Over the weekend, lawmakers in the House and Senate announced that they reached an agreement on spending levels for fiscal year (FY) 2024. The deal comes only 12 days before the stopgap spending bill passed in November to avert a government shutdown is set to expire on Jan. 19.  

The deal will allow for the total level of spending previously agreed to in the Fiscal Responsibility Act last May, which suspended the limit on federal debt through January 1, 2025. The deal will set spending levels at $886.3 billion for defense programs and $772.7 billion for nondefense programs. 

The deal also includes several cuts to spending, including $6.1 billion in unspent COVID relief funding as well as $10 billion in IRS funding that was previously agreed to in the Inflation Reduction Act.  

In a joint statement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said, “The bipartisan topline appropriations agreement clears the way for Congress to act over the next few weeks in order to maintain important funding priorities for the American people and avoid a government shutdown. The framework agreement to proceed will enable the appropriators to address many of the major challenges America faces at home and abroad.” 

Next, Congress still needs to set the allocations for each of the 12 government funding bills, set levels for each program, agree on whether there will be policy riders, and then pass the bills, either individually or, more likely, in one or two packages of bills. 

While Congress works on the final package, ACTE will continue for the highest possible funding levels for CTE! 

Over the last few weeks, the Department of Education has been rolling out new policies and grants and working through some struggles with their new Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) after encountering technical difficulties with the platform. The House and Senate return from recess the week of January 8, and will face a long list of overdue items. More news and notes below: 

• Administration Awards $44.5 Million to Improve Postsecondary Education Access and Completion for Students in Rural Communities: The Administration announced winners of the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant program, awarding $44.6 million in grants to 22 higher education institutions, including a number of community and technical colleges. This program hopes to improve the rates of postsecondary enrollment and completion in rural communities and promote career development and access to good-paying jobs. Read more from the Department of Education. 
• The Department of Education has Released the New FAFSA: On Dec. 30, the Department of Education released an updated version of FAFSA that is significantly shorter than previous versions of the form. They continue to work through site maintenance and other access issues, resulting in lawmakers calling on the department for clarity and support to those trying to use the application. Despite these initial struggles, more than 17 million students are expected to complete the application this year. Read more on the new FAFSA on Inside Higher Ed. 
• New Resource: Maximizing Access & Success for Special Populations and Underrepresented Learners in CTE: In mid-December, ACTE and Advance CTE released the first pieces in a new series of publications addressing how to support the nine Perkins V special populations and underserved learner groups. The series will highlight strategies, reflection questions and case studies for supporting each population. A second set of briefs will be released in January.  
• Administration Prepares to Launch Negotiated Rulemaking on Institutional Quality and Program Integrity: The Department of Education released six issue papers across a range of categories that will be considered in a new negotiated rulemaking session beginning in January. ACTE will be following several of the issues under consideration carefully, particularly related to new rules on distance education. Learn more about these efforts here. 

ACTE and Advance CTE have released the first set in a new series of joint publications that address how to support each of the nine Perkins V special populations and other underserved learner groups.

The Maximizing Access & Success for Special Populations in CTE series features strategies, reflection questions and case studies for supporting each special population as well as other key populations that have been a focus of state and local support.

Part I, released last week, includes an introduction to the series and briefs on supporting the following special populations:

• Nontraditional learners
• Foster youth
• Out-of-workforce individuals

A second set of briefs describing how to support additional populations will be released in February.

This week, Congress attempted to wrap up their work for the year ahead of their target adjournment date. The annual National Defense Authorization Act was passed by both chambers, but negotiations continue on an emergency international aid package for Israel and Ukraine. The House has now adjourned for the holiday break while the Senate delayed its recess in hopes of getting a deal through. More news and notes below:

• Senate HELP Committee Approves Education Sciences Reform Act Reauthorization: This week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to approve the Advancing Research in Education Act (S.3392), which amends the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) that has not been touched by Congress since 2002. This new ESRA bill includes CTE more overtly and focuses on both the education and workforce outcomes of students. Read more on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

• House Education and Workforce Committee Approves WIOA Reauthorization and Short-term Pell Legislation: The House and Education Workforce Committee voted to approve a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and a bill to extend Pell grants to short-term programs. Read more about WIOA on the CTE Policy Watch Blog here and short-term Pell here.

• NCES Releases Data on Public School Teachers, Highlighting Rates of Professionals Exiting the Field: The National Center for Education Statistics has released a set of selected findings from its Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS). This week’s data release announced that approximately 8% of teachers left the profession in 2021, a rate unchanged from a decade earlier. 

• NCES Releases Data on Outcomes and Graduation Rates for Students at Postsecondary Institutions: The National Center for Education Statistics has released a set of provisional data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which discovered that at least 31% of students attending a 2-year institution in school year 2014-15 earned a degree or a certificate within 8 years after initial enrollment, representing an increase from school year 2013-14.

• Department of Energy Launches New Office to Coordinate Critical and Emerging Technologies: The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the launch of the Office of Critical and Emerging Technology to coordinate efforts in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, quantum computing and semiconductors.
• Department of Labor Announced Proposed Rulemaking to Modernize Registered Apprenticeship Regulations: The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that it will propose new regulations related to the National Apprenticeship System. The proposed rule includes stronger labor standards and workers protections, better defined roles for state apprenticeship agencies, better promotion of apprenticeship pathways and the creation of a student centric model of registered apprenticeship, among other things. It also contains new connections to CTE programs, which we will be analyzing carefully!

My name is Hannah Richards, and I am thrilled to join ACTE as the new Media and Advocacy Coordinator. I’m a recent graduate from American University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a specialization in Gender and Race Politics, coupled with a deep passion for advocacy and transparency in government and legislation. As the Media and Advocacy Coordinator, I am eager to support ACTE’s policy goals through social media, website content and advocacy. I look forward to being of service and acquainting myself with the organization and membership I’ll be working for. In this first blog post, I am excited to introduce myself and share a bit of my background.

Having grown up participating in various political campaigns and attending college in Washington, DC, I’ve gained early exposure to the intricate workings of the legislative process. This firsthand experience has fostered a profound appreciation for advocacy, civic engagement and the spread of knowledge, both in political circles as well as everyday communities.

Whilst earning my degree, I interned for Representative Lieu’s office and supported their legislative and communications teams. This involved researching and writing cosponsor recommendations, attending policy briefings, compiling press clips and crafting communications materials on behalf of staff and the congressman. My internship accompanied my degree and allowed me to see firsthand what I had been learning in a classroom. This experience was pivotal in my learning journey and afforded me the opportunity to connect with constituents and congressional staff alike. In addition to many useful and applicable skills, it taught me that everyone needs an advocate.

Upon graduating from American University, I worked as a project assistant for the Government Relations and Communications Team at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). Throughout my time with NDI, I wrote a variety of stories and communications materials for their website, informing donors, government stakeholders and other interested parties on several programs NDI was funding and facilitating. I also edited and assisted others on their stories, working with staff and partners to showcase their programming. Additionally, I supported staff by attending congressional hearings and monitoring relevant committee work. 

Utilizing these invaluable experiences, I bring a robust background in various methods of communication and engagement with a wide selection of audiences. Having navigated the inner workings of both government offices and nonprofit organizations, I’ve honed my unique perspective on policy making and the legislative process, acquired through my experiences in both the government and nonprofit sectors, contributing to my inclusive understanding of government affairs, advocacy and policy enactment.

Education is critical to achieving the goals outlined in my degree and my career aspirations – political equity, opportunity and representation. I am both excited and humbled by the opportunity to play my part in helping ACTE advance its policy objectives and support its members. I am eager to contribute my experience and perspective to the organization’s goals, and I look forward to working more closely with the issues at hand.

On Dec. 12, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted to approve S. 3392, the Advancing Research in Education Act. This bill amends the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA), last updated by Congress in 2002. ESRA is the law that authorizes the federal government to collect information and conduct research on the U.S. education system, including through agencies such as the Institute of Education Sciences.

Historically, CTE has been underrepresented in many of these federal efforts, although CTE research efforts have been increasing in recent years. The new ESRA bill makes strong strides toward including CTE more overtly and focusing on both education and workforce outcomes of students. For example, the bill:

• Uses common terminology and definitions from the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) to ensure alignment and coordination.
• Includes an explicit focus on postsecondary education, workforce development, and CTE as specific research topics for the National Center for Education Research’s development centers and as priorities in the Institute for Education Sciences’ data collection and statistics efforts.
• Supports the provision and coordination of technical assistance to support the implementation of Perkins V and other important federal education and workforce development legislation.
• Promotes voluntary guidelines to standardize data and information and ensure interoperability which would greatly increase the utility and usability of this information for a variety of stakeholders.
• Includes significant and much-needed reforms to the State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) grant program, including a more explicit incorporation of workforce data and related labor market outcomes, especially as it relates to the generation of accurate and timely data needed to support the implementation of Perkins V and other critical federal education and workforce development legislation.

ACTE endorsed the bill and will be working with Members of Congress to encourage its passage!

On December 7, Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced H.R. 6655, A Stronger Workforce for America Act. The legislation would comprehensively reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and make significant changes to core aspects of this legislation including eligible training provider lists and the provision of training services by the system. 

Specifically, this bill requires that 50% of the adult and dislocated worker funding toward upskilling workers through individual training accounts (ITAs), streamlines the eligible training provider list requirements to focus on outcomes and ensure eligible programs are aligned with the skill and hiring demands of employers, establishes a demonstration authority to provide several states and local workforce boards the flexibility to reimagine their workforce system, and facilitates skills-based hiring by validating workers’ competencies gained through prior experience and authorizing state and local boards to provide technical assistance to employers on implementing skills-based hiring practices. ACTE will providing more analysis of key provisions related to CTE, such as funding for community colleges, the youth funding streams and the infrastructure funding mechanism, over the coming weeks.  

The House Education and the Workforce Committee took this bill up on December 12 and approved the legislation in a bipartisan 44-1 vote. The bill now moves to the House floor. 

On the passage of the bill, Foxx said, “Today’s legislative package reflects our commitment to aligning the priorities of education and the workforce. To that end, we must continue to advocate for policies that develop vital workforce programs and help Americans move into in-demand jobs more quickly. I believe the measures passed today achieve this goal and ensure students and working Americans have the skills necessary for a changing economy.” 

An additional summary of the bill can be found here. A recording of the markup can be found here.