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.  

On Feb. 3, ACTE worked with CTE Futures, along with partners at Advance CTE, to release a comprehensive new report on the impact of AI on CTE programs: Applied Co-Intelligence: Preparing Career and Technical Education Learners for an AI-Driven Workforce.

This report, funded by the ECMC Foundation, examines how CTE can evolve to prepare students for an AI-driven workforce. It traces AI’s trajectory, explores its impact on the future of work, includes analysis of its impact across Career Clusters, and provides actionable guidance for CTE educators, policymakers, employers, and researchers.

The report introduces the Applied Co-Intelligence (ACI) model—a framework designed for the realities of technical education in the AI era. The ACI model goes beyond teaching learners to use AI tools to ensure they are equipped with the uniquely human skills to critique, direct, and collaborate with AI.

Drawing on research, interviews, policy developments, and emerging practice, the report serves as both a roadmap and a call to action for all stakeholders committed to equitable, future-ready workforce preparation in CTE.

A webinar will be held to discuss the report on Feb. 19 at 2:00 Eastern. You can register at https://acte.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U2w5w3bHRheeQ9CuEmib2g#/registration.

This week marks the start of CTE Month! House and Senate leaders are currently preparing for this year’s introduction of CTE Month resolutions, and ACTE is coordinating with lawmakers to cosponsor the resolutions. In funding news, the partial government shutdown that began last week ended as Congress passed a minibus that includes funding for the Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. Funding for most programs across the departments, including Perkins, was level funded. Read more updates below. 

• ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Members of Congress to Cosponsor the 2026 CTE Month Resolution! CTE leaders in the House and Senate are preparing for the introduction of this year’s CTE Month Resolutions, and we need your help to recruit co-sponsors! CLICK HERE to ask your Members of Congress to cosponsor this year’s CTE Month resolution.  

• OCTAE Releases Perkins State Plan Guidance: On Feb. 4, ED’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education released updated requirements and instructions for the submission of Perkins V State Plan revisions. The instructions largely mirror existing practices, but do ease some administrative burdens related to plan modifications.   

• Agriculture Department Releases SAS Grant Opportunity: On Jan. 29, the Department of Agriculture released a notice of funding opportunity for the Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS) initiative. The initiative provides postsecondary institutions with funding to conduct research, education and extension projects that support the nation’s agricultural system. This year, the grant includes a focus on AI in K-12 food and agricultural sciences, including developing AI tools that prepare students with the skills to enter agricultural-based careers. Applications are due on Mar. 26. 

• House Holds Hearing on AI in the Workforce: On Feb. 3, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing on the impact of AI in the workforce. Lawmakers and witnesses discussed various issues, including privacy concerns and how federal labor data can better measure AI’s impact on worker outcomes. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) mentioned her current work developing a framework that addresses AI education and workforce readiness while Rep. John Mannion (D-NY) briefly discussed the Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act, a bipartisan bill—endorsed by ACTE—that would expand the use of virtual reality and simulation-based training tools in CTE and workforce development programs. Watch the hearing here. 

• House Holds Hearing on Rising College Costs: On Feb. 4, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Runaway College Spending Meets the Working Families Tax Cuts,” where lawmakers  examined rising college costs and discussed how the Working Families Tax Cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are intended to rein in tuition increases and bring greater accountability to institutional spending. The tax– cut in the law is intended to help lower college costs by curbing excessive institutional spending and improving student outcomes.  

• Lumina Foundation Updates Annual Credential Data: On Feb. 5, the Lumina Foundation released an updated version of its A Stronger Nation report. The new data reveals that, in 2024, 43.6% of U.S. working adults held a credential of value—i.e., a postsecondary credential that leads to an annual salary 15% higher than the national median salary.  

• ED Issues Guidance on Prayer and Religious Expression in Public Schools: On Feb. 5, ED issued guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools. 

• SHEEO Release New Data on State Postsecondary Funding: On Feb. 4, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) released new data on state postsecondary funding support for FY 26. Analysis of the data revealed that there is slowing growth in state support, with funding increasing by 1% compared to an average increase of 7.8% from 2022 to 2025. 

• Trump Announces Nominee to Lead the BLS: On Jan. 30, President Trump announced that he plans on nominating Brett Matsumoto to serve as the next Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Matsumoto currently serves as a Senior Economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers. Trump previously nominated economist E.J. Antoni to lead the agency but later pulled the nomination following several controversies.  

• Four-Year Institutions Won Nearly Half of Grants Awarded to Help Build Programs Eligible for Workforce Pell: This Inside Higher Ed article found that 10 of the 22 grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) for short-term programs went to four-year institutions. While historically these institutions aren’t known for their robust short-term workforce credentials, they won FIPSE grants for programs such as data skills and construction.  

• Secretary McMahon Continues National Education Tours: Secretary McMahon continued her education tour of the nation this week, visiting a Chicago school to tour its CTE labs and then engaging with history students participating in civics-related activities. 

On February 3, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing titled “Building an AI-ready America: Adopting AI at Work.” The witnesses included: 

• Mr. Bradford Kelley, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson, P.C. 

• Ms. Revana Sharfuddin, Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University  

• Ms. Tanya Goldman, Fellow, Workshop  

• Mr. David Walton, Partner, Founder and Co-chair of AI, Data and Analytics Group, Fisher Phillips 

Throughout the hearing, lawmakers and witnesses discussed several issues related to how workers and employers use AI in their day-to-day work. Democratic lawmakers emphasized protecting workers from job displacement and potential misuses of AI by employers while Republicans focused on utilizing AI to strengthen the economy, create new jobs and make work easier for workers and employers. 

There was also discussion on the importance of data in understanding the impact of AI. Revana Sharfuddin of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University stated that “by investing in better data now, Congress can ensure that debates over training, labor standards and social insurance are grounded in evidence—and that AI adoption at work proceeds in a way that is both innovative and worker centered.” Sharfuddin also recommended that the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau launch AI-related data collections that are linked to worker outcomes.  

Several lawmakers touched on the impact of AI on education as well. Rep. John Mannion (D-NY) briefly discussed the Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act, a bipartisan bill—endorsed by ACTE and partners—that would expand the use of virtual reality, augmented reality and simulation-based training tools in CTE and workforce development programs across the nation. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) mentioned her current work developing a framework that addresses AI education and workforce readiness. Responding to a question on AI in job training from Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), David Walton with Fisher Phillips indicated that AI could assist with upskilling and reskilling workers across career pathways. 

A recap and recording of the hearing can be found here.