Members of Congress were on recess this week, with little activity happening in the Capitol. Attention has primarily been directed toward the reconciliation bill that would provide funding to ICE and CBP. Senate Republicans had hoped to pass the bill last week, with the ultimate goal of sending it to the president by June 1. However, disagreements over provisions in the bill delayed the process, forcing the votes to be delayed until after the recess. When Congress returns next week they face a long “to do” list and limited time before the mid-term elections. Read more policy updates below.    

• OMB Releases Proposed Changes to Grant Guidance: On May 29, the White House Office of Management and Budget published proposed changes to the Uniform Grant Guidance in the Federal Register. If enacted, these changes would apply to all grants across the federal government. While we are still evaluating the entire proposal, it appears to include significant changes to how federal funds can be spent on conferences and memberships, requiring the approval of the federal agency that awards the funds. Other recommended changes include giving Administration officials more power over federal competitive grants. Comments are due on the proposal on July 13, and we will have much more information as we analyze and learn more. 

• IES Releases the Condition of Education: On May 28, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) released its 2026 Condition of Education report. The Condition of Education is an annual report mandated by Congress to examine the state of education across the nation, from pre-kindergarten through postsecondary workforce outcomes. 

• ED Announces Additional Grant Competitions: The Education Department launched various grant programs this week, including programs on basic needs for postsecondary students, promoting civics education, assisting veteran students, developing new textbooks and transitioning gang-involved youth to postsecondary education.  

• FAA To Invest $26 Million to Bolster Aviation Workforce: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be investing $26 million to bolster the aviation workforce, primarily through Aircraft Pilots Workforce Development Grants and the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grants. The deadline to apply is June 22, 2026.   

• FSA to Hold Webinars on OBBBA Implementation: The Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) will be hosting a series of webinars and virtual office hours to assist schools with implementing provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including Workforce Pell and other student loan changes. 

• ED Finalizes Priority on Patriotic Education: On May 22, ED finalized its Supplemental Priority on Patriotic Education for use in future grant competitions. 

• ED Faces Pressure to Release Research Funds: Following a report finding that ED has yet to utilize nearly $300 million in research funding, education groups and lawmakers have been urging the Department to release those funds before the current fiscal year ends. An official told K-12 Dive that the Department is “committed to using appropriated funds to meet our statutory obligations while supporting high-quality research.” 

• ED Sends SAVE Borrowers Warning Before July 1 Formal Notices Begin: ED has started emailing borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan to remind them that a court order ended the SAVE plan and that starting July 1, they will have 90 days to select a different repayment plan.  

Perceptions of CTE Graduates: An article in the Journal of Career and Technical Education by Jamie Molina, Karen Alexander, Cynthia Miller, Melanie Schmitt and Kyle Roberson analyzes the career and employability perceptions of high school CTE program graduates. The researchers surveyed over a thousand CTE program graduates in Texas and found that about 87% of graduates plan on pursuing a career aligned with their CTE program, with the highest rates for students in STEM (95.6%) and Information Technology (92.8%).  

Seventy-two percent of graduates indicated that their current or future career will require industry certifications they earned in high school. The researchers also found that graduates whose careers require certifications are more likely to pursue occupations aligned with their CTE program than those whose careers do not require certifications.  

Landscape of CTE in Los Angeles: A landscape analysis conducted by SRI examines CTE programming and outcomes in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The most common CTE program models offered by the district are more traditional CTE programs and Linked Learning pathways that combine rigorous technical training with college preparatory coursework. 

Analyzing 2020-22 administrative data, the researchers found that enrollment across CTE programs and Linked Learning pathways is relatively even across race, gender and disability status. However, English learners, as well as the highest- and lowest-achieving students by test scores, took fewer CTE courses in either pathway compared to other groups. The researchers hypothesize that scheduling poses a barrier, as high-achieving students may need to decide between AP and CTE coursework while low-achieving students may need to retake core classes. 

Students who completed either a more traditional CTE program or a Linked Learning pathway have stronger outcomes across various measures compared to those who did not take any CTE courses, including attendance, graduation, completion of college preparatory coursework and college enrollment.  

State Dual Enrollment Policy: The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships conducted a state scan of dual enrollment legislation and found that 18 states have comprehensive frameworks that address dual enrollment program quality, 22 have some policies in place and 11 states lack policies that address program quality. Furthermore, few states connect dual enrollment to broader statewide priorities such as labor market needs, and most policies addressing quality largely stop at the course level and do not consider other supports such as advising and transition guidance. Many states also lack the infrastructure to assess and evaluate dual enrollment programs. 

From these findings, the researchers developed a framework aimed at improving dual enrollment policy implementation in states. The framework is organized into four pillars: 

• Align: Clarify the role of dual enrollment within state education and workforce goals 

• Define: Establish the essential elements of dual enrollment program quality 

• Empower: Ensure state policy is translated into practice 

• Assess: Determine whether programs meet quality standards 

Readers interested in learning more about dual enrollment and other CTE-related state policies can view ACTE and Advance CTE’s state policy project and tracker. 

Technical Education for Boys and Men: An article by Hannah Kistler and Shaun Dougherty in the ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science examines the impact of CTE for boys and men, outlining previous research and noting the need to scale programming to help boys and men overcome barriers to postsecondary education and workforce participation.  

The researchers examine national labor market data and found that male participation in the workforce has been steadily decreasing since World War II, with some of this decline attributable to the loss of male-dominated industries. Furthermore, many of the industries that tend to employ males, which often do not require a college degree, have seen less growth. The researchers note that while educational requirements for employment have been increasing steadily over time, men have been making up a smaller share of college graduates over the same period, likely explaining some of the challenges they face today. They also found that many high-growth jobs that do not require a degree, such as transportation and health care careers, fall under the CTE umbrella and may serve as effective pathways for men. 

The researchers conclude with four implications for policy and practice: 

• Scale successful CTE programs and models 

• Support occupations where men thrive and demand is steady, such as the skilled trades 

• Use CTE to create connections to applied postsecondary education and employment options 

• Use CTE to connect men to industries and occupations of known high demand or strong compensation but where they are not as well represented 

There was a lot of activity this week as Congress prepared to head out of town for the Memorial Day recess. The Department of Education (ED) finalized rules on Workforce Pell implementation and reached a consensus on accreditation rulemaking. Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling also testified this week regarding the Trump Administration’s proposed FY 2027 budget for the Department of Labor (DOL). Read more updates below. 

• ED Issues Final Rule to Create New Workforce Pell Grant Program: On May 18, ED released it’s final rule for the implementation of Workforce Pell. Beginning July 1, eligible students will be able to use Pell Grants for approved high-quality, short-term workforce training programs. Read more on the blog. 

• ED Reaches Consensus on Accreditation Rulemaking: On May 21, ED announced that its accreditation rulemaking committee reached consensus on a number of changes to accreditation regulations. These include making it easier for new accreditors and for institutions to switch accreditors, revising transfer credit policies, requiring accreditors to evaluate whether institutions are maintaining academic freedom protections and prioritizing intellectual diversity. 

• ACTE and Advance CTE Submits Comments on Accountability Framework: On May 20, ACTE and Advance CTE submitted comments to ED regarding the recently enacted postsecondary accountability framework regarding institutional participation and eligibility under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA). 

• ACTE Endorses Several Bills: This week, Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) led a bipartisan group of lawmakers to introduce the Early Childhood Workforce Advancement Act (S. 4597/H.R. 8937). The bill would address the childcare workforce shortage by investing in CTE programs and incentivizing more students to enter the early childhood workforce upon graduation. Senators Hassan (D-NH), Young (R-IN), Collins (R-ME) and Kaine (D-VA) also reintroduced the Gateway to Careers Act (S. 4578) to help hardworking Americans gain new skills and advance in the workforce and help businesses find the skilled workforce that they need to grow. Finally, the Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act (S. 4567/H.R. 8896) was reintroduced in the House and Senate to modernize and expand teacher loan forgiveness. ACTE has endorsed all of these bills.  

• ED Launches More Grant Programs: ED launched several grant programs this week, including two programs for migrant students and two programs focused on preparing special education teachers and support staff. The Department also launched the Strengthening Institutions Program to help states develop programs for Workforce Pell. This program previously supported grants for minority-serving institutions (MSIs). 

• Labor Secretary Testifies Before Congress: On May 19, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing titled, “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Labor.” Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling testified regarding the Administration’s proposed FY 2027 funding levels and policy priorities for DOL. A full recording of the hearing can be found here, as well as more information on our blog.   

• Deadline for Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award Approaching: The deadline to submit a nomination for the Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award is on May 31. The award recognizes two outstanding cybersecurity teachers from across the nation. 

• Acting Assistant Secretary for OCTAE Announces Departure: On May 20, Nick Moore, the Acting Assistant Secretary for ED’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) and Deputy Assistant Secretary at DOL, announced his departure from the federal government. Dr. Casey Sacks, the Chief Financial Officer at ED who also served in OCTAE during the first Trump Administration, will be assuming the duties of Acting Assistant Secretary.  

• New OCTAE Website: ED combined the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN) website with the Department’s adult education website to form a new consolidated website for the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education. 

• 24 States Sue Over Loan Limits on Healthcare Degrees: On May 19, a coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging a rule that limits access to federal student loans for borrowers earning a graduate degree in several healthcare-related fields. 

• HELP Committee Chair Loses Re-Election Bid in Primary: Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, lost his bid for re-election in the Louisiana primary on May 16. It is unclear who will succeed him as education committee chair when he leaves the Senate.  

• ED Approves More Federal Funding Waivers for States: On May 19, ED announced that it was approving additional federal funding waivers for Florida, Illinois and Louisiana to allow for more flexibility in how they allocate funds. The Department also released guidance encouraging states to take advantage of current funding flexibilities in the law. 

• Senate HELP Committee Holds Hearing on Charter Schools: On May 20, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing titled, “Meeting the Individual Needs of All Students: The Role of Charter Schools.” A full recording can be found here.  

• NAGB to Restore Previously Cut NAEP Exams: The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), announced that it was restoring several NAEP exams that it had previously cut last year, including 12th grade reading and math exams in 2032. 

• Surgeon General’s Office Issues Warning on Screen Time for Children: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a U.S. surgeon general’s advisory urging families, schools, and providers to reduce children’s screen time.  

• DOL Releases Guidance on Federal Funds for Marketing: On May 19, the Department of Labor released a Training and Employment Guidance Letter, Clarifying Allowable Outreach Activities for Federal Formula and Competitive Grants. The guidance clarifies the allowable uses of funds under WIOA and Perkins for outreach activities and program marketing.  

On May 19, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing titled “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Labor.” Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling testified regarding the Administration’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2027 funding levels and policy priorities for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Throughout the hearing, senators questioned the Administration’s proposed restructuring of federal workforce development programs, reductions to overall discretionary spending, and the growing coordination between the Departments of Labor and Education.

Democrats on the subcommittee criticized the administration’s “political crusade” to eliminate the Department of Education (ED) by shifting to co-manage programs with other agencies through recent interagency agreements. They argued that DOL is not equipped to manage these programs[AH1]  and that moving ED programs across agencies has resulted in difficulties in administering education programs while creating new challenges for DOL in administering its own programs.

Proposed cuts to the Job Corps program also emerged as a major flashpoint. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said the program helped students in her state move into cybersecurity, shipbuilding and other careers. Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) also warned that eliminating Job Corps could hurt workforce pipelines tied to shipbuilding and the defense industrial base.

A recording of the hearing can be found here.

On May 18, the Department of Education (ED) released its final rule for the implementation of Workforce Pell. Beginning July 1, eligible students will be able to use Pell Grants for approved high-quality, short-term workforce training programs. 

The final rule establishes the regulatory framework for the Workforce Pell Grant program. As written in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, eligible workforce programs must be between 150 and 599 clock hours and span at least eight but less than 15 weeks. Programs must lead to a recognized postsecondary credential that is stackable to a higher-level, for-credit program and prepares students for employment in high-skill, high-wage or in-demand occupations. 

To qualify for Workforce Pell eligibility, a program must have been in existence for at least one year and be offered by an accredited institution that has not faced a suspension, emergency action or program termination within the previous five years. 

Students must also meet existing Pell Grant eligibility requirements, including having a valid Social Security number, a high school diploma or recognized equivalent. They must be within Pell Grant lifetime usage limits (to which Workforce Pell applies). The regulations also establish additional eligibility requirements specific to Workforce Pell participants: 

• A student who received a bachelor’s degree may be eligible for a Workforce Pell Grant to enroll in an eligible program 

• A student enrolled in a program that leads to a graduate credential or who has attained a graduate credential is not eligible for a Workforce Pell Grant  

• A student may not receive concurrent Pell Grants for more than one eligible program at a time. 

Under the final regulations, governors, in partnership with state workforce boards, will identify high-skill, high-wage or in-demand industries and occupations to determine which programs are eligible for Workforce Pell funding. States will also have to determine if programs meet the “stackability” requirements originally outlined in the statute.  

Once a governor approves a program, ED will review documentation submitted by the institution to verify that the program meets federal requirements related to instructional length, clock hours, completion rates and job placement outcomes. 

• Completion Rate: 70 percent of program participants must complete the program within 150 percent of the normal time to completion.  

• Employment Rate: 70 percent of program completers must be employed during the second quarter after program exit. 

Institutions will eventually also be required to demonstrate that program graduates earn enough after completion to justify the total cost of attendance, reflecting a focus within the program on value and student return on investment. As part of the accountability provisions, a program’s published tuition and fees cannot exceed its “value-added earnings,” defined as the difference between the median earnings of program completers and 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline for a single individual during the applicable tax year. Notably, the final regulations exclude students from this measure who are still enrolled in education, a key priority we highlighted during the previous comment period to ensure students can be encouraged to pursue additional education along their career pathway. Unfortunately, the employment rate metric does not contain this exemption.  

Programs can lose eligibility by failing to meet the completion rate, job placement rate, or value-added earnings requirements. 

Now that the final rule has been issued, states will be able to finalize their approval processes and submit programs to the federal government for the Secretary’s approval. It is important to remember that there will likely only be a few programs identified as eligible at the beginning of the program’s launch, but that additional programs can be added as states and local institutions identify needs and build out data and reporting systems.  

ACTE will continue to distribute information as it becomes available. If you have any questions, please contact ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org).

Congress was in session this week, and Secretary McMahon testified before the House Committee on Education & Workforce regarding the Department of Education’s (ED) priorities and President Trump’s FY27 budget proposal. ED also launched numerous grant competitions this week, including one focused on career pathways, and released a new draft of accreditation regulations ahead of another week of accreditation negotiated rulemaking. Read more updates below.  

• ED Secretary McMahon Testified at House Education and Workforce Committee Hearing: On May 14, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing titled, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education,” where U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testified. Read more on the blog.  

• ED Launches Several Grant Competitions: This week, ED announced the launch of several grant competitions, including the Ready to Learn Program and the Promise Neighborhoods Program, the Comprehensive Centers Program, the Teacher Quality Partnership Program, and a $144 million investment for students with disabilities. ED and DOL also announced a grant competition related to career pathways, and readers can learn more about this grant and the call for peer reviewers on the blog. 

• OCTAE Issues Memo on Postsecondary Credentials: On May 12, the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) at ED issued a memo to states on recognized postsecondary credentials in CTE fields, outlining strategies for states related to expanding and assessing credentials. OCTAE also recommends incorporating AI certifications into CTE programs. 

• ED Releases New Draft of Accreditation Regulations: This week, ED released a new draft of accreditation regulations ahead of the second and final week of accreditation-related negotiated rulemaking. While most of the regulations remain unchanged, a few noteworthy edits were made, including a new definition of “academic freedom” that accreditors would be required to enforce and new transfer of credit language.  

• Department of Commerce Announces Funding Opportunity to Upskill American Workers in AI: On May 11, the Department of Commerce announced that it is making available approximately $25 million in funding as part of a new AI Upskill Accelerator Pilot Program. This initiative will support the design and implementation of AI workforce training, helping to train workers and grow industries that are integral to regional economies.  

• Lawsuit Attempting to Stop Dismantling of ED Moves Forward: On May 8, a federal judge denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to stop the administration from dismantling ED. The NAACP, the National Education Association and other groups sued the department and ED Secretary McMahon in March 2025, alleging that the administration’s attempts to close the department are illegal. 

• Federal Student Aid Launches Hiring Spree: An article from POLITICO noted that ED’s Office of Federal Student Aid has launched a hiring spree, seeking to onboard an additional 334 full-time workers despite mass layoffs occurring at the office last year. 

• FAFSA Simplifications Led to Increased Student Eligibility: A report from the Government Accountability Office found that the simplification of the FAFSA process, including a shorter application for some applicants and a reworked eligibility formula, led to a 6% increase in the number of students eligible for Pell Grants and a 31% increase in the number of students eligible for the maximum Pell Grant in 2024-25 compared to the previous year. 

• Secretary of Education Visits Alaska as Part of National Tour: Secretary of Education Linda McMahon continued her Returning Education to the States tour, visiting Alaska. On May 8, she visited Mat-Su Career & Tech High School, touring classrooms specializing in forestry and piloting. She then participated in a workforce development roundtable with students to hear what sets Mat-Su Career & Tech High School apart and how the programs support career development. 

On May 14, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testified before the House Committee on Education and Workforce on the Administration’s FY 2027 budget proposal and other priorities.

One of the main targets of questioning at the hearing was the Department of Education’s (ED) decision to exclude nursing programs as a “professional degree” under new student loan limits. ED’s final rule for these new limits excludes graduate-level nursing programs from its defined “professional degree” category. The change caps federal borrowing for nursing students at $100,000, separating them from designated professional fields, such as medicine and law, that have  $200,000 limits. McMahon argued that the designation aims to reduce students’ costs. It is important to note that this designation has no other impact on nursing programs aside from the loan limits.

There was also significant discussion during the hearing regarding proposed cuts and block grants in the Administration’s budget, as well as the series of inter-agency agreements (IAA) to move several education programs from ED to other agencies.

Regarding CTE, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) expressed concern over the IAA shifting the administration of Perkins funds from ED to the Department of Labor as well as the Trump Administration’s proposal that would be prohibit Perkins funds from being used for postsecondary CTE programs.

McMahon defended the IAA stating that it will allow states to better align their education and workforce development efforts.

A recording of the hearing can be found here.