The co-chairs of the Senate CTE Caucus, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), are once again leading the Senate’s annual CTE Month resolution marking February as CTE Month. These senators are currently circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter asking their colleagues to cosponsor the resolution.  

The following other Senators have already signed on: 

• Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) 
• Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) 
• Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) 
• Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) 
• Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) 
• Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) 
• Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) 
• Sen. Angus King (I-ME) 
• Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)  
• Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) 

If either of your Senators has not signed on, CLICK HERE to ask them to cosponsor this year’s CTE Month resolution. 

The resolution raises awareness about the many benefits associated with high-quality CTE programs. By requesting support for the resolution, you are continuing to elevate the benefits of CTE to policymakers at a critical time for CTE advocacy. Please contact your senators today! If you have a direct contact in your senator’s office, we urge you to call or email them directly. The deadline for Senate cosponsors to sign on is Monday, February 5, 2024. 

Note: More details about a House CTE Month Resolution will be available soon – this resolution is just for senators! 

Variation in Community College Funding Levels: The Urban Institute recently published a report on varying levels of community college funding across the nation and the impact on historically underserved groups. Researchers discovered no evidence of systemic differences across the nation in state and local funding for community colleges that serve more Black, Hispanic and/or low-income students relative to other demographic groups. However, the analysts caution that equal funding may not be sufficient to ensure access and supports for all learners.

More findings and insights below:

• States that rely on local sources of funding for community colleges also have more funding overall.
• Some states intentionally change levels of funding based on factors like institution size, potentially leading to funding differences among demographic groups attending smaller versus larger institutions.
• On average, rural institutions receive over $1,000 more per student in state funding than urban and suburban institutions.
• About 44% of public undergraduate students attend community colleges, ranging from 24% in South Dakota and Montana to 67% in California.

Policy Changes to Maximize Community College Workforce Development: The American Enterprise Institute recently released a report that explores the role of the community college system by analyzing how successful institutions across the nation are fulfilling their workforce development potential. Researchers concluded that institutional effectiveness varies greatly by location and that more scaling and standardization of evidence-based practices is needed for improved student outcomes.

The analysts recommend a national framework that does the following:

• Mandatorily places community colleges at the center of state workforce development efforts.
• Enacts short-term Pell-eligible noncredit programs that provide learners with healthy earnings boosts.
• Invests in state offices similar to the , which focuses on compiling regional labor market and supply-and-demand trends.
• Publishes outcomes for noncredit programs.
• Further promotes work-based learning.

Career Navigation in a Time of Rapid Change: A report recently published by the Harvard Kennedy School analyzed the current practice of career navigation to set an agenda for a more equitable ecosystem that can lead to improved career and wage outcomes for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged individuals. Analysts found that in 2019 approximately 53 million people in the United States were working low-wage jobs with median earnings of $24,000 annually and suggested solutions in which CTE plays a crucial role in changing the status quo.

The following list includes recommended best practices for a more equitable career navigation system:

• Increase access to stackable credentials, which can lead to a 20% increase in wages for working adults and can help narrow the middle- and high-income earnings gap.
• Increase access to American Job Centers, which provide assessment, coaching and service referrals and can lead to earnings growth of between 7% and 20%.
• Encourage corporate policies that support employee reskilling efforts to provide underrepresented workers with more open doors for upward mobility.
• Build community partnerships and develop trust with marginalized populations to co-create solutions with community leaders like the embedded career navigator program in Oakland, California.

Overall postsecondary enrollment in fall 2022 continued to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, led by community colleges.

Enrollment across the entire postsecondary sector declined by 0.4% from fall 2021 to fall 2022 – a smaller decline than the decrease seen from fall 2020 to fall 2021 and much less than the approximately 3% decline during the pandemic. However, for public community colleges, enrollment increased by 0.4% to 6.1 million students, according to an analysis by the American Association of Community Colleges of Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data.

Enrollment growth was greatest among non-degree-seeking students, which may be due to bumps in the number of dually enrolled learners.

In addition, recent IPEDS data also showed the following:  

• In fiscal year 2022, almost 49% of expenses at Title IV public less-than-two-year institutions went toward instruction, compared to 36% for public two-year institutions and 25% at public four-year institutions.  

• There were nearly 36,000 instructors at public two-year institutions in academic year 2022-23, earning an average salary of approximately $76,000 per year.

Each year, Advance CTE and ACTE track and analyze state policy to prepare a Year in Review: State Policies Impacting CTE report (coming soon!). State CTE policies in 2023 proposed a variety of funding mechanisms and other legislative changes to address national challenges that have impacted state economies, labor market participation and learner enrollment and engagement in education. Join this webinar to hear national trends and innovative legislation across 115 policy actions in 47 states that will impact millions of CTE learners in secondary, postsecondary and workforce systems. 

Register for the webinar on February 21 at 3pm ET to learn more!

This week, the House held multiple hearings relevant to CTE and workforce development, highlighting the need for more funding for CTE programs at a time when federal spending levels are being discussed. Both chambers of Congress also managed to pass a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown, extending the deadline to finalize annual spending bills to March 1 and March 8.  

• House Committee on Education and the Workforce Holds CTE Hearing: This week, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled “Preparing Students for Success in the Skills-Based Economy.”  The hearing discussed the benefits and outcomes of CTE programs nationally, as well as the obstacles they face in funding and teacher shortages, emphasizing the need for more resources. Read more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog. 
   
• House and Senate Approve Stopgap Spending Measure to Avert Government Shutdown: The House followed the Senate in approving legislation to avert the impending partial government shutdown that would have taken effect today. New deadlines to finalize annual spending bills are March 1 for four of the appropriations bills and March 8 on the remaining eight, including the education bill. Read more updates on the CR from Politico. 
   
• Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation Subcommittee Holds Hearing on AI in the Workforce: Earlier this week, the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation held a hearing entitled “Toward an AI Ready Workforce.” The hearing covered issues of how to best prepare the future workforce to work with AI, specifically for positions that require less than a four-year degree. Read more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog. 
   
• Rep. Langworthy Introduces Bipartisan Legislation on Workforce Training in Rural Communities Reps. Langworthy (R-NY) and Tokuda (D-HI) co-sponsored the CAREERS Act to address the skills gap and workforce shortage in rural communities. ACTE endorsed the bill in a press release published earlier this week. 
   
• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Releases Report on Increased Demand for Skill-Based Learning: Inside Higher Ed analyzed a report released by CAEL, demonstrating that interest in skills-based learning models had skyrocketed, yet is not met with adequate supply of these programs in institutions. 
   
• White House Releases 2024 Education Agenda: On Jan. 17, the Biden Administration released a new “Improving Student Achievement” agenda for 2024. The focus is on accelerating academic achievement, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  
   
• Department of Education Releases List of CTE Presidential Scholars Candidates: The Department of Education has released the initial list of students who will compete for the prestigious Presidential Scholars award. Later this year, 20 CTE students will be selected from the initial nominees for the award.  
   
• Department of Labor Formally Publishes Draft Apprenticeship Rules: This week, the Department of Labor officially published new draft regulations for apprenticeships that had been informally released in late 2023. Comments on the proposal are due on March 18. ACTE will be working on comments related to the implications for CTE and is interested in hearing any of your thoughts as well.  

On January 17th, the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation held a hearing entitled “Toward an AI Ready Workforce.” Witnesses included Dr. William L. Scherlis, Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University; Timi Hadra, Client Partner and Sr. Executive for West Virginia at IBM; and Costis Toregas, Director of the GWU Cybersecurity and Privacy Research Institute. 

Chairwoman Nancy Mace (SC-01) and Ranking Member Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11) opened the hearing with statements on AI both in the United States and abroad, noting the importance of strengthening the use of AI in the workforce and the benefits that could come of this. Specifically, Connolly noted that now is not the time to replace the workforce with AI, rather it is the time to prepare current and future generations of the workforce on how to best work with AI.  

Almost immediately, Mace raised the question of AI-related education options and affective alternatives to undergraduate and graduate degrees, in order to prepare the workforce to be AI ready. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) also asked the witnesses how they can help private industries understand the curriculum needed for career preparedness, to which they provided examples of programs their respective schools and organizations provide. Scherlis shared that what he knew to be most effective was a direct working partnership with the workforce and education systems, pointing out that when the education system is aware of workforce needs in relation to AI, they can tailor the education they provide to those needs. Scherlis concluded his response on a strong point, noting that, “We collaborate with industry so that these programs can be tailored to local needs of local employers.” 

Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) pressed further on the issue of alternative AI education opportunities for those who don’t want four-year degrees. Scherlis emphasized again that in working with employers, employees and community colleges, workforce needs can be met through various educational pathways. Langworthy and the witnesses also discussed how to best “tear the paper ceiling,” which Langworthy explained as the “invisible barrier that comes at every turn for the 70 million workers who are STARs.” STARs (skilled through alternative routes) are often screened out in hiring processes because they do not possess four-year degrees. The witnesses pressed once again on the importance of outreach to students on alternative pathways, and Hadra shared one solution IBM is working on in this area, which is to provide opportunities for apprenticeships in the field that are registered with the Department of Labor, and therefore become industry standard. 

Another pressing issue, raised by Rep. Steven Lynch (D-MA) is the shortage of STEM qualified teachers who are ready to work with and teach AI programs. This was addressed by Toregas, who touched on what interests him as an educator as well as the importance of building a network of educators, corroborated by Hadra who informed the committee of IBM’s investments in teachers and adult learners, providing another space for them to grow and network together.  

This morning, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing entitled “Preparing Students for Success in the Skills-Based Economy.” The witnesses included Danny Corwin, the Executive Director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools; Kelly Mosley, Career and Technical Education Supervisor for Clay County District Schools; Richard Kincaid, Senior Executive Director of College and Career Pathways at the Maryland Department of Education; and Brandon Mabile, Strategic Development Manager at Performance Contractors, Inc. 

The hearing covered a range of topics related to the benefits of CTE in K-12 education, and the resources required to implement the various CTE programs discussed. Overall, this is a strong bipartisan issue that garners support from leaders on both sides of the aisle, specifically the CTE Caucus Chairs, Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) and Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15).  

 Chairman Aaron Bean (FL-4) opened the hearing, arguing the value of CTE and noting the baselessness in the stigma surrounding a more diverse set of career pathways, as well as the skills gap born from this stigma. Bean shared that, “If we plan on closing the skills gap, collaboration between educational institutions and industry partners will be key.”  

In their opening statements, the witnesses pressed upon the need for funding and the importance of CTE programs. Several witnesses shared that one of the most significant hurdles to overcome in the expansion and development of CTE programs and resources is the national shortage of CTE teachers. They addressed other obstacles facing the widespread access to this pathway as well, including a college-for-all mentality and shortage in resources for CTE and career-oriented learning. They shared practical solutions to these issues, including the integration of skilled trades into "traditional” academic coursework and expanding opportunities for younger students to allow them to explore opportunities each high school has to offer. The witnesses concluded with a unified request: more funding for CTE programs, and an expansion of CTE resources across the country. 

Most notably, Ranking Member Bonamici raised the issue of Perkins V funding, noting the decline in Perkins funding over the last four decades and questioning Richard Kincaid on how additional Perkins funding could be applied. Kincaid explained that, “Using Perkins as a lever to reinvest additional funding into these programs would be a game changer for places, like Maryland, that rely not only on federal funds to move this agenda forward, but also to ensure that we are well aligned with business and industry.” This notion of funding was referenced many times throughout the hearing, with several witnesses agreeing that financial obstacles are the most difficult to overcome in CTE. Kelly Mosely also emphasized that many incredible CTE programs are made possible by Perkins funding, but that to improve those programs and create new ones, additional funding is necessary. 

Ranking Member Bonamici redirected the conversation back to Perkins once again in her closing statement noting that, “That Perkins funding really makes a difference because we have a lot of schools and districts across the country. And with the value of this investment, I hope that is something we can accomplish, to update that funding.”