On February 24, ACTE partnered with McKinley Technology High School to host the annual 2026 CTE Month School Visit. McKinley is a premier STEM school in Washington, D.C. Students select a major course of study in Engineering, Information Technology (Networking, Computer Science, and Digital Media) or Biotechnology, which is supplemented through mentorship, experiential learning, and a paid internship. The visit was attended by D.C. Public Schools officials, local and national CTE advocacy groups, policymakers, and other stakeholders. 

Kicking off the visit were welcoming remarks from ACTE Executive Director LeAnn Curry, National Association of Home Builders Program Manager Becca Wray, McKinley Principal Kortni Stafford and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee. Following these remarks, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee moderated a student panel featuring students in various career pathways. Students discussed how they chose their pathways, how McKinley has helped prepare them for their futures and the goals they hope to achieve after McKinley. Particularly impressive were the comments students made about how their CTE and academic courses complement each other and how they have been able to blend CTE coursework and advanced academics.  

Following the panel, student ambassadors guided guests through in-depth tours to see the various CTE classrooms and programs that McKinley has to offer. Attendees were escorted to classrooms that showcased programs in computer science, graphic design, biotechnology and engineering. Teachers welcomed guests into their classrooms to hear what the students are working on at this point in the academic year, such as developing and finalizing task portfolios to submit to the College Board as part of their AP Computer Science score, forensics blood typing, and wrapping up a unit on gears and gear trains. McKinley students and faculty demonstrated the value of hands-on education and spoke with visitors about the valuable opportunities available to their students.  

ACTE is grateful for the commitment and collaboration with McKinley Technology High School in hosting this thoughtful event in celebration of CTE Month. Specifically, ACTE extends heartfelt thanks to McKinley Principal Kortni Stafford, D.C. Public Schools Director of CTE Sherry Richardson and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee. ACTE also extends a warm thank-you to our generous sponsor for this event, the National Association of Homebuilders.   

This week, both chambers of Congress have been on recess and are expected to return on February 23. The partial government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding continues as negotiations continue. Meanwhile, the House CTE Caucus’s CTE Month Resolution is still open for cosponsors. CTE Caucus co-chairs Reps. Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced the resolution in the House earlier this month, but Members can still sign on in support. There is a companion resolution in the Senate, but due to procedural differences the deadline for cosponsors has passed in that chamber. Read more, along with more policy updates, below.  

• Ask Your Representatives to Cosponsor the 2026 House CTE Month Resolution: Strong support for the CTE Month Resolution will ensure that CTE is a priority for Congress this year. Using ACTE’s Action Center, you can send a message directly to your representative and ask them to cosponsor the Resolution.    

• DOL Announces $65 Million in Grants for Community College Workforce Programs: On Feb. 17, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of over $65 million in grants for community colleges to expand in-demand training programs. The funding will also go to support the necessary data activities required to ensure that programs meet the eligibility requirements of Workforce Pell. The deadline for institutions to apply is May 20. Read more on the blog.  

• Casey Sacks Officially Joining U.S. Department of Education (ED): Dr. Casey Sacks, President of BridgeValley Community and Technical College in West Virginia is officially leaving the college for a position in the Administration,  joining ED as its chief financial officer. During the previous Trump Administration, Sacks served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges in ED’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, where she led work around workforce development, CTE, adult education and prison education. She also served in a consultant position at the beginning of this Trump Administration as the Senior Policy Advisor for Workforce and AI. 

• ED Urges Institutions of Higher Education to Implement Best Practices to Reduce Default Rates: On Feb. 18, ED issued additional guidance reminding institutions of higher education of their shared responsibility under Title IV of the Higher Education Act to support borrowers throughout their federal student loan repayment journey and outlining best practices to strengthen institutional default management and prevention plans.  

• DOL Launches New Data Portal: On Feb. 18, the DOL launched a new data portal that provides access to labor and workforce datasets, visualizations and more from various agencies. Datasets related to WIOA training programs are expected to be added as well.  

• Upcoming House Hearing on CTE: Next week, on Feb. 24, the House Committee on Small Business will be hosting a hearing entitled “Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success,” focusing on the role of CTE for businesses and employers. ACTE will provide updates on the hearing as needed. 

• Upcoming House Hearing on AI and Teaching: Next week, on Feb. 24, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce will be hosting a hearing entitled “Building an AI-ready America: Teaching in the AI Field.” The committee has hosted several AI-related hearings in the past few months, including hearings on AI in the workplace and AI’s impact on education and workforce systems.   

On Feb. 17, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the availability of $65 million in grants to expand community college access to in-demand training programs, with the overall goal of integrating education and workforce systems. This will be the sixth round for funding offered under the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program.

In this round, DOL is focused “on building program and system capacity for implementing and scaling access to short-term training opportunities through Workforce Pell Grants.” This includes “promoting industry-driven strategies, worker mobility, and integration with the larger state workforce system.”

Priority will be placed on awards for state systems or consortia of colleges to support the development of data sharing and data systems that can demonstrate the outcomes required under Workforce Pell. The Department is expected to award six to 10 grants of up to $10.8 million over periods of four years.

Grants can also support the development and enhancement of high-quality, short-term programs that would be eligible for Workforce Pell. Programs must be portable and stackable while also meeting the hiring requirements of employers in in-demand industries. Eligible applicants include public and state controlled higher education institutions, but applicants must be consortia of multiple institutions. The deadline for applications is May 20. Find out more at https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361307.

Enrollment in Community College Noncredit Workforce Programs: A study from the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers University investigates why students pursue nondegree workforce programs in community colleges.  Drawing on more than 80 student interviews across three community colleges, the researchers organized their findings into three broad categories. 

• Diverse student populations with complex backgrounds: The noncredit students interviewed represent a wide range of backgrounds. Students ranged in age from 18 to 60 and had different financial and employment circumstances.  

• Nonlinear and interrupted postsecondary pathways: Most of the students had prior college experience, primarily in credit-based degree pathways. Students cited various reasons for leaving those programs, including disengagement with the coursework, dislike of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of motivation and financial need/personal hardships.  

• Enrollment considerations: why now?: Students identified several reasons for enrolling in a noncredit program, including affordability, to seek employment/a career change, and alignment with future education goals such as four-year degrees and medical school. 

Employers as Partners in the Success of Working Adult Learners: A study from RAND evaluates the effectiveness of the Achieve Your Dream (AYD) initiative, an employer-community college partnership that allows adult workers to earn a free certificate or associate degree.  

Analysis of program data reveals that AYD participation is associated with increased attainment of short- and long-term certificates as well as associate degrees. This association is stronger for adult workers earning a short-term certificate. The researchers also surveyed AYD staff and employer partners and found that both spend a significant portion of their time focusing on AYD-related administrative tasks rather than direct program support.  

From these findings, the researchers developed a set of recommendations for future partnerships to consider, including leveraging federal tax allowances to build partnerships and investing more in student supports such as mentoring and career coaching, which AYD staff indicated they provide little of.  

The Future is High School: A new resource from the XQ Institute identifies a high school redesign framework focused on teacher professional development, postsecondary credits, work-based learning and K-16 alignment, with examples of relevant state policies. Alongside reports for each state, the national report found that, among the 10 policy actions identified in the framework: 

• 46 states and D.C. award credit for work-based learning experiences such as internships and apprenticeships. 

• 38 states and D.C. support high school students’ access to rigorous postsecondary coursework such as dual enrollment and early college programs.  

• 32 states and D.C. have established high school graduate profiles that align academic and real-world competencies. 

• 32 states have established policies that award credits based on mastery and not seat time. 

• 23 states invest in teacher professional development opportunities that integrate academic and durable skills through instructional approaches such as project-based and competency-based learning. 

• 12 states publish disaggregated postsecondary enrollment and persistence data for each high school, while 27 states and D.C. partially meet this requirement by publishing disaggregated postsecondary enrollment data. 

Embedding Youth Apprenticeship in High School Pathways: A report from the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship examines youth apprenticeship programs from across the nation and finds that each program utilizes the following four strategies to ensure success: 

• Establishing strong, cross-sector partnerships and governance structures: Partnerships between K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions and industry leaders ensure that youth apprenticeship programs are aligned with academic and industry needs. The Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeship program cultivates strong, sustained partnerships between schools and employers that connect students with high-demand careers.  

• Designing programs to enable acceleration and multiple entry and exit points: These programs allow students to accelerate, pause or pivot along their education and career pathways. The LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network integrates related technical instruction through CTE and dual enrollment coursework, allowing students to earn postsecondary credit while participating in their apprenticeship. 

• Establishing statewide policies, incentives and accountability measures: Effective state policies incentivize districts and schools to embed youth apprenticeship programs in high school pathways. The Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky program is intentionally embedded in the state’s CTE programs of study. 

• Investing in high-use resources: Resources such as implementation toolkits or technical assistance can help sustain and scale successful program models. Youth Apprenticeship Wisconsin develops a suite of resources tailored to employers, school districts, students and parents. 

The House CTE Caucus’s CTE Month Resolution is still open for cosponsors! CTE Caucus co-chairs Reps. Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced the resolution in the House earlier this month, but Members can still sign on in support. There is a companion resolution in the Senate, but due to procedural differences the deadline for cosponsors has passed in that chamber. 

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

This resolution recognizes February 2026 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 ensure that CTE is a priority for Congress this year. Using ACTE’s Action Center, you can send a message directly to your representative and ask them to cosponsor the Resolution. If you have a direct contact within your Member’s office, we urge you to contact them directly. 

Your representative can sign on as a cosponsor of the House CTE Month Resolution by contacting: 

• Faith Tuttle (faith.tuttle@mail.house.gov) in Rep. Thompson’s office 

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

This week, Reps. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), co-chairs of the House CTE Caucus, and Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Ted Budd (R-NC), co-chairs of the Senate CTE Caucus, introduced resolutions honoring CTE Month. While the Senate resolution is closed for co-sponsors, it is not too late to ask your House Member to co-sponsor! In other news, a partial government shutdown began on Saturday, primarily affecting agencies under the Department of Homeland Security as lawmakers continue to disagree over funding related to immigration enforcement activities. The shutdown will have no effect on Department of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) programs. Read more updates below. 

• White House Releases CTE Month Message: On Feb. 13, the White House released a Presidential Message on Career and Technical Education Month. You can see the statement here.  

• DOL Announces $145 Million in Performance-based Apprenticeship Funding: On Feb. 13, the DOL formally announced a funding opportunity for $145 million to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs nationwide. Grants will be awarded to up to five cooperative agreements for a four-year period and will focus on pay-for-performance incentive payments programs, with an emphasis on industries with well-established apprenticeship infrastructure as well as expansion into new industries such as shipbuilding and artificial intelligence. Applications are due Apr. 3.  

• Upcoming Webinar on Combining Perkins and WIOA State Plans: ED’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) will be hosting a webinar on Feb 19, 3PM EST, for state leaders interested in combining their state’s Perkins and WIOA plans. Interested leaders may register for the webinar here. 

• Workforce Pell Rollout to Receive $65M from DOL: On Feb. 10, Labor Assistant Secretary Henry Mack announced that the Administration will soon launch this year’s Strengthening Community College Training Grants program with a focus on partnerships between community colleges and local industry for workforce development. 

• Updated Times: Connecting Talent to Opportunity Info Sessions: The Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge, sponsored by ED, is a $15 million prize competition to strengthen the connections between learners, education and training providers, and employers by fostering the development of integrated Talent Marketplaces. Register here for webinar sessions on Feb. 17 at 2 PM EST and March 3 at 2 PM EST. 

• ED Highlights Flexibility in Federal Education Funding to Support Innovative Teacher Workforce Strategies: On Feb. 9, ED sent guidance to states and districts, emphasizing existing flexibilities to use certain Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds to implement innovative teacher workforce strategies, including strategic staffing models. According to the new guidance, K-12 leaders could use funds to differentiate pay for teachers, principals or other school leaders for taking on additional responsibilities or leading instructional teams.  

• 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Vacates Preliminary Injunction Against EOs Aimed at Eliminating DEI Practices: A federal appeals court handed President Trump a legal victory in a case brought by two higher-ed associations on Feb. 13 when it vacated a preliminary injunction against two executive orders aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion practices in higher education.  

• CBO Projects Looming Pell Grant Shortfall: A new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office projects that, by 2027, the Pell Grant program will be facing an $11.5 billion funding shortfall unless Congress acts to invest additional funds into the program. If additional funds are not added, Congress could decide to make eligibility changes to the program reducing access.  

• ED Initiates Development of 2027-28 FAFSA Form: On Feb. 13, ED published a notice in the Federal Register requesting information and input from the public on the FAFSA as development for the 2027-28 form begins.  

• DOL Releases AI Literacy Framework: On Feb. 13, the DOL released an AI literacy framework aimed at aligning AI literacy efforts across the education and workforce systems. The framework identifies five foundational content areas of AI literacy and outlines seven effective delivery principles to equip students with AI-related skills. This includes providing students with AI-related hands-on and experiential learning experiences.   

• ED Issues Proposed Interpretive Rule to Eliminate the Use of “Regional” by Accrediting Agencies: On Feb. 13, ED issued a proposed interpretive rule arguing that the “regional” label used by accrediting agencies and other entities creates inappropriate barriers and misleads students and the public. Comments on the proposed rule are due by March 19.  

• ED Finalizes Secretary McMahon’s Priorities on Meaningful Learning Opportunities: On Feb. 12, ED published a notice on the Federal Register that finalizes Secretary McMahon’s supplemental priorities on meaningful learning opportunities, authorizing their use in the department’s discretionary grant programs. One of the priorities includes a focus on expanding career-connected and work-based learning opportunities. ACTE submitted comments to ED on these priorities last fall. 

• Maritime Administration Announces Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education: On Feb. 12, the Maritime Administrator announced it may designate a domestic maritime training or education entity as a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. Applications for interested entities, which include postsecondary institutions, are due on April 13.  

• ED, DOL and Interior Department Hosted Consultation with Tribal Leaders: On Feb. 10, the Departments of Education, Labor and Interior hosted a consultation with tribal leaders to discuss the transfer of Indian Education programs from ED to the Department of the Interior. Tribal officials expressed opposition of the move during discussions. Additional public comments can be submitted through March 12.  

A new resource from Advance CTE provides state leaders with a framework to use when integrating core subjects with CTE programs. After conducting a national landscape scan, the researchers identified three pillars essential to academic-CTE integration. 

• Supportive Policies: These policies lay the foundation for integration through course sequencing, standards alignment and similar initiatives. In Delaware, CTE programs of study that apply to receive approval and funding must directly link the program’s technical standards to related academic standards. Similarly, for an Ohio CTE program to be considered exemplary by the state’s education department, it must integrate academic content into its curriculum. 

• Enabling Policies: Building upon supportive policies, enabling policies work to remove barriers that may prevent the implementation or expansion of integrated academic and CTE programs. Modifying high school graduation requirements is one area states have been actively engaging with. For instance, Oregon recognizes applied academic credit earned through some CTE courses while Arkansas allows students to substitute core academic requirements with specific CTE coursework. Offering flexible guidance for teacher credentialing is another way states can bridge academic and CTE coursework. The Idaho Division of CTE, for example, has developed a resource detailing how core subject teachers can transition to CTE teaching. 

• Implementation Supports: Once supportive and enabling policies are in place, the focus shifts to implementation and translating policy to practice. This primarily looks like offering professional development opportunities that prepare teachers and administrators to integrate CTE and academics. In Hawai’i and New Mexico, CTE teachers in each state are being trained to include math and numeracy-related skills into their courses. New York’s CTE Technical Assistance Center offers a specialized professional learning community focused on integrated academics.  

In addition to the framework and state program examples, Advance CTE also compiled a repository of state resources focused on academic-CTE integration, including crosswalks, graduation requirements and relevant state legislation.