This week, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing entitled, “Registered Apprenticeship: Scaling the Workforce for the Future.” The witnesses included:

• Josh Laney – Competency-Based Education Network
• Latitia McCane – The Apprentice School, Newport News Shipbuilding
• Gardner Carrick – The Manufacturing Institute
• John Downey – International Union of Operating Engineering
• Brent Booker – Laborers’ International Union of North America

The hearing addressed ways to lessen red tape to encourage more companies to use apprenticeships, reach into high schools to grow interest in the trades and ensure apprenticeship programs are flexible to adjust to workforce changes.

One of the solutions offered by Josh Laney was to shift the oversight of apprenticeships to state agencies, which he said are better suited to meet the needs of local programs. He also suggested that lawmakers create a formula funding model for state agencies, similar to Perkins.

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) asked how programs like Perkins could support apprenticeships. Many of the panelists said funding can help develop pre-apprenticeships in high schools and purchase equipment that both community colleges and high schools can use.

A recording of the hearing can be found here.

Advance CTE recently hosted a webinar sharing the results of a three-year study examining adult perceptions of CTE. The study surveyed over 1,000 adults in the United States from 2023-25 and found that while awareness of CTE is limited, support has been growing over the past few years and adults who are aware of CTE strongly support it. More specific findings include the following: 

• The percentage of adults aware of CTE jumped 10 percentage points from 2023 (35%) to 2025 (45%). 

• • Groups varied in their awareness of CTE, with the greatest awareness among Black/African American respondents (61%), Gen Z (58%) and parents (56%). 

• Favorability of CTE rose nine percentage points from 2023 (75%) to 2025 (84%). 

• Vocational education, career centers and career pathways are the CTE-related terms of which adults are most aware. 

• There is strong bipartisan support for CTE funding. 

• • Total support for additional CTE funding increased eight percentage points from 2023 (71%) to 2025 (79%). 

• • Eighty-four percent of adults agree that investing in CTE has a positive outcome on public education, and 87% agree that our country needs more CTE to prepare students for careers. Similarly, 85% agree that CTE will help fill the demand for highly skilled workers. 

• In 2025, 46% of parents indicated that they are either very or extremely interested in a CTE program for their child, up from 40% in 2023. 

• Misconceptions on who CTE is for persist: adults are more likely to say that students who want a job immediately after high school (65%) and trade school students (53%) should participate in CTE compared to college-bound students (17%) and high-achieving students (15%). 

• Gen Z adults have a higher level of CTE awareness compared to the national average but have lower favorability views of CTE. They are also more likely to say that college students should participate in CTE. 

Advance CTE also conducted messaging research and asked survey respondents to select phrases that are the most motivating reasons to participate in CTE. The top three phrases selected by respondents are: 

• “Gain skills and experience that lead to financial security and independence” 

•  “Get hands-on learning in the classroom and workplace” 

• “Build skills and connections for your career and for continuing your education” 

Practitioners interested in CTE awareness and communication resources can view Advance CTE’s slate of resources here. ACTE also has several related resources, including this guide on engaging families. 

Now in its fifth week, the government shutdown continues, and the House remains out of session. Several new programs will be affected by the shutdown on Nov.1, increasing the pressure on policymakers to come to an agreement. Health care premiums under the Affordable Care Act are expected to rise significantly over the weekend as well. Congress remains at a stalemate over funding bills, although there has been an increase in bipartisan conversations among Senators, which could be a sign of progress. Read more updates below. 

• Funding for Various Federal Programs Set to Run Out: As Nov. 1 approaches and the government shutdown continues, funding for several federal programs is set to run out. Head Start programs across the country are set to run out of funding and close. SNAP benefits for millions of Americans were also set to expire, but two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must use contingency funds to continue SNAP payments. Most federal K-12 programs, including Perkins, are forward-funded and not significantly implicated by the shutdown at this time, although the lack of federal support and technical assistance is starting to be felt more significantly. 

• ED Announces Final Rule on PSLF: On Oct. 30, the Department of Education (ED) released its final rule on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The PSLF program provides student loan forgiveness to individuals who make enough qualifying monthly payments and work for specific eligible employers, such as public schools. The final rule, which was initiated from an Executive Order signed by President Trump earlier this year, amends the criteria for qualifying employers to exclude ones who engage in “unlawful activities,” such as supporting undocumented immigrants. A notice of the new rule was posted in the Federal Register, and ED also released a fact sheet on the rule. Several organizations have already indicated that they plan to file a lawsuit against the rule. 

• Federal Judge Blocks Layoffs of ED Workers During Shutdown: On Oct. 28, a federal judge ruled that ED workers laid off by the Trump Administration during the government shutdown can keep their jobs as litigation continues. The reductions in force earlier this month had left the special education, civil rights and other offices at ED decimated. 

• Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Release Mental Health Funds: On Oct. 27, a federal judge ruled that ED must release millions of dollars in federal grants meant to address mental health worker shortages in schools across the country. The grants were originally established following the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, but the Trump Administration had halted the distribution of the funds to grant recipients earlier this year, opposing several diversity aspects of the grants. 

• Democratic AGs Announce Lawsuit Against ED on TRIO Programs: This week, Democratic Attorney Generals from 21 states and Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against ED for delaying and terminating grants to TRIO programs over diversity-related concerns earlier this year. The Council for Opportunity in Education, a national organization that advocates for TRIO programs, filed its own lawsuit on Sept. 30. 

• Universities Continue to Contemplate Funding Compact: This week, universities across the country continue to consider the Trump Administration’s funding compact it announced earlier this month. Most universities have largely opposed the compact or expressed skepticism, but the New College of Florida announced its desire to be the first school to sign the compact this week. 

• ACTE Submits Comments on Secretary’s Proposed Priorities: ACTE and Advance CTE submitted comments to ED on Secretary McMahon’s new proposed priorities for competitive grants. You can read the comments we submitted on the Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness Priority here and the Meaningful Learning Opportunities Priority here. 

• Sen. Cassidy Introduces AI Oversight Bill Focused on Education: On Oct. 28, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced the Learning Innovation and Family Empowerment (LIFE) with AI Act to establish a framework to oversee the use of AI in K-12 education, including through enhanced privacy protections and parental rights. We will have more analysis of potential impacts of the bill on AI in CTE soon! 

On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law. Alongside revisions to student loans and other federal student aid programs, the bill expands Pell Grant eligibility to short-term training and workforce programs, a long-standing priority for ACTE. To be eligible for Workforce Pell, programs must meet several requirements outlined in the bill, including the following:

• Be between eight and 15 weeks, covering 150 to 599 clock hours of instruction
• Have a completion rate of at least 70% within 150% of the normal time to completion
• Have a job placement rate of at least 70% measured 180 days after completion
• Have costs that do not exceed the median value-added earnings of graduates
• Align with high-skill, high-wage or in-demand industry sectors

Implementation of Workforce Pell will begin next year on July 1, and the Department of Education (ED) has convened a negotiated rulemaking committee to determine specific eligibly requirements, processes and more. As implementation draws closer, various education and workforce organizations have released reports, guides and other resources for state and local leaders to engage with.

Data Infrastructure

Since program eligibility for Workforce Pell relies on several data metrics, states need to ensure that they have the infrastructure to collect and examine this data across programs. However, an article from the State Noncredit Data Project (SNDP) examined several states’ noncredit data systems and found that most lack the infrastructure necessary to identify programs eligible for Workforce Pell. Most states collect data on program length but lack information on other key metrics necessary to determine eligibility. Furthermore, current state data suggests that most programs fall under the 150-hour minimum threshold necessary for Workforce Pell.

State and local education and workforce leaders must work together to evaluate their current data systems and develop next steps for collecting additional data necessary to determine program eligibility. Leaders may look toward other states with more robust data systems; for example, the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways developed a detailed data system for identifying in-demand occupations across the state and established criteria for nondegree credentials. The Bipartisan Policy Center notes that Virginia’s FastForward Program—which collects extensive data on short-term, noncredit programs—and similar programs in other states lead to positive workforce outcomes and could help shape implementation of Workforce Pell.  The SNDP also suggests that its Noncredit Data Taxonomy 2.0 may assist states in determining data needed for Workforce Pell. New America provides several other data-related recommendations, including conducting labor market analyses to determine high-demand industries in states.

Current State Programs & Policies

As mentioned, several states already have programs that could inform Workforce Pell implementation. For example, Community College Daily notes that the Colorado Community College System has scaled a short-term training program for behavioral health analysts across the state, and the pathway has a 73% completion rate. Over a dozen Colorado high schools have also begun offering one of five behavioral health “micro-pathways” in partnership with the Education Design Lab, local community colleges and over 50 employers. A separate article from Community College Daily describes other similar programs in North Carolina, Louisiana and Texas. States such as South Carolina and Delaware also offer scholarship programs for students in short-term, industry-aligned programs.

States have also enacted various policies to better align themselves with Workforce Pell and other related initiatives. In 2025, states have passed bills that mandate an ROI analysis of industry-recognized credentials, amend the definition of nondegree credentials and provide financial assistance to students pursuing a short-term, postsecondary CTE credential. The Institute for College Access & Success has developed model legislation that state lawmakers can use to meet the requirements of Workforce Pell and set state processes and guardrails.

The Role of Schools and Employers

Postsecondary institutions, employers and other short-term training providers have a significant role to play when developing and sustaining programs that are eligible for Workforce Pell. The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association has developed a guide for postsecondary institutions to design and prepare programs to meet the requirements of Workforce Pell. Achieving the Dream describes some of the challenges ahead for community colleges and provides recommendations, and while most implementation resources focus on subbaccalaureate institutions, UPCEA wrote about how four-year universities can utilize Workforce Pell as well. For employers, the National Skills Coalition highlights strategies that state and local leaders can utilize to ensure that Workforce Pell benefits both workers and employers alike. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning also notes how institutions, employers and other stakeholders can use Workforce Pell to benefit adult learners.

ACTE will continue to monitor the implementation of Workforce Pell and provide updates as needed. If you have any questions, please reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org).

New Data on Nondegree STEM Credentials: Recent data released by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) provides insight into the national STEM nondegree workforce. The data was collected in 2022 through the National Training, Education and Workforce Survey. Key findings include the following: 

• In 2022, 75 million workers held a nondegree credential, and 30% of them worked in a STEM occupation. 

• Among STEM workers with a nondegree credential, 40% completed a work experience program, 38% held a license or certification and 24% held a vocational certificate. 

• Thirty-six million individuals worked in STEM occupations. 

• Fifty-one percent reported a subbaccalaureate credential as their highest education level. 

• Seventeen percent of female workers and 29% of male workers were employed in a STEM field. 

In addition to these findings, the NCSES released a data tool and tables. 

CTE in Washington State: A study conducted by Education Northwest examines the impact of CTE on student outcomes in Washington state. The researchers utilized state longitudinal data, following more than 750,000 public high school students between the 2013-14 and 2023-24 school years. 

Analysis of the data revealed that CTE participation in the state is high, with the share of students earning four or more CTE credits rising from 42% in 2017 to 56% in 2024. Although 94% of students earned at least one CTE credit in 2024, access remains a challenge as small, rural and low-income schools offer fewer programs on average. The Career Clusters with the highest participation rates are Health Science; Arts, A/V Technology & Communications; and Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources. 

Students who earn more than one CTE credit are 5.7 to 12 percentage points more likely to graduate high school than those who only earn up to one CTE credit. Most students in the state explore CTE broadly rather than focusing on a single pathway, but the researchers found that those who do focus on a single pathway generally experience stronger postsecondary and workforce outcomes. In particular, Agriculture, Finance, Manufacturing and Transportation students who focus on their pathway are more likely to earn a postsecondary credential and earn a living wage six years after high school. 

Throughout the report, the authors also noted that many of the positive impacts of CTE in the state are stronger for male students and recommend expanding CTE pathways and recruitment efforts. 

Career-connected Learning in New Hampshire: A report from Gallup and the New Hampshire Learning Initiative analyzes the impact of career-connected learning (CCL) for middle school students in New Hampshire. The researchers surveyed over 4,000 middle school students across the state in 2023 and 2024 and found the following: 

• Fifty-three percent of students want to participate in more CCL activities in their school, but only 25% said that their school offers an activity in a career that interests them. 

• Students who participate in a CCL activity in class are more likely to be engaged and say that they learned about a job they have not heard of before. 

• The most effective activities include mentorships, job panels and volunteering related to a career. 

• Hands-on CCL activities, such as internships, are the strongest influencers of students’ post-high school plans. 

Does Expanding Access to CTE Induce Participation and Improve Outcomes?: A report from the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston examines the impact of CTE program exposure on student participation and postsecondary outcomes. The researchers tracked Massachusetts high school students between the 2005-06 and 2019-20 school years. 

After analyzing state longitudinal education and workforce data, the researchers found that introducing a new CTE program in the high school results in 11.5% of non-CTE students enrolling in the program, about 1 in 8 students – 1 in 6 when the introduction of the new program occurs in 9th grade. Students exposed to new CTE programs also saw an increase in earnings, with employed students earning 9% more one year after graduating high school compared to students in schools without the program.  

When examining outcomes by student demographics, the researchers found that while educational outcomes are not different between student groups, workforce outcomes are. Black and Hispanic students, students with disabilities and male students who are exposed to a new CTE program experience stronger gains in earnings than other learner groups. Student demographics are also linked to outcomes by cluster; female students exposed to Education programs and Black and Hispanic students exposed to IT programs are more likely to enroll and complete a postsecondary credential. 

The federal government shutdown has now lasted for over three weeks, making it the second longest shutdown in U.S. history.  This week, Senate Democrats and Republicans debated bills that would pay federal workers during the shutdown, with Republicans proposing to pay only essential workers while Democrats want to pay all workers and also prevent the Trump Administration from conducting further mass layoffs as the shutdown continues. While no agreement on worker pay has been reached, negotiations will continue over the weekend. Senate Majority Leader Thune also met with several Republican lawmakers Wednesday to discuss ideas surrounding health care tax credits, which remain at the center of the shutdown. The House, which has been in recess since Sept. 19, remains out of session. Read more updates below. 

• Judges Announced for “Your AI Horizons Challenge”: On Oct. 23, the Department of Education (ED) announced the judges for the “Your AI Horizons Challenge,” the third challenge in ED’s #CTEMomentum challenge series. The judges consist of leaders from national education and workforce organizations. Read more about the challenge on the blog here. 

• ED Considering Moving Special Education Programs to HHS: On Oct. 21, officials at ED confirmed that the Trump Administration is exploring moving special education funding to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through a partnership between the two agencies. An agency spokesperson said that although no official plan has been finalized yet, the move is part of Secretary McMahon’s goal to shut down ED. This potential partnership comes after the interagency agreement signed between ED and the Department of Labor (DOL) earlier this year, moving the administration of Perkins and adult education funds from ED to the DOL.  

• White House Withdraws Kevin O’Farrell’s Nomination to Lead OCTAE: On Oct. 21, the nomination for Kevin O’Farrell to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education in ED was withdrawn by the White House. O’Farrell currently as the Senior Chancellor of Higher Education and Workforce in Florida’s Department of Education, and had been approved for the OCTAE position by the Senate HELP Committee in May but was waiting on full Senate approval, No new nominee has been announced yet.  

• Colleges Continue to Mull Over Funding Compact: Oct. 20 was the deadline for a handful of colleges to submit feedback and to decide whether they would sign a funding compact from the Trump Administration, which would align themselves with the Administration’s priorities in exchange for preferential funding status. Most schools have so far rejected the compact, but a few have not yet responded and signaled interest in potentially signing.  

• Trump Administration Agrees to Resume Student Loan Forgiveness Plans: The Trump Administration has agreed to resume student loan forgiveness for over 2.5 million borrowers enrolled in income-drive repayment (IDR) plans as well as Public Service Loan Forgiveness plans following a lawsuit by the American Federation of Teachers. You can view the text of the legal agreement here.   

On October 9, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing entitled, “AI’s Potential to Support Patients, Workers, Children, and Families.” 

The witnesses for the hearing included: 

• Dr. Russ Altman: Professor of Bioengineering, Genetics, Medicine, Biomedical Data Science and Senior Fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI  

• John Bailey, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute 

• Harriet Pearson: Managing Principal, Axia Advisory 

• Dr. Juliet Schor: Professor, Boston College  

• Carlos Aramayo: President, UNITE HERE Local 26 

On education and workforce development, the hearing centered on the need for proactive planning and policy to address how AI is already changing the workforce and the potential disruptions to the labor market. For instance, Professor Altman discussed how AI is being used to augment diagnosis, improve scheduling, reduce paperwork and free up time for other work.  

Lawmakers raised that while AI can raise productivity and create new kinds of roles, it can also disrupt existing jobs if the person holding the job is not equipped with the right training. There was a recognition that new policy is needed to ensure that everyone can obtain the skills necessary to stay competitive in the changing job market. 

When the conversation shifted to policy recommendations, the need to invest in research was a key theme. It was also suggested that policymakers should prioritize education and workforce development when thinking about future legislation. AI should be integrated into K-12 education, community college programs and other workforce development initiatives. 

According to John Bailey, the Department of Education (ED) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) can also expand partnerships with postsecondary institutions, nonprofits and developers to conduct rigorous evaluations of AI platforms. This can start with modernizing reskilling and upskilling and supporting programs that are developing AI-related curriculum.  

A recording of the hearing can be found here.