickly. 

As new details emerge, ACTE will keep you updated on all the latest activity, and we will be providing much more information on the new WIOA provisions if they are enacted. If you have any questions about any aspect of the bill, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org). 

This week, the House and Senate continued to work on wrapping up legislative projects, including the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and negotiating on FY 2025 funding. Meanwhile, new committee chairs and other roles are being announced; we will share more on those soon! Several new grant opportunities have also been announced across the Departments of Labor and Transportation. Keep reading for more details.  

• Rep. Tim Walberg Announced as Next Chair of House Education and Workforce Committee: The next chair of the House of Representatives’ Education and Workforce Committee will be Rep. Tim Walberg, currently representing Michigan’s 5th district. ACTE will provide updates on his interests and work! Chairwoman Virginia Foxx’s tenure will conclude at the end of this Congressional session.  

• Senate Majority Leader Schumer Commits to Senate Vote on Social Security Fairness Act: At a labor rally held in Washington, D.C. this week, Majority Leader Schumer committed to a floor vote on the Social Security Fairness Act, which would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset  provisions that result in teachers and other public services workers in many states losing Social Security benefits. He also then filed “cloture” on the bill, setting up a potential vote in the Senate next week. It is important to continue contacting Senators on this issue, especially if you live in a state that is impacted! 

• Department of Labor Awards Grants to Support Training, Job Services: The Department of Labor announced $99.3 million in grants to 71 organizations in 31 states to provide training and employment services in an effort to expand Registered Apprenticeships and prepare young workers with industry skills for quality jobs.  

• FAFSA Deadline Act Signed into Law: Earlier this week, President Biden signed into law the FAFSA Deadline Act, requiring that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) be published by October 1 every year, rather than the previous deadline of January 1. This happened just as the Department of Education celebrated over 1.5 million 2025-26 FAFSA completions. 

• Employment and Training Administration Announced National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) Youth Grants: The Employment and Training Administration announced grant funds for eligible recipients to design customer-centered services and incorporate youth voice engagement. Eligible NFJP Career Services and Training grantees may apply by January 5. 

• Department of Transportation Launches Garret A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Education Program: The Department of Transportation announced this initiative to inspire K-12 students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Local education agencies, nonprofits, higher ed institutions, state or local government entities and transportation-related organizations can apply for grants up to $300,000 by January 10. 

• Funding Opportunity with Work-Based Learning Programs: Jobs for the Future announced a new funding opportunity to support community and technical colleges in scaling programs to connect learners to paid work-based learning experiences. Community and technical colleges committed to this effort can apply by January 17. 

This week, ACTE held our annual CareerTech VISION event. Back in DC, Congress returned to attempt to finish a number of bills before the end of the year. The Administration is also busy — the Department of Education worked on a new STEM Strategic Plan, announced several new resources and discussed mental health and CTE. President-elect Trump also announced his intended nominee for Secretary of Labor just before Thanksgiving. Keep reading for more!

• Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-5) Likely Nominee for Secretary of Labor: Rep. Chavez-DeRemer has been announced as the nominee for Labor Secretary under the incoming Trump Administration. Rep. Chavez-DeRemer has bipartisan experience and has worked with organized labor groups before. ACTE will share more info on this pick soon!
• Congress Considers WIOA Reauthorization: Just before Thanksgiving, Congress released a draft of bipartisan, bicameral legislation to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). It is unclear if the bill will have enough support to move forward in the limited time left in this legislative session, but we will be monitoring and will provide more details on the bill soon.  
• Department of Labor Withdraws Apprenticeship Rules: The Department recently formally withdrew the new draft apprenticeship regulations that were proposed earlier this year. There had been numerous concerns about many aspects of the proposed rules, and the withdrawal means existing regulations will continue to govern the program.   
• Department of Education Releases Resources Related to Teacher Pipeline: The Department released two new pieces of non-regulatory guidance, one focused on how funds can be used under Title II of ESEA, the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, and the other on teacher diversity. 

• Proposed Perkins State Plan/Data Changes Reissued for New Comment Period: The Department of Education has issued proposed Perkins changes for the second phase of comments – this time a 30-day comment period with comments directed to the Office of Management and Budget and due January 2. We will be reviewing any changes made since the first round of comments and providing more information soon.  

• Cardona Visit in Support of Mental Health and CTE Programs: Secretary Cardona toured local community schools and programs in Salt Lake City to discuss mental health and CTE programs. He also attended roundtables on mental health and community college students.  

• National Science Foundation Announces $30 million for Experimental Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies: The National Science Foundation announced, in partnership with Micron Technology, Inc., an updated $30 million funding opportunity under the Experimental Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program. The program works to equip individuals for careers in advancing technology fields.  

• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Now Accepting Proposals for Data Conference: The Department of Education’s NCES is accepting proposals for their NCES Data Users Conference to bring together data users, members of the research community and policymakers, who are invited to submit proposals with new insights and opportunities for collaboration across the education sector. 

• White House Publishes Strategic Plan for Advancing STEM Education and Cultivating STEM Talent: The National Science and Technology Council shared the Federal Strategic Plan for Advancing STEM Education and Cultivating STEM Talent. The plan is composed of three principles: access and opportunity, partnerships and ecosystem development, and transparency and accountability. 

• Federal Student Aid Webinar: Federal Student Aid will host a free virtual event next week to help students with access to the FAFSA form and their Studentaid.gov accounts. 

On January 3, 2025, the 119th Congress is scheduled to convene for the first time. However, there is plenty of work to do before then! While the current Congress wraps up the “lame-duck” session, newly elected Members will soon begin the process of hiring staff, opening offices and developing their legislative philosophies and agendas. With numerous potential threats to education and workforce development programs and funding on the horizon, this is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that CTE is a priority for your new representatives and senators-elect. 

Outreach to newly elected Members will help you to build relationships and shape their legislative goals. It is still important to maintain existing relationships on Capitol Hill as well – now is a great time to renew relationships with existing Members of Congress and remind them to support CTE! 

Here are some actions you can take to prepare for the 119th Congress: 

• Visit member-elect campaign websites and review their information and views on education and workforce development. 

• If contact information is available, congratulate the member-elect on their election victory and offer to serve as a resource to them on education and workforce development issues going forward. If they don’t have a public or staff email, reach out over social media! 

• If Members-elect are attending community events or meetings, attend to introduce yourself and inquire about their understanding and support of CTE in your state or district. 

• Reach out to your returning representatives to congratulate them on re-election, reiterate your desire to serve as a resource to them and express your hope that they will continue to take actions in support of CTE, such as increasing Perkins funding, expanding Pell Grants to short-term training programs and supporting the educator workforce. 

As we approach the 119th Congress’s First Session, ACTE will share more information and to help you build relationships with your new policymakers. You can also use the resources in ACTE’s advocacy toolkit to help prepare for the transition! If you have any questions, please reach out to Hannah Richards, ACTE’s Media and Advocacy Coordinator, at hrichards@acteonline.org.  

This was a busy week in Washington as Congress works to complete necessary activities before the end of the year. The Department of Education released the long-awaited Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Department of Labor celebrated National Apprenticeship Week. They also announced several new resources and funding opportunities for workforce development. Meanwhile, President-Elect Trump nominated Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education. Keep reading for more! 

• President-Elect Trump Nominates Linda McMahon for Education Secretary: President-Elect Donald Trump picked Linda McMahon, a business and wrestling executive and former administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), to lead the Education Department. Most recently, McMahon served as co-chair of Trump’s transition team.   

• Introducing the New Senators-Elect: In January, twelve new senators-elect are expected to take office and join the 119th Congress. Though some have yet to announce their positions and plans regarding education and workforce development, many have outlined priorities and interests in CTE they intend to pursue. Many have also served in federal, state and local government offices, providing us insights into what they might seek to accomplish as senators. 

• FAFSA Update: The Department of Education announced that the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form is now available to the public, two weeks ahead of the Department’s goal of December 1. The House and Senate also passed the FAFSA Deadline Act, which would mandate that the form be made available by October 1 in future years, rather than the Department’s current deadline of January 1. 

• Department of Energy Launches $1.9 Million Offshore Wind Workforce Readiness Program: The Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) announced a $1.9 million funding opportunity to strengthen offshore wind workforce readiness. Applications are due by December 13, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. ET. 

• National Apprenticeship Week: The Department of Labor celebrated its 10th Annual National Apprenticeship Week. To commemorate the occasion, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) addressed the House Floor to call for stronger workforce development programs. For more National Apprenticeship Week resources, check out ACTE on social media! 

• Updated Resource – Aligning the Workforce System and Economic Growth in Best Practices from State WIOA Planning: The Department of Labor updated a publication to highlight states that have been using their WIOA State Plan as a strategic document to improve their systems and services. 

Leveraging Learner Voice in CTE: Empowering Learners, Enhancing CTE: A recent publication from Advance CTE highlights how five states – Colorado, Delaware, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wisconsin – engage learners to foster successful education and career pathway programs. For instance, Colorado has embedded their perspectives onto local advisory committees and engaged with recent CTE graduates to
promote program development as part of expanding equitable college and career pathways and sustainable work-based learning partnerships. Other states employ similar tactics when relying on learner voice: Delaware has organized a task force of 16 learners to provide input on CTE programs, New Hampshire has incorporated learners into state CTE Advisory Board meetings, and Oregon established the CTE Student Advisory Council, which serves to provide input into CTE decision-making.  

This work builds off of a toolkit that ACTE and Advance CTE developed for state and local CTE leaders with actionable resources, guidance and tools to ensure CTE learner voices are elevated and heard for the improvement of CTE policies and practices. 

School Pulse Panel: Summer and Afterschool Programs: A recent update to the NCES School Pulse Panel provides data about summer and afterschool program for public schools across the nation. As of September 2024, 80% of public schools offer academically focused summer programs, but only 4% of public schools offer a work-based learning summer program and only 3% of public schools offer a summer internship program.  

Is College Worth It?: The Pell Institute published a report examining the perceived value of higher education among minority students, particularly in a time where education debt and other financial burdens are at an all-time high for students and graduates. 

Researchers found that while the financial strain of higher education significantly impacts students, students still believe that attaining a college degree, including associate and bachelor’s degrees, will be worthwhile. Particularly, the majority of students note that they are pursuing a degree to secure a good-paying job (66% strongly agreed, 26% agreed) and to learn skills that will help them succeed in their careers (60% strongly agreed, 33% agreed). Other factors in the perceived importance of attending college include the following: 

• Marginalized students strive for college education as part of acknowledging the sacrifices made by their families (especially for immigrant families). 

• Students want to build upon their social capital by networking in college settings with faculty, researchers, employers and other notable individuals in order to accelerate their careers. 

• Students view their college education as making a broader societal impact, wanting to use their degrees to advance change and equity in society. 

Making Every Rung of the Credential Ladder Count: Understanding How Community College Certificates Can Meet Learner Expectations for Economic Mobility: Education Equity Solutions released a report regarding community college certificates. Research on these certificates suggests wide variation in their effectiveness at propelling students into economic prosperity, especially when examining data by race, income, ethnicity, disability status and other markers. The authors found the following issues to be addressed by community college leaders and policymakers: 

• There is significant misalignment between student and college goals in certificate programs. Community college educators often view their credential programs as a “first step” in a longer pathway incorporating stackable credentials, but students expect these programs to lead them to a secure career immediately after completion. 

• Even if a student’s first certificate is stackable, they often are unable to return to college as their jobs do not pay them enough and they have long working hours. Many students also do not believe that earning another credential would help them. 

• Graduates appreciate when credential programs are designed to target specific, high-quality jobs.