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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Feb. 13, Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. McMahon, co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and former head of the Small Business Administration, faced rigorous questioning regarding her qualifications and policy positions.

McMahon handled questions on myriad topics, ranging from school choice to student loan forgiveness and the Administration’s Executive Orders. When asked about the authority to close the Department of Education (ED), McMahon acknowledged that any effort would require approval from Congress. However, she seemed to support at least some of the recent activities from the Department of Government Efficiency at the agency and relocating programs to other agencies, noting “the bottom line is, because it’s not working.” She also stated, “I do think it’s worthwhile to take a look at the programs before money goes out the door,” and noted she would have to review activities once she was confirmed. 

A highlight of the hearing for our community was McMahon’s support for CTE. She said, “Our workers deserve more postsecondary pathways, career-aligned programs, apprenticeships and on-the-job learning.” McMahon added that she would like to strengthen secondary CTE programs and see more dual-credit programs offered at high schools that would count toward community college and other institutions. “Our vocational and skilled-based training is not a default education; it can be front and center so that students who are inclined to go in that direction actually should be encouraged to do that,” she said.

On Pell Grants, McMahon voiced her support for expanding Pell Grants for short-term training programs. “I’d like to see short-term certificates for Pell grants for students who aren’t going on to four-year universities, who could have the opportunity to use Pell grants for skilled-based learning,” she said. She added that short-term Pell would stimulate the economy by providing an opportunity for anyone who wants to participate in skill-based learning and get into the workforce faster.

The HELP Committee will vote on the confirmation on Feb. 20. If the committee approves the nomination, then a vote by the full Senate will come next.

A recording of the hearing can be found here.

Apprenticeship Fact Sheets: The Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship recently updated their fact sheets on apprenticeships. These fact sheets cover a wide range of industries, learner groups such as veterans, initiatives by the office and more. For example, the “Explore Registered Apprenticeship” fact sheet notes that 94% of apprentices who complete a Registered Apprenticeship program remain employed and earn a yearly average salary of $84,000.

State of the Nation Report: The State of the Nation Project, a bipartisan group comprised of policy experts from various organizations, recently published their State of the Nation report. The report evaluates the United States’ progress across several key areas, comparing current performance with historical trends and the progress of other nations globally.  

The average number of years in education for people aged 25-54 has been steadily increasing for the past few decades, an increase seen in other nations as well. 

• The number of adults aged 18-24 employed or in school has been rising, outside a drop during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The percentage of adults aged 25-54 who are employed has typically fluctuated between 75% and 82%, behind many other wealthy nations. 

Geography of Opportunity: The Institute for College Access and Success released a study on the availability of broad-access institutions (BAIs) — colleges that admit at least 80% of applicants — across the nation. The researchers place special attention on some of the nation’s smallest and largest commuting zones, which are zones that share a common economy and labor market, analyzing how many Americans may potentially have no access to nearby BAIs. 

They found that 2.8 million people live in a small-population zone with no BAIs and 5.9 million in a small-population zone with only one BAI. Furthermore, since BAIs in these small-population zones often make up a significant portion of the zone’s postsecondary enrollment, they play a tremendous role in providing education and workforce opportunities.  

In addition, researchers found that a significant number of people in large-population zones also lack access to multiple BAIs. These findings demonstrate how a student’s place of living can dramatically affect their access to postsecondary education opportunities. 

Pathways to Implementation: Bellwether produced a series of briefs that guides state leaders and policymakers to develop and sustain effective career pathways programs for students in their state. 

The briefs in the series, seven in total, each focus on a single element critical to building out career pathways programs such as stakeholder engagement, communications, and data; discuss challenges state policymakers may face; and provide examples from other states who have successfully implemented each element.  

On Feb. 12, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies held a hearing that focused on the role of community colleges in workforce development. The hearing underscored the significance of community colleges in equipping individuals with skills that drive economic mobility. 

The witnesses for the hearing were Preston Cooper, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; Dr. Vicki Karolewics, President of Wallace State Community College; Dennis Parker, Consultant for Regional Talent Development for Toyota Motor North America; and Dr. Mary Alice McCarthy, Senior Director for the Center on Education and Labor at New America.  

Karolewics highlighted in her testimony the institution's success through "powerful partnerships and purposeful pathways." She emphasized the importance of stackable credentials, citing the nursing program where students can earn practical nursing credentials while working toward an associate degree. This approach ensures that students facing life challenges can still attain employment as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and earn a sustainable income, but then can continue their education in the future. 

The discussion extended to the potential expansion of Pell Grant eligibility for short-term programs. Reps. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Julia Letlow (R-LA) were among the members that used their time to highlight the importance of expanding Pell Grants. Rep. Moolenar in his questions pressed witnesses on the mechanics of how to expand Pell Grants with Cooper citing the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act as one potential model. Rep. Letlow used her time to talk about a community college in her district, Louisiana Delta Community College, which partnered with the Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative and local workforce development board to develop a 16-week line worker program.  

On the witness panel, Karolewics discussed the potential of Short-Term Pell in programs like Wallace State’s commercial truck driving program. She noted that this four-to-five-week course can lead to entry-level positions with average annual salaries exceeding $60,000 in Alabama.  

This week, the U.S. Department of Education announced a new set of nominees for leadership positions, including Kevin O’Farrell as the  Assistant Secretary for Career and Technical Education. We released the following statement on the nomination:

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) congratulates Kevin O’ Farrell on his recent nomination to serve as the next Assistant Secretary for Career and Technical Education within the U.S. Department of Education.

The Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTAE) plays a critical leadership role in helping promote high-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs around the country and overseeing the implementation of key federal policies supporting these programs. We are pleased that the nominee to lead this agency has a strong background in CTE and broader education policy.

O’Farrell is currently the Chancellor for the Division of Career and Adult Education in Florida’s Department of Education, and is the state director for CTE there. His experience with the various programs that OCTAE oversees, as well as knowledge cultivated during his long career in education, will be an important asset as the Trump Administration works to prioritize CTE.

CTE plays a critical role in connecting learners to high-wage, in-demand career opportunities that are vital to building a 21st-century workforce and supporting the U.S. economy. It is more important now than ever that experienced and dedicated professionals are working to ensure CTE is supported at the federal level to ensure that all students can enter high-quality CTE programs.

ACTE looks forward to working with O’Farrell and the entire OCTAE team to expand opportunities for CTE students and support CTE educators and administrators throughout the country.

Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education published a series of proposed changes to the Perkins State Plan Guide and Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) tool that states use to submit Perkins performance data to them. The proposed changes would have required states to submit new Perkins V state plans and change many of their performance indicator definitions and operational approaches. Through two formal comment periods, we worked with partner organizations to express concern about these proposals and the administrative burden they would place on states and local Perkins recipients.

While some changes were made to the proposals by the Department during that comment process, the data requirements in particular remained in final revised documents published in mid-January. We continued to work with policymakers and the new Administration to express concerns about the ramifications of the proposed changes.

On February 10, the Department announced that it would be reversing the revisions and reinstating the previous versions of the State Plan Guide and CAR Guide. A notice will be published in the federal register soon. This move should allow states to continue implementing their current plans and data systems without having to make mandated changes.

The Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act of 2025 (S. 383) was reintroduced in the Senate by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Susan Collins (R-ME). This bipartisan legislation would expand federal Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term job training programs, which has been a top priority of the CTE community for many years. ACTE has once again endorsed this bipartisan bill. 

Currently, Pell Grants are not available to postsecondary CTE students in short-term certificate programs less than 600 clock hours (approximately 16 semester hours) over 15 weeks. As a result, many students across the country do not have access to high-quality, short-term CTE programs. These programs can provide the education and skills necessary for in-demand careers and culminate in meaningful credentials that are proven to increase lifetime earning potential and employment opportunities.  

ACTION NEEDED: CLICK HERE to ask your Senators to support the extension of Pell Grant eligibility to high-quality, short-term CTE programs by co-sponsoring the JOBS Act.  

Help hold the Senate accountable for supporting CTE students, educators and institutions by advocating for short-term Pell expansion. If you have a specific contact in your Senator’s office, we encourage you to reach out to them directly! Let them know that to cosponsor the JOBS Act, they can contact Rebecca Howard (rebecca_howard@kaine.senate.gov) in Senator Kaine’s office.