How Governors’ Signature Investments Drive Workforce Transformation: A report from the Project on Workforce at Harvard University examines major workforce investments enacted by governors across five states, including MassReconnect in Massachusetts, Student LAUNCH in Idaho and the Regional Workforce Impact Program in North Dakota. Drawing on these programs and interviews with relevant stakeholders, the researchers identified five cross-state insights that reflect common challenges and opportunities: 

• Programs navigated tradeoffs between broad eligibility and strategic targeting. States that adopted broader eligibility criteria were able to scale programs faster, but states that focused on specific industries and populations were able to ensure labor market alignment and hold grantees accountable for outcomes. 

• States engaged with and drew from the WIOA system while developing their own workforce frameworks and infrastructure. 

• Despite operational challenges, programs were able to track short-term metrics and build toward longer-term data tracking. 

• As programs evolved after launch, states adapted to implementation realities as they addressed gaps, responded to stakeholder needs and refined program design. 

In addition to these insights, the researchers highlight policy opportunities for governors and provide examples from case studies.  

Postsecondary Persistence & Retention: New data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center examines the rates of persistence (i.e., remain enrolled at any institution) and retention (i.e., remain enrolled at their starting institution) for postsecondary students who entered college in fall 2024. Major takeaways from the data include the following: 

• Among students who entered college in fall 2024, the national persistence rate for fall 2025 was 77% and the national retention rate was 69%. These rates were virtually unchanged compared to the fall 2023 cohort. 

• CTE-related certificate and associate degree programs, such as construction trades and health professions, had some of the highest persistence and retention rates in fall 2025. 

• Although part-time student persistence falls far behind full-time students, their fall 2025 persistence rate of 54% is the highest in over a decade.  

• Black, Native American and Native Hawaiian students had the lowest persistence and retention rates.  

• Younger students (aged 20 or below) were more likely to persist and be retained than older students.   

Scaling Pre-apprenticeship Programs: Britebound and the American Institutes for Research recently released a report on the state of pre-apprenticeship programs across the nation. The report defines pre-apprenticeship programs as “generally short programs, typically lasting a few weeks to a few months, designed to prepare individuals to enter and succeed in Registered Apprenticeship programs or other employment opportunities.”  

Surveying 41 state apprenticeship offices, the researchers found the following: 

• The 41 states reported a total of 2,209 pre-apprenticeship programs, an average of 54 programs per state. 

• The most common industry sectors for pre-apprenticeship programs across states include construction/building trades (88% of states), advanced manufacturing (59%), health care (59%) and education (51%).  

• The most common pre-apprenticeship program providers across states are secondary schools (71% of states), nonprofits (71%), employers (66%) and industry associations (63%). 

• The most common pre-apprenticeship program elements that denote quality identified by states are connection to Registered Apprenticeships, hands-on experience and industry-aligned curriculum.  

Noncredit Workforce Training & Labor Market Outcomes: A study by Di Xu, Kelli A. Bird, Michael Cooper and Benjamin L. Castleman in the Journal of Public Economics analyzes the outcomes of industry credentials earned through noncredit community college programs. Using 2016-21 program data from Virginia’s FastForward program, the researchers found that students in the program who earned an industry credential experienced a 10% increase, on average, in their quarterly earnings compared to their pre-enrollment earnings. These earnings gains also exceeded program costs in about half a year, outperforming many credit-based workforce programs. 

While credentials in most fields produced quarterly wage gains, earning a transportation credential yielded an average earnings premium of 17%, the highest gain among fields. Furthermore, the researchers found that earning a credential in any field is associated with a six-percentage point increase in the likelihood of being employed in an industry with above average earnings. Earning a credential in a specific field also increased the likelihood of working in that field—for example, transportation credential earners were 11.4 percentage points more likely to work in transportation careers, and mechanics credential earners were 24 percentage points more likely to work in manufacturing careers. 

It was a relatively quiet week in Washington as the House and Senate were both out for the Fourth of July holiday. Administration activity was reduced as well due to the holiday, although there were some announcements and activity as the new fiscal year got underway. Read more policy updates below.  

• ED Releases Regulatory Agenda: On July 3, ED unveiled its new regulatory agenda for the upcoming year. The proposed actions implicate various education issues, including civils rights enforcement, special education, charter schools, foreign funding, DEI and faith-based organizations.  

• House Republicans Introduce Bills to Codify Interagency Agreements: On July 9, House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) announced the introduction of 10 bills to codify the Administration’s interagency agreements moving programs to other agencies. The package includes H.R. 9607, the Less Bureaucracy, Better Workforce Development Act, which would officially transfer authority over the Perkins Act to the U.S. Department of Labor. We continue to have significant concerns about the transfer and will be monitoring and responding to this legislation as appropriate.  

• Bipartisan Senators Propose Credit for Prior Learning Act: Sens. Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sheehy (R-MT) proposed the Credit for Prior Learning Act at the end of June, a bill that would allow students to use up to $2,000 of financial aid to pay for prior learning assessments, a category of tests that grant college credit for learning outside a college setting, such as in a job.     

• DOL Awards $162 Million to Expand Registered Apprenticeship: On July 7, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the award of nearly $162 million through five cooperative agreements to expand Registered Apprenticeships. DOL will administer the five Pay-for-Performance Incentive Payments Program cooperative agreements with organizations that will lead efforts to train Americans for jobs in the shipbuilding, defense industrial base and emerging technology sectors. This performance-based model directly links federal funding to measurable outcomes, providing incentive payments to Registered Apprenticeship sponsors as their apprentices reach milestones.  

• NSF Releases ATE Grant Program: The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently opened applications for the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which supports the education of technicians in high-demand technology fields through educational and industry partnerships. Proposals are due by October 1. 

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Awards More Than $1.5 Million for Workforce Training: On July 8, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced five organizations have been selected for a new national initiative designed to help more students connect their education to real career opportunities and help employers build a stronger future workforce.  

• ED Holds Education Fraud Summit: On July 7, ED held the Higher Education Fraud Summit featuring Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent, Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division Colin McDonald and White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud Executive Director Scott Brady.  

• ED Approves Arkansas’ Returning Education to the States Waiver: On July 7, ED approved Arkansas’ Returning Education to the States Waiver, ESEA state plan amendment for Title I-A and application for Ed-Flex authority.  

• ED Launches National K-12 Initiative to Protect Students from Sexual Predators: On July 10, ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched a national K-12 initiative to address sexual predators in schools. ED issued guidance reminding federally funded educational institutions of their legal obligations to safeguard children and appropriately respond to incidents of sexual misconduct under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).    

• Class of 2026 Sets New FAFSA Record: An analysis conducted by the National College Attainment Network found that 59.1% of graduating seniors completed the FAFSA, an all-time high.   

• More Students with Disabilities Educated in General Settings, GAO Report Finds: A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that, from the 2012-13 to 2023-24 school year, the number of students with disabilities placed in general education settings for most of their day increased by 25% nationally. 

The Senate was not in session this week, and the House recessed early for the July 4^th holiday due to disagreements among Republicans on pending legislation. Much of the Capital’s attention has been on the flurry of long-awaited Supreme Court decisions released this week, including those on birthright citizenship, campaign spending and mailed ballots. The Department of Education (ED) also finalized new accountability rules as implementation for Workforce Pell and new student loan plans begin. Read more policy updates below.

• ED Issues Final Accountability Rules: On June 29, ED finalized the new Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability rules, which aim to prevent students from utilizing federal student loans in low-earning programs. July 1 marks the implementation date of these rules and Workforce Pell under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and readers are encouraged to explore ACTE’s blog posts on Workforce Pell for additional information.
• ED Updates List of Professional Degree Programs: In response to a court order, ED revised its list of professional degree programs, expanding the range of graduate programs eligible for higher federal student loan limits. Notable changes include the addition of nursing but the removal of theology. Readers can view the full list here.
• Federal Judge Blocks Limit to PSLF: On June 30, a federal judge ruled that ED’s limitation of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is unlawful, stating that the agency attempted to restrict free expression and force PSLF beneficiaries to adopt the Administration’s views. Another judge handed down a similar ruling in a case brought on by nonprofit organizations.
• President Trump Nominates Sonderling for Labor Secretary: On June 29, President Trump said he will nominate Keith Sonderling to be the Secretary of Labor, elevating him from the agency’s current Acting Director. Sonderling was previously the Deputy Labor Secretary and a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Groups Sue ED Over Research Funds: On June 30, a coalition of disability and education advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against ED over undispersed research funds. The lawsuit noted that over $1.9 billion in withheld education research funds are set to expire soon.
• USDA and ED Announce Investment in Agricultural Research Infrastructure: The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and ED announced that applications are open for the FY 26 Research Facilities Act program. Land-grant universities and agricultural research facilities are eligible for up to $30 million from a $121 million fund for property improvements. Applications close July 24, 2026.
• ED Planning Regulations for College Mergers and Acquisitions: ED is planning policy and regulatory changes to smooth the pathway for college mergers and acquisitions, Under Secretary Nicholas Kent said June 30 during the annual National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators conference.
• House Passes Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act: On June 29, the House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act. The proposal would require additional safeguards for children and teens online, including an update to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that would expand protections currently available to children up to the age of 12 to teens up to age 17.

Most of the attention on the Hill this week was focused on the major housing affordability bill Congress passed on June 23 that President Trump later indicated he would not sign. The House Education and Workforce Committee held a markup this week, approving 11 bills which ranged from combatting antisemitism to health care and civil rights. The committee also held a hearing on the impact of apprenticeship programs for workers and employers. Read more updates below.  

• House Education and Workforce Committee Holds Full Committee Markup: On June 25, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a full committee markup where they advanced 11 bills.. You can watch a recording of the markup here.   

• House Committee Holds Hearing on Apprenticeships: On June 24, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing titled “Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy..” Lawmakers and witnesses discussed the importance of apprenticeship programs in preparing workers for high-wage, in-demand careers.  

• Judge Rules to Void ED’s Definition of “‘Professional Degree’”: On June 24, a federal judge ruled that ED’s narrowing of the definition of “‘professional degree’,” which was originally defined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was to be voided. The ruling says ED violated Congress’s instructions by adding criteria strictly limiting which degrees qualify for higher federal student loan borrowing caps.   

• FCC Approves Request for Public Comment on E-Rate Reconsideration: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted on June 25 to seek public comment on whether the federal E-rate “should be narrowed or reoriented” to meet the goals Congress established 30 years ago for the program that provides discounted internet to schools and libraries. 

• CRS Releases Brief on Workforce Pell: On June 23, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a brief on Workforce Pell Grants, summarizing eligibility requirements and legislative information and comparing Workforce Pell Grants to regular Pell Grants. 

• CTE a Primary Focus in State Strategic Plans: A new analysis from the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) found that 43 states focus on postsecondary education and career readiness, including CTE, in their strategic plans for education, the most common goal shared by states. Specific goals states are working on include expanding career and workforce pathways as well as equipping students with durable and career-ready skills.  

• New Tool Examines Wage Outcomes of Certificate Programs: A new tool from the HEA Group and Open Campus explores the wage outcomes for undergraduate certificate programs nationwide. ACTE found that CTE certificates experience some of the strongest returns; interested readers can learn more on the blog. 

• NSCRC Releases New Postsecondary Data: New data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC) reveals that, of the 2.6 million students who entered college in fall 2024, 77.1% were still enrolled by fall 2025, similar to the previous cohort.  

• OIG Report Finds ED Staffing Cuts Impacted Legal Duties: A report released on June 22 from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that staffing reductions at ED in 2025 appear to have impacted units that were performing legal duties. 

• ED Approves Waiver for Vermont: On June 24, ED approved Vermont’s Returning Education to the States Waiver, allowing it to consolidate over $4 million in federal funds through 2029, which the state can then align with their state-level improvement priorities and strategic plan.  

• President Trump Signs Executive Order on Quantum Innovation: On June 22, President Trump signed an executive order titled, “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation.” The order calls for expanding and retaining the quantum information science and technology (QIST) workforce and requires  the Secretary of Labor to ensure that QIST industry needs are prioritized in workforce training efforts related to Executive Order 14278 of April 23, 2025 (Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future).  

• Congress Members Reintroduce the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026: On June 24, Representatives Pocan (D-WI) and Scott (D-VA) and Senators Hirono (D-HI), Murray (D-WA), Reed (D-RI) and Whitehouse (D-RI) re-introduced the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026. The bill outlines a framework to protect and strengthen the Pell Grant program.  

• NCSER Commissioner Announces Departure: On June 22, Dr. Nathan Jones, the Commissioner for the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), announced his departure from the agency.  

The HEA Group and Open Campus recently released a new tool that explores wage outcomes for undergraduate certificate programs nationwide.  

Pulling from federal education and wage datasets, the tool provides data for over 5,500 certificate programs, including number of program graduates (2017-18 and/or 2018-19) and median earnings four years post-program completion, adjusted for inflation. It compares those median earnings to the median earnings of employed high school graduates in the state and rates each program on a scale of 1-5, based on its earnings premium.  

The average earnings premium for certificate programs nationwide is about $8,200, with states such as Vermont ($36,800), North Dakota ($21,700) and Minnesota ($16,500) offering programs that produce particularly high earnings premiums. Returns varied based on program fields, with CTE and skilled trades programs yielding some of the strongest earnings gains. The certificate programs most likely to deliver high earnings outcomes include: 

• Registered Nursing  

• Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians  

• Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians 

• Fire Protection  

The most popular programs with high-wage outcomes include practical nursing and nursing assistants (48,400 graduates), precision metal workers (23,000 graduates) and allied health professions (13,400 graduates). Certificate programs in other CTE fields also produce strong wage outcomes: 

• At Guilford Technical Community College in North Carolina, the vehicle maintenance and repair certificate program produces an earnings premium of $28,900 for over 100 graduates. 

• At Hillsborough Community College in Florida, the criminal justice certificate program produces an earnings premium of $32,500 for over 200 graduates. 

• The agricultural mechanization program in Northeast Iowa Community College leads to a premium of nearly $40,000. 

• The biotechnology program in Middlesex Community College in Massachusetts produces a premium of $33,800. 

In addition to undergraduate certificates, research shows that CTE associate and bachelor’s degrees as well as high school industry certifications boost students’ earnings. Readers with any questions may reach out to ACTE’s Research and Policy Coordinator Jesus Galvan. 

Perceptions of CTE Teachers: An article by Felix Quayson and Chris Zirkle in the Journal of Research in Technical Careers examines how novice CTE teachers perceive teacher evaluations during their first years in the profession. The researchers analyzed CTE teacher responses from a master’s degree examination and organized their findings into a framework they refer to as the DEEPS framework: 

• Development: Teacher evaluations should center on developing and improving teacher quality through actionable feedback from trained evaluators.  

• Evaluation: Clear standards, competencies and rubrics specific to CTE teaching in the classroom and laboratory setting are necessary. Topics should include safety rules, industry credentials, hands-on experiences and classroom management strategies.  

• Engagement: Many novice CTE teachers report receiving insufficient training to prepare them for the classroom, finding new teacher orientations lacking in substance and often not knowing what to expect from teacher evaluations. More work is needed to better engage novice teachers with administrators and evaluators, ensuring that expectations are clearly laid out. 

• Partnerships: Evaluations should be focused on growth and improvement and lead to meaningful partnerships between teachers, mentors, administrators, evaluators and other stakeholders.  

• Skills: Evaluations should contain meaningful performance measures and focus on examining instructional skills, student skills development, relevance of teaching materials and work-based learning activities, among other topics.  

Community College Credentials of Value: A report from the American Institutes for Research examines how community colleges produce graduates with credentials of value linked to high-wage, in-demand occupational fields. The researchers interviewed leaders from community colleges with strong workforce credential completion rates (excelling colleges) and from colleges with lower completion rates (aspiring colleges) to identify differences in how each college type implements programming. Findings include the following: 

• While leaders from both college types emphasize occupational skills training, excelling colleges focus more on connecting academic and workforce programs, prioritizing job availability and quality, offering dedicated coursework on career readiness skills and braiding multiple funding sources together. 

• Excelling colleges offer a broader range of support services than aspiring colleges, including more robust advising systems, additional career navigation services and stronger wraparound supports.  

• Both excelling and aspiring colleges engage employers, including by collaborating through advisory boards and aligning programs with industry trends. Both also discussed the importance of offering work-based learning experiences.  

Gaps in State Workforce Priorities: RAND conducted a nationwide scan of state WIOA plans and eligible training provider lists (ETPLs) to assess how well states align WIOA-eligible training programs to labor market demand. ETPLs are state-maintained lists of training providers eligible to receive WIOA funds.  

The researchers found that only 15 states define a “credential of value” in WIOA state plans and only eight states provide measurable benchmarks of value by defining targeted wage increases. In addition, while in-demand jobs identified by states largely align with workforce projections, many states underestimate other occupations that could be targeted in their WIOA plans. The most omitted in-demand careers include computer occupations, community health workers and office supervisors.  

About one-third of WIOA-targeted occupations across states are both in demand and high quality (provide median earnings that exceed the state’s living wage), referred to as IDHQ jobs. Forty-seven percent of ETPL programs offer training in at least one IDHQ job, and 38% offer training exclusive to these occupations. However, ETPL programs produce fewer completers than job openings for most IDHQ careers, on average.  

Scaling Apprenticeship Degrees: A report published by the Urban Institute examines the current landscape of apprenticeship degree programs across the nation. Through interviews with practitioners and a literature scan, the authors highlight how apprenticeship degree programs can help students build academic and technical skills and attain high-wage, in-demand careers. The programs can also address worker shortages and build talent pipelines across different fields.  

From their findings, the authors outline recommendations on how various stakeholders can scale apprenticeship degree programs. For instance, policymakers should alter state licensure requirements and establish Registered Apprenticeship programs as a pathway to licensure, and researchers should create the data infrastructure needed to collect and analyze program data and outcomes. The authors also propose a definition of apprenticeship degrees that stakeholders can adopt and share across systems: 

• Apprenticeship degrees possess all the hallmarks of any Registered Apprenticeship: they are industry-led programs that offer paid work experience with wage progression, on-the-job learning, and supplemental education. Upon completion, apprentices earn both a nationally recognized journeyworker credential and an accredited associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. 

Members of Congress this week were primarily occupied with the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which expired on June 12, with negotiations on this topic stalled. The Senate held a hearing on AI in K-12 education and Vice President JD Vance is in Switzerland to participate in peace talks with Iran. Read more policy updates below.  

• ED Announces Additional IAAs: On June 16, ED announced that it was implementing four new interagency agreements (IAAs), including with the Department of Justice for civil rights investigations and the Department of Health and Human Services for grants related to students with disabilities. K-12 Dive summarizes the 14 current IAAs at ED, including the ED-Department of Labor IAA related to Perkins. 

• ED Announces Student Loan Interest Rate Reduction: On June 18, ED announced that federal student loan borrowers enrolled in auto pay will be eligible for a 1 percent interest rate reduction beginning July 1. Borrowers who enroll in auto pay by September 30, 2026, or who are already enrolled, will benefit from the interest rate reduction through June 30, 2028.     

• Senate Holds Hearing on AI in K-12 Education: On June 16, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing titled “The Future of K-12 Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence..” Readers can learn more about the hearing on the blog.  

• ED Approves Indiana’s Returning Education Waiver: On June 16, ED announced that it had approved Indiana’s Returning Education to the States Waiver, which allows Indiana to consolidate five federal funding streams into one and amends some requirements around federal accountability rules for the state. ED previously approved similar waivers for Louisiana and Iowa.  

• FCC to Meet on the E-rate Program: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently published the agenda for its upcoming meeting on June 25. One of the topics the FCC will discuss is the E-rate program that provides schools and public libraries with discounted internet access and whether to solicit public comments on the state of the program. 

• Twenty State Attorneys General Sue Over Federal Contractor Executive Order: On June 17, 20 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the March 26 executive order regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs among federal contractors. The lawsuit alleges that the executive order impedes each state’s efforts to prevent racial discrimination and is unclear in what it prohibits.   

• DOJ Deems EEOC’s Disparate Impact Discrimination Guidelines Unconstitutional: The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an opinion to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finding that its guidelines about disparate impact liability under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act are unconstitutional.  

• House of Representatives Call for Another National Reading Panel: Language in one of the House’s 2027 fiscal appropriations bills calls for convening another National Reading Panel, a group with expertise on how children learn to read, more than 25 years after the original.  

• Secretary McMahon Continues National Tour: Secretary McMahon continued her Returning Education to the States National Tour this week, visiting Seymour High School in Connecticut to view the school’s robotics program.