Last year, the Department of Education released an updated version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This rollout was marred by technical difficulties and other delays, leading to frustration from students and their families and college access professionals. As students begin to work on college applications and financial aid this year, the Department of Education continues to work on correcting previous errors in the form and ensuring a smoother process for everyone involved.  

Last week, Secretary Cardona sent a letter and white paper to all leaders of higher education institutions to discuss the recent changes, progress and updates made to the FAFSA ahead of its complete rollout later this year. With bipartisan pressure to provide a better experience this year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report and list of recommendations to the Department on how they can improve this year’s FAFSA rollout. 

The Department of Education’s white paper outlines updates on steps they are currently taking to ensure a smoother and more effective FAFSA process, which are in line with recommendations laid out by the GAO. These steps include: 

• Providing early and predictable timelines and launching core functions at the same time 

• Ensuring the form is functioning as intended 

• Increasing transparency 

• Improving resources for students and families to navigate the form 

• Providing resources to counselors, institutions, states and other critical partners 

• Ensuring the Federal Student Aid Information Center has sufficient capacity to handle outreach 

• Improving the user experience 

• Addressing ongoing issues experienced by mixed-status families 

• Alleviating the additional burden on institutions 

On October 1, the first Beta testing period for the form was opened to community-based organizations (CBOs) and institutions of higher education that submitted interest forms and were selected to participate. These participants will provide feedback and collaborate with the Department through four rounds of testing, with increasing participation in each round. The Department aims to launch the full form to all applications by December 1.  

In the meantime, the Department has several new resources regarding FAFSA, including a revised Federal Student Aid Estimator, a 2025-26 FAFSA prototype, new resources for applicants to create a StudentAid.Gov account and a “Federal Financial Aid Bootcamp,” to occur on October 23. This free, one-day webinar series was created for students, parents and college access professionals. ACTE will continue to share updates on this year’s FAFSA rollout and additional resources as they become available, so keep an eye on the blog and our social media (@ACTEpolicy on X). 

Classifying Community College Programs by Post-completion Success in Transfer and Workforce: The Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University, alongside the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, released a guidebook and several other resources on how community college leaders can understand and classify programs based on student success transitioning to the workforce or transferring to further education. This includes a guide instructing leaders on the taxonomy surrounding the classification of programs, an Excel-based tool that allows community colleges to produce visualizations on their programs’ post-completion success, and another guide for reviewing data from the Excel-based tool. The goal of these resources is to allow community college leaders to identify strategies to ensure that more students are able to either continue their education or attain a high-paying job after program completion. 

Education and Workforce Data Legislation Review: What Happened in 2024: The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) released a report detailing the strides states have made within the past year regarding data governance, access and usage across the educational and workforce landscapes. With hundreds of bills introduced in the past year across states that would affect these data processes, DQC analyzed the trends and described future legislative work needed in maintaining such data systems. For instance, Colorado legislators established the Colorado Statewide Longitudinal Data System – connecting education and workforce-related datasets – and Vermont created a new Office of Workplace Expansion and Development, tasked with collecting data from various agencies and formulating recommendations on workforce education and training programs. ACTE and Advance CTE produce a similar resource annually – our state CTE policy reviews – that analyzes and summarizes trends from state-level bills targeted toward CTE and workforce development, including bills that address CTE and workforce data. The 2023 report can be found here along with the state CTE policy tracker. 

Keys to Scale: How to Grow the Impact of Education-to-career Pathway Intermediaries: Education Strategy Group (ESG) released a report on the roles pathway intermediary organizations take when promoting educational and workforce opportunities to students. As these organizations grow across the nation – often with commitments to bringing about equitable economic opportunities to the most marginalized student groups – barriers remain in place that prevent these organizations from reaching scale. The report released by ESG discusses what these organizations are, what their impact is, why they are impactful, and what could be done to increase their influence. ESG also released separate reports on five specific organizations doing this type of work across the nation.  

Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Expanding Access to High-quality Career Pathways: Advance CTE and ESG released the Year 4 Annual Review of JPMorgan Chase’s New Skills ready network, a five-year program across six U.S. cities with the purpose of developing equitable career pathways and policy solutions that provide underserved students with opportunities to access postsecondary education and high-wage jobs. The annual review describes how the six sites of the network – Boston, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis and Nashville – are working to expand, implement and sustain pathways, advising and related supports. For example, the Denver site has established an annual Learner Voice Symposium, where educators, policymakers and other stakeholders hear directly from learners about their experiences and what they seek in career pathways. 

This week was the final week Congress was in session until after the election, so the schedule was packed! There were several education- and workforce-related hearings and legislation was passed to extend government funding until December 20. Meanwhile, the Administration kept busy with several new grants to support workforce development and education, new resources on relevant workforce development programs and updated information and assistance with FAFSA. Keep reading for more details! 

• Congress Passes Continuing Resolution (CR): The House and Senate both passed a CR and it was signed into law by President Biden. This legislation funds the government at current funding levels through December 20. With this extra time, Congress must work on passing fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill.  

• House Education and Workforce Committee Holds Hearings on Teacher Prep, FAFSA: The House Education and Workforce Committee held multiple hearings this week. The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing on the challenges with and changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Meanwhile, the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing on how to best prepare K-12 teachers for the classroom.  

• House Small Business Committee Holds Hearing on Workforce Training Programs: The House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development held a hearing on workforce development programs, noting the importance of apprenticeships and how they, and similar programs, can be helpful in expanding the small business workforce.  

• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Holds Hearing on AI: The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing this week on how to best prepare workers for AI. Senators Kaine and Budd, co-chairs of the Senate CTE Caucus, raised questions on CTE and workforce development as it relates to AI.  

• Department of Education to Hold Federal Financial Aid Bootcamp: The Department of Education is holding an online, free, one-day webinar series geared toward students, parents and college access professionals on the new FAFSA form on Oct 23. This is following Secretary Cardona’s letter and white paper to leadership at higher education institutions. 

• Department of Education Seeking Feedback on Perkins Regulations: The Department of Education is accepting public comments on the new proposed regulations to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act State Plan Guide. Advance CTE and ACTE have formally requested a 30-day extension to the comment period in order for the CTE community to have adequate time to provide meaningful feedback. For updates on this, see the CTE Policy Watch Blog. 

• Department of Education Announces $46 Million in Grants to Support State and Local Education Agencies: The Department of Education announced $46 million in grants to advance resource equity in schools, accelerate academic recovery, strengthen educator workforce, promote early school success and support English and multilingual learners.  

• Department of Labor Awards $18.4 Million in Grants to Measure Sector-Based Training for Low-Income Older Adult Workers: The Department of Labor announced $18.4 million to measure the effectiveness of industry or sector-based training as a bridge to unsubsidized employment for low-income, older workers.  

• Department of Labor Announced $71 Million in Grants to Improve Job Quality: The Department of Labor announced grants to improve job quality, expand access to good jobs in critical sectors and prepare workers for the jobs created by the administration’s Investing in America agenda.  

• Department of Labor Shared General Apprenticeship Resources: The Department of Labor published updated resources focused on apprenticeship expansion. This includes resources on career pathways and postsecondary education. 

• Department of Labor Shares Updated Webcast Series on WIOA Youth and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs: The Department of Labor updated their resource on WIOA VR programs to support state and local workforce leaders, youth program practitioners and youth stakeholders and partners. The resource includes information on eligibility and services. 

The Institute of Education Sciences has awarded grants to six new research teams seeking to further our knowledge about CTE as part of the recent launch of the CTE Research Network (CTERN) 2.0, in which ACTE is a Network Lead alongside the American Institutes for Research, Boston College, and the CTE Policy Exchange at Georgia Policy Labs. The purpose of CTERN 2.0 is to collaborate and develop research to better understand the effects of CTE on student outcomes, building on the work of its predecessor, CTERN 1.0. 

Similarly to CTERN 1.0, CTERN 2.0 consists of six research teams, each conducting its own exploratory and impact study of CTE in school districts around the country. The studies are being conducted by different partners in the research network, including universities, think tanks and nonprofit research organizations, and are set to conclude by 2028.  

• Career Development Opportunities in Delaware: Implementation, Impact, and Cost (Principal investigator: Benjamin Dalton, RTI International)  

• Career Development in Chicago Public Schools: Advancing Equity in Opportunities and Outcomes (Principal investigator: Amy Arneson, University of Chicago) 

• Career Development Opportunities in Los Angeles Unified School District (Principal investigator: Miya Warner, SRI Education) 

• Career Development Opportunities for High School Students in Baltimore City Public Schools (Principal investigator: Jay S. Plasman, The Ohio State University) 

• Career Development Opportunities in Florida’s Leon County Schools (Principal investigator: Walter Ecton, University of Michigan and formerly of Florida State University) 

• Exploring the Impact of Secondary Career Development in Washington D.C. Public Schools (Principal investigator: Dara Zeehandelaar Shaw, DC Education Research Collaborative/Urban Institute) 

CTERN 1.0 produced several important and relevant resources documenting CTE’s impact on learner outcomes, including the recent systematic review that summarizes CTE research spanning the past 20 years – findings are also available via a two-page abstract and infographic. The literature review shows that CTE has statistically significant positive impacts on several high school outcomes and is associated with postsecondary enrollment and post-high school employment.  

CTERN 2.0 has coordinated a team to conduct another systematic review, this time with a focus on work-based learning. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released new employment projections for 2023-33 for 832 different occupations across a variety of industries. The projections show that CTE occupations are among both the fastest-growing jobs and the jobs with the most expected openings. 

Fastest-growing jobs (Growth rate projected, 2023-33): 

• Wind turbine service technicians: 60% 

• Solar photovoltaic installers: 48% 

• Physical therapist assistants: 25% 

• Occupational therapy assistants: 22% 

Most new jobs (Number of new jobs projected, 2023-33): 

• Medical assistants: 118,000 

• Construction workers: 115,400 

• Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers: 102,000 

• Electricians: 84,300 

In a new addition to the employment projections, the BLS is now reporting on the most relevant skills for occupations, including cross-cutting and employability skills: 

The addition of these skills in the employment projections will allow jobseekers, employers, career counselors, students and others to identify occupations that match skill sets, better preparing for job applications or adjust new employee training. 

A few examples of occupations that score highly on these skills include the following: 

• Adaptability: Career counselors, film and video editors, meeting planners and CTE teachers 

• Detail oriented: Air traffic controllers, phlebotomists, public safety telecommunicators and aerospace engineering technicians 

• Project management: Construction managers; transportation, storage and distribution managers; farmers and ranchers; and early childhood educators 

For more information on occupations, including details on educational requirements, pay, projected growth rates and more that you can share with your colleagues, students and families, please refer to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. 

This week, Congress continued to work on FY 2025 appropriations as we quickly approach September 30, the end of the fiscal year. The House of Representatives rejected a continuing resolution that would have extended current federal funding for an additional six months, and is now working toward a shorter compromise to avoid a government shutdown. See the CTE Policy Watch Blog for further updates. Meanwhile, Administration activities continued. Keep reading for more details! 

• Reps. Langworthy, Thompson and Bonamici Introduce the CTE Student Mental Health and Wellness Act: ACTE endorsed the CTE Student Mental Health and Wellness Act, which would prioritize CTE students’ mental health and wellbeing by making CTE schools eligible for mental health and substance use disorder services grants. 

• Chair Aaron Bean to Hold Hearing on Improving Teacher Preparation: Next week, the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education will hold a hearing “Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators.”  

• House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development to Hold Hearing on FAFSA: Next week, the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing to examine the challenges and outcomes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  

• Reps. Graves and Spanberger Force a Floor Vote on the Social Security Fairness Act: The Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) has progressed in the House. Following a seven-day waiting period, Congress can call for a vote on the legislation.  

• Department of Education Announces Awards Nearly $50 Million to Hispanic-Serving Institutions: The Department of Education announced awards to support Hispanic and Latino students and the schools that prepare them for the workforce. Several community colleges received funding to expand educational opportunities and improve the attainment of Hispanic students. 

• Department of Education New Resource: The Department of Education released “Implementing Holisitc Advising and Wraparound Services to Equitably Improve Postsecondary Student Success: Playbook” and announced an accompanying webinar for October 2. This provides higher education leaders with resources to implement comprehensive and integrated advising models to support students in postsecondary institutions.  

• Department of Labor Announces Grants to Promote Workplace Safety, Health Training and Education: The Department of Labor awarded $12.7 million to 102 nonprofits nationwide, including some CTE institutions, to fund education and training initiatives designed to create safer workplaces. 

• Department of Labor Updated Resource on Rehabilitation and WIOA Youth Programs Collaboration: The Department of Labor updated a webcast series with an overview of the WIOA Youth and Vocational Rehabilitation programs to help state and local workforce leaders to collaborate and service youth with disabilities. 

The Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education recently released 2022-23 enrollment and performance data for secondary and postsecondary CTE participants and concentrators.

The 2022-23 enrollment and performance data, alongside fiscal information, can be accessed on the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network’s recently revitalized website:

• Fiscal information showing funding distributions nationally and in each state (can also be found under the “Grant Programs” tab as “State Profiles”).
• National enrollment data showing national totals for secondary and postsecondary CTE participants and concentrators, which can be disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity, special populations, and Career Clusters.
• National performance data showing national averages for each performance indicator for secondary and postsecondary levels, which can be disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity, special populations, and Career Clusters.
• State enrollment and performance data, which can also be disaggregated by gender, race/ethnicity, special populations and Career Clusters (both can also be found under the “Accountability” tab in the “Perkins State Plans and Data Explorer”).

Several takeaways from the data are listed below. Note that the OCTAE will update the data later this month as they work to resolve issues in a few states, so the data presented here may differ slightly once the update is complete.

• In 2022-23, there were about 7.8 million secondary CTE participants and 3.5 million secondary CTE concentrators.
• In 2022-23, there were about 3.3 million postsecondary CTE participants and 1.8 million postsecondary CTE concentrators.
• The four-year graduation rate for secondary CTE concentrators nationwide was 96.7%.
• The postsecondary placement rate for postsecondary CTE concentrators nationwide was 81.3%.

States also reported on at least one of the three following secondary program quality indicators:

• About 400,000 secondary CTE concentrators attained a recognized postsecondary credential across 21 states, districts or territories.
• About 116,000 secondary CTE concentrators attained postsecondary credits in their CTE program area across 12 states, districts or territories.
• About 215,000 secondary CTE concentrators participated in work-based learning across 29 states, districts or territories.

In addition, disaggregated data revealed the following:

• The top three Career Clusters among secondary CTE concentrators were Health Science; Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources; and Business Management & Administration.
• The top three Career Clusters among postsecondary CTE concentrators were Health Science, Business Management & Administration, and Information Technology.

CTE educators, students and families, policymakers and other stakeholders are encouraged to explore the new data tools to examine CTE data in their own state.