On the national level, in 2023-24, there were about 8.6 million secondary CTE participants, a small increase over prior years, while postsecondary CTE participation remained largely unchanged from the previous year at about 3.3 million students. To supplement this nationwide data with a better understanding of state CTE enrollment trends, ACTE reached out to states to identify potential policies, data system changes or other innovations that could have impacted CTE participation numbers.  

One such state is Delaware, where postsecondary CTE enrollment, which had been stable for several years, increased by 30% from 2022-23 to 2023-24. Jonathan Wickert, state CTE director in Delaware, and other Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) staff shared with ACTE that several initiatives likely contributed to this increase: 

• The DDOE participated in both phases of Advance CTE’s Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative, which occurred between 2019 and 2023. Through this work, the state established a framework for collecting and analyzing postsecondary CTE data; refined internal and external data controls and processes; and developed an internal data dashboard displaying disaggregated learner outcomes, enabling postsecondary institutions to drive continuous improvement.  

• The DDOE created a new postsecondary CTE data system that merged data from the adult education division of the state’s vocational-technical school system with data from the Delaware Technical Community College System. This new data system was piloted in the 2019-20 school year and fully launched the following year. 

• The DDOE received a $2.5 million Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2020. Activities under the grant, which lasted from July 2020 to June 2024, focused on increasing youth participation in new and existing Registered Apprenticeship programs. The state launched a statewide youth apprenticeship network, which connected secondary and postsecondary institutions with industry partners to scale apprenticeship programs and support student enrollment, with a focus on construction, hospitality and information technology sectors. Program data reveals that the initiative was successful, with nearly a thousand students enrolling in a Registered Apprenticeship program and over 200 employers engaged.  

• The DDOE leads a continuous improvement model with postsecondary institutions through a partnership with the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE). The model focuses on identifying gaps in institutions’ data processes and student outcomes and has shifted the way institutions review and act upon their student and program data.  

This continued work also directly supports Delaware’s recently released strategic plan by expanding college and career pathways and using data to ensure more students are prepared for success after high school. 

As CTE becomes an increased focus of state policymakers and leaders, it is essential to understand where enrollment is thriving and where additional support may be needed. Targeted data and partnership initiatives, such as the ones occurring in Delaware, can help states not only refine their data collection and dissemination processes but also expand and improve CTE programming. Legislation and executive actions, which ACTE and Advance CTE track on a continuous basis through our CTE State Policy: Year in Review project, can also have a powerful impact on enrollment and outcomes. 

Congress is back in session and most of the focus this week was on the extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Last week, House Republicans introduced a bill that would reauthorize WIOA with a number of different funding modifications and structural shifts. That bill is scheduled to be considered by the House Education and Workforce Committee next week. Advocacy efforts to increase Perkins funding are also ongoing in response to President Trump’s FY 2027 budget request, which recommends level –funding for CTE programs. The Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) were active this week as well, engaging in rulemaking and focusing on Registered Apprenticeships. Read more updates below.

• ED Finalizes Priorities on Career Pathways and AI in Education: On April 13, ED finalized Secretary McMahon’s supplemental priorities on career pathways and workforce readiness as well as AI in education for their future use in grant opportunities. The career pathways priority focuses on expanding CTE and work-based learning experiences such as apprenticeship programs, and ACTE and Advance CTE submitted comments regarding the priority last year.  

• DOL Announces $85M for Registered Apprenticeship Expansion: On April 13, the DOL announced the availability of $85 million in grant funding to modernize and expand Registered Apprenticeship programs. States interested in the grant must set goals in expanding their total number of active apprentices and commit to leveraging other federal and state resources. Applications are due on May 26. 

• ED Convenes Accreditation Rulemaking Committee: This week, an accreditation rulemaking committee at ED met to discuss reforming the accreditation process for postsecondary institutions as outlined in a draft proposal released last week. Among the proposed regulations include prohibiting DEI-related accreditation policies, supporting intellectual diversity among faculty members and expanding religious protections.  

• House Announces Appropriations Committee Schedule: On April 13, House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) announced the schedule for committee consideration of the 12 appropriations bills for FY 2027. The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill is tentatively scheduled to be considered at the subcommittee level on June 5 and by the full committee on June 9. The consideration of this bill will provide an early indication of Congress’ plans for Perkins funding.  

• ED and DOL Announce Grant Competitions Under Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership: On April 16, ED and DOL issued the FY 2026 competitions for the Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant Program and the Charter Schools Program Grants to State Entities.   

• Deadline Extended in Admissions Data Lawsuit: On April 13, a federal judge ruled that institutional members of six higher education associations, along with six private nonprofit colleges, will now have until April 24 to submit applicant and admissions data broken down by race and sex to ED.  

• House Holds Hearing on AI and Workforce: On April 15, the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held the sixth hearing in a series examining artificial intelligence, titled “Building an AI-Ready America: Understanding AI’s Economic Impact on Workers and Employers.”  

• ED Plans to Dissolve the Office of English Language Acquisition: According to a letter dated February 13, and obtained by Education Week on April 14, ED gave Congress official notice that it plans to dissolve its office that oversees federal programs for English learners. English learners are part of the definition of Special Populations in the Perkins Act, and it is unclear how this move might affect programs serving these learners.

Outcomes for High School Students Earning Industry-recognized Credentials: A study from the Fordham Institute analyzes the postsecondary and labor market outcomes of students who earn an industry-recognized credential (IRC).  

Examining Ohio students who entered high school between 2011 and 2020, the researchers found that students who earn an IRC are six percentage points more likely to graduate high school. IRC earners are also slightly more likely to be employed and earn 22% more than non-IRC earners in the first year after high school. This wage premium persists by the sixth year after high school but does decline over time. IRC earners who also concentrate in CTE experience even better outcomes than students who earn an IRC or concentrate in CTE alone.  

Specific student groups and fields are associated with varying outcomes. Male students show strong outcomes after earning an IRC, with their wages continuing to increase by the seventh year after high school. IRCs in construction, law and public safety, manufacturing and transportation are associated with the highest wage increases. The researchers also examined credentials that would eventually be aligned with the state’s Innovative Workforce Incentive Program (IWIP) and found that these credentials have higher wage premiums than non-IWIP credentials. 

How States Turn Vision into Infrastructure for Student Success: A report from America Succeeds examines state-level policy actions focused on equipping students with durable skills and preparing them for life after high school. The researchers conducted a 50-state policy scan and found the following: 

• All 50 states provide flexibility in how instructional time is defined, allowing work-based learning, youth apprenticeships and similar programs to count toward instructional time.  

• 39 states require students to develop an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) or similar in high school. 

• 36 states include a college and career readiness metric or indicator in their accountability formula.  

• 26 states have developed Portraits/Profiles of a Graduate, which outline the essential knowledge and skills students should develop over the course of their education. 

• 25 states have multiple diploma and graduation pathways that reflect different requirements and specializations such as CTE coursework, work-based learning and IRC attainment. 

Readers interested in exploring similar state policies can view ACTE and Advance CTE’s State Policies Impacting CTE Project. 

Dual Enrollment Student Profiles and School Structures: A study from the Annenberg Institute examines the coursetaking habits of dual enrollment (DE) students and how they relate to student demographic and academic characteristics. The researchers analyzed students who graduated from a Texas high school between 2014 and 2023 and completed at least one DE course (approximately 720,000 students), identifying five profiles of DE coursetakers: 

• DE Dabblers: Dabblers attempt 3-4 DE courses on average, earning about nine credits, and are more likely to fail DE courses than other profiles. DE Dabblers are also more likely to be white students and are overrepresented in traditional high schools. 

• DE Explorers: Explorers attempt twice as many DE courses as dabblers, complete the most advanced courses (AP, IB, etc.) of any group, and are more likely to attend a traditional high school. DE Explorers are also more likely to be white and Asian students and less likely to be economically disadvantaged students.  

• DE-CTE Concentrators: These students earn most of their DE credits in CTE subjects, earning 19 DE-CTE credits on average. DE-CTE Concentrators are also the most likely to earn an industry certification and include the highest proportion of economically disadvantaged students and students of color.  

• ECHS Non-completers: Non-completers are students who attempt many credits across various academic subjects, mostly at Early College High Schools (ECHS), Texas STEM Academies (T-STEM) and Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH), but fall short of the number typically associated with an associate degree (60).  

• ECHS Completers: Similar to non-completers, completers attempt many DE credits across different subjects at ECHS, T-STEM and P-TECH schools, but they earn enough or nearly enough credits to earn an associate degree. 

Although Congress has still been on recess this week, there has been some legislative activity. On April 6, House Republicans on the Committee on Education and Workforce introduced a bill that would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). In response to the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request, we are requesting at least a $50 million increase in funding for the Perkins Act and encourage you to ask your Members of Congress to support education and workforce development funding in FY 2027. One specific way to do this is by asking your senators to sign the “Dear Colleague “ letter being circulated by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The letter request additional CTE funding for FY 2027, and senators have until April 17 to sign. Read more policy updates below!  

• House Education and Workforce Republicans Introduce Bill to Reauthorize WIOA: On April 6, House Republicans on the Committee on Education and Workforce introduced a bill that would reauthorize WIOA. Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) is the lead sponsor of the bill titled “A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026.” Read more details of the bill here.  

• Ask Your Members of Congress to Support Education and Workforce Development Funding in the FY 2027 Appropriations Process: On April 3, the Trump Administration released its FY 2027 budget request. The Administration requested level funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act state grants; however, it also proposed a number of cuts to other education and workforce development programs. Ask your Members of Congress to support education and workforce development funding in FY 2027 here!  

• ACTE and Advance CTE Submit Recommendations on Workforce Pell Regs: Our organization, along with Advance CTE, submitted joint comments in response to the proposed regulations on the implementation of Workforce Pell. Over 400 comments were received by the April 8 deadline this week, which the Department will now review.  

• Federal Judge Halts Collection of Admissions Data: On April 3, a federal judge halted the requirement for postsecondary institutions to submit detailed admissions data to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The Trump Administration requested the data collection to examine if institutions were considering race in their admissions decisions.  

• Trump Administration Unveils Potential Changes to Accreditation: On April 6, the Trump Administration released proposed accreditation rule changes, with a focus on expanding regulations regarding viewpoint and ideological diversity among faculty as well as religious and speech protections.  

• ED Celebrates National Community College Month: On April 7, ED proclaimed April 2026 as National Community College Month, outlining the agency’s efforts to connect educational and workforce opportunities.  

• New America & ACCT Invite Community Colleges to Apply for Work-Based Learning Capacity-Building Cohort: New America’s Future of Work & Innovation Economy initiative (FOWIE) and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)’s Center for Policy & Practice invite community college presidents and trustees to apply to participate in a Work-Based Learning Capacity-Building Cohort. Selected colleges will receive $20,000, technical assistance, peer learning opportunities, and access to subject matter experts between June 2026 and December 2027, with optional opportunities to follow. Applications are due May 8, 2026.   

• ED and DOL Launch Teacher and Literacy Grant Competitions: On April 8, ED and the Department of Labor (DOL) launched their first grant competitions under the Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership between the two agencies. The two grant competitions are focused on developing high-quality literacy programs and improving or expanding performance-based compensation systems or human capital management systems for teachers and administrators.  

• U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Visits Two States on National Tour: This week, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited South Dakota and Nebraska as part of a national tour. In South Dakota, she toured classrooms focused on agriculture education and workforce development. In Nebraska, she toured the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to learn how the university is expanding career pathways, as well as Southeast Community College to celebrate National Community College Month.     

• House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Scott Pushes ED to Protect Students in Workforce Pell Expansion: On April 9, Ranking Member Robert Scott of the House Education and Workforce Committee published this letter urging Secretary McMahon to strengthen oversight and accountability in response to ED’s proposed Workforce Pell Grant rule. Scott emphasized that expanding Pell Grants to short-term programs must include strong safeguards to prevent institutional abuse and ensure program quality.    

• New SHEEO Report on Postsecondary Funding: A new report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) found that while states invested a record amount of money for postsecondary education in FY25, per-student funding experienced its first decrease since 2012 – a 1% decline.  

On April 6, House Republicans on the Committee on Education and Workforce introduced a bill that would reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) is the lead sponsor of the bill titled “A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026.”  

This year’s version of the bill is largely similar to the 2024 version of A Stronger Workforce for America that was nearly approved at the end of the 118th Congress.

There are some provisions in the bill specifically relevant to CTE. For example, the bill modifies the membership of local workforce boards by adding an optional position for educators, although that falls short of the required CTE participation we have advocated for.  Furthermore, it modifies the functions of these boards to emphasize the alignment of career pathways with local CTE programs of study.

The legislation expands allowable statewide activities to include efforts to raise public awareness for CTE programs. This provision also encourages the development of stronger partnerships among educational institutions, with the goal of enhancing workforce-aligned programs and ensuring students are better connected to high-demand career opportunities.

The legislation also establishes a new Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant Program designed to increase participation in both pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs. An eligible education and training provider, workforce development system entity, qualified intermediary, or state agency in the state where the partnership is located may serve as the lead organization for the youth apprenticeship partnership.

The bill updates requirements for eligible providers of training services and operators of one-stop centers. Providers of registered apprenticeships and providers of Workforce Pell programs would automatically be included on the list of eligible training providers. In addition, area career and technical education schools, institutions of higher education, joint-labor management organizations and public libraries could serve as one-stop operators. The bill does allow for virtual one-stop centers; however, local areas opting for a virtual one-stop would be required to have at least two physical affiliated locations.

The bill also authorizes $65 million in appropriations for the renamed Strengthening Community Colleges Workforce Development Grant Program. Community colleges applying for Strengthening Community Colleges grants would need to establish an industry partnership with one or more employers in in-demand industries to carry out grant activities. Priority would go to applicants with plans to serve individuals facing barriers to employment or incumbent workers in need of foundational skills, as well as projects that would use competency-based assessments to award credit for prior learning.

This version does include some new additions. Specifically, the bill also would create a pilot program to allow states and local workforce boards to pursue reforms to their workforce development systems via Make America Skilled Again Grants.  According to the bill, a state, local area, or consortium of multiple local areas with an approved pilot project will receive its adult, dislocated worker, and youth funds as a consolidated grant for five years with increased flexibility through waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements. The Labor secretary could approve up to 10 statewide pilot projects and eight local area or consortium pilot projects and add two more states later.

For adult learners, the bill proposes a significant structural shift by transferring responsibility for Title II Adult Education programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor. There are also several provisions in the adult education section of the bill promoting Integrated Education and Training.

ACTE is still analyzing the text and will provide additional details if the bill moves forward. If you have any questions, please contact ACTE Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch (jkoch@acteonline.org).

On April 3, the Trump Administration released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request. The Administration requested level funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act state grants at $1,439,848,000; however, it also proposed a number of cuts to other education and workforce development programs. These proposed cuts include various higher education and K-12 programs and the elimination of the Adult Education program within the Department of Education (ED) and the Job Corps program within the Department of Labor (DOL). It is important to remember that the President’s request is just a suggestion, and it is ultimately up to Congress to determine funding levels for FY 2027, which makes your advocacy critical!  

It is essential that Congress provides both increased support for CTE and sustained investments to education and workforce programs across the continuum to ensure all learners have the opportunity and resources needed to build skills for lifelong career success. This year, we are suggesting at least a $50 million increase in funding for the Perkins Act, as we know that flat funding does not keep up with the growing needs of CTE programs and learners.  

ACTION NEEDED: CLICK HERE to urge your Members of Congress to support Education and Workforce Development funding in FY 2027! 

Send a message directly using the ACTE Action Center. You can also call or email directly any personal contacts that you have in your Members’ offices, such as from a meeting at NPS, or call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and an operator will connect you to your Member of Congress.   

Earlier this year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) published new data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) 20/22 Longitudinal Study. The study followed more than 22,300 first-time postsecondary students entering college in the 2019-20 school year over a three-year period.  

ACTE analyzed the data and found that 61% of first-time postsecondary students were enrolled in a program that NCES classified as CTE, including 61.9% of public two-year students and 59.1% of public four-year students. These CTE learners’ career plans focused on health care (17.4%), management (12.9%), business and financial operations (9.8%) and computer-related occupations (9.6%).  

When disaggregating by student characteristics, we found the following: 

• 79.8% of beginning postsecondary students aged 30 or above were enrolled in a CTE program, compared to 77.6% of students aged 24-29 and 59.3% of students aged 15-23.  

• 76.2% of veteran students were in a CTE program. 

• 82.1% of single parents or caretakers were in a CTE program. 

• Across racial/ethnic groups, Black students were the most likely to be enrolled in a CTE program (66.6%), followed by American Indian/Alaska Native (65.6%) and Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander students (65.4%). 

• 64.4% of male students and 58.1% of female students were in a CTE program.  

• Approximately 54.8% of students with disabilities were in a CTE program.  

Data was also provided on students’ high school experiences and coursetaking:  

• 63% of CTE students took a college credit course in high school, 51.3% took an AP course and 4% took an IB course. High school GPAs were similar between CTE and non-CTE/undecided students.  

• Between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, 6.7% of students participated in an apprenticeship program and 25.6% participated in an internship, with CTE students having higher participation rates (7.9% and 27.8%, respectively) than non-CTE/undecided students (4.9% and 22.6%, respectively).  

• 78% of students rated career development and job placement services as important, but only 32.5% had actually used them. CTE and non-CTE/undecided students had similar usage rates. 

In addition, 22.4% of CTE students in 2022 held an industry certification or occupational license relevant to their current or most recent job, compared to 16.4% of non-CTE/undecided students.  

Readers can explore and analyze the data themselves through DataLab, and researchers interested in obtaining a restricted-use dataset can learn more here. A second follow-up data collection that was planned for 2025 did not occur following staffing reductions and project cuts at NCES.