Last week in Washington, lawmakers primarily focused on responding to the crisis in Ukraine and attending President Biden’s State of the Union address, and action on CTE-related items was limited. There is still no agreement on an extension of government funding for FY 2022, which is set to expire on March 11, so significant focus will be on this work next week. Complicating the funding conversation is a new supplemental funding request to be added to any potential spending deal focused on aid for Ukraine and COVID-19 expenses. We will bring you any CTE-related news or developments here on the CTE Policy Watch blog. In the meantime, here are the key headlines of the week:

• President Biden Delivers First State of the Union Address: During President Biden’s first State of the Union address, the president emphasized the need to provide additional training and apprenticeships for workers, in order to “…keep the economy going strong by giving workers a fair shot.” In addition, President Biden noted that employers should hire workers “based on their skills, not degrees.” The president added that lawmakers should “Invest in America. Educate Americans. Grow the workforce. Build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down.” Finally, President Biden asked Congress to boost investments in Pell grants and support for HBCUs. You can read the full speech here.

• CTE Month 2022 Closes with House Resolution: CTE Month 2022 concluded with a total of 63 Members of Congress cosponsoring the CTE Month 2022 resolution in the House. The resolution was introduced by several members of the House CTE Caucus, including co-chairmen Reps. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), in addition to Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), John Carter (R-TX), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Donald Norcross (D-NJ) and Adrian Smith (R-NE). Senate CTE Caucus co-chairs also introduced a companion resolution, which passed the Senate on February 9 with a record 67 cosponsors. The resolutions each highlighted the impact of CTE programs on learners at all levels, as well as the role of CTE in supporting industries seeking to fill positions in high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage jobs and career fields. You can read the full press release here.

• Department of Labor Announces Grant Funding to Help Close Equity Gaps and Expand Access to Training: The Department of Labor is announcing a $45 million funding availability to help people in marginalized and underrepresented populations overcome barriers to access CTE programs that can help connect them with good-paying jobs. Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants will allow public and state institutions of higher education and community colleges – individually or collectively – to improve their ability to address equity gaps and meet the skills development needs of employers and workers. You can visit grants.gov to learn more about the grant opportunity.

• ACTE Releases Spanish Translation of “What is CTE?” Resource: ACTE has released a Spanish-translated version of our “What is CTE?” infographic to help CTE supporters inform about CTE in the Spanish-speaking community. This resource providers an overview of CTE and highlights the benefits that CTE can provide for students, businesses and communities in the Spanish language.

• Department of Education Recognizes CTE Month: In honor of CTE Month, the Department of Education published multiple blogs to celebrate CTE, including “CTE Pathways to Quality Jobs,” “Fast Forward to 2022: Showcasing our Scholars in CTE Alumni” and “American Rescue Plan Reengaging Students through CTE.” Additionally, the Department of Education produced a video asking SkillsUSA students what CTE means to them.

• Departments of Labor and Transportation Partner on Trucking Apprenticeships: Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced a partnership with the American Trucking Associations to join the Biden Administration’s 90-Day Trucking Apprenticeship Challenge.

Last week in Washington, both chambers of Congress were out of session, but the House and the Senate will reconvene this week. An agreement on Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations has yet to be finalized, but the deadline to extend government funding is quickly approaching on March 11. In addition to final CTE Month activities, ACTE is also keeping a close eye on any potential advocacy actions that may arise related to FY 2022 appropriations and the America COMPETES Act/USICA, which contains language similar to the JOBS Act and the College Transparency Act (CTA), two of ACTE’s top legislative priorities. As we await more congressional action, here are the biggest headlines from Washington:

• Advance CTE Update on Career Clusters Framework: Advance CTE has provided an update on the Career Clusters framework project. Read the update here.

• Department of Education Releases Resource on How States Use American Rescue Plan Funds to Reengage Students through CTE: The Department of Education has released a new fact sheet highlighting ways states and school districts are using American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to reengage students and enhance academic learning by expanding CTE opportunities. “Investments in Career and Technical Education – programs that are proven to successfully reengage students and prepare them for in-demand, good paying jobs – are key to that goal," said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

• Department of Labor Announces Apprenticeship Building America Program: The Department of Labor announced a grant program to strengthen, modernize, expand and diversify its Registered Apprenticeship program. The “Apprenticeship Building America” program will make $113 million in grant funding available, including up to $50 million to support equity partnerships and pre-apprenticeship activities to increase enrollment in Registered Apprenticeship programs. You can read more about the program here.

• Department of Labor to Host Panel Discussion on Women in the Construction Industry: The Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Women's Bureau, Wage and Hour Department, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration are hosting a virtual panel discussion to learn about employment opportunities for women in the construction industry. The event will be held on Wednesday, March 9, from 12:00 PM – 1:30PM EST. You can register here.

• Department of Education Announces Competition to Improve Teacher Quality: The Department of Education has posted a Notice Inviting Applications for the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program, which will award $35 million to bolster teacher preparation programs at the undergraduate and fifth-year level, as well as teaching residency programs for individuals new to the field. The Notice Inviting Applications is available here.

• Secretary of Labor Walsh Tours Colorado’s Workforce Development Programs: Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and local leaders discussed the value of workforce training in strengthening the nation’s economy. The visit included a tour of Metropolitan State University of Denver’s advanced aerospace manufacturing lab, and a roundtable on the importance of expanding access to job training.

As CTE Month comes to a close, ACTE has released a Spanish-translated version of our “What is CTE?” infographic to help CTE supporters inform about CTE in the Spanish-speaking community.

This resource providers an overview of CTE and highlights the benefits that CTE can provide for students, businesses and communities in the Spanish language.

We encourage you to share this resource with Spanish speakers new to CTE as well as those who interact with the Spanish-speaking community, including students and families; educators, counselors and administrators; and federal, state and local education and workforce leaders.

Click here to access the English version of this resource.

Causes of Disengagement: StraighterLine and the University Professional and Continuing Education Association conducted a joint study to determine what causes students to leave their postsecondary institution before completion. Researchers collected survey responses during spring 2021 from individuals between the ages of 20 and 34 who had college credits but were no longer enrolled in a postsecondary institution to reveal the following key findings:

• The top cited reasons for leaving an institution included family commitments (32% of respondents), finances (24%) and work (11%). Younger learners more often cited that their institution was not the right fit, while older learners primarily cited financial motives.
• About 20% of respondents reported that their institution could reengage them and identified providing a certificate for credits earned, offering courses at a lower price and creating workshops that address student challenges as the most effective tactics for reengagement.
• Roughly 43% of respondents stated that they were “extremely likely” or “very likely” to continue their education, with those who had disengaged more recently and those who had been enrolled in health programs being most likely to plan to continue their schooling.

Relatedly, the Brookings Institution recently published an article summarizing research that examined postsecondary disengagement specifically in adult learners. Researchers analyzed the labor market trajectories of 200,000 adults who earned some credits from the Virginia Community College System between 2009 and 2014 but stopped out before completing their credential. The report’s key findings are outlined below:

• Fewer than one in seven adult learners earned at least 30 college-level credits and maintained a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher prior to their departure, suggesting that many of these adults would have difficulty maintaining enrollment and academic progress if they were to return.
• Of those who earned at least 30 credits and maintained a GPA higher than 2.0, on average, individuals earned $5,000 per quarter in the year leading up to their departure from college and nearly double this figure five years after their departure.
• Only six out of 19 programs of study were associated with significantly higher earnings for graduates. In fact, fewer than 3% of adults in the study, if they were to return to college, could easily re-enroll in fields of study that result in a significant earnings premium from completing a credential.

Reconnecting Adult Learners: According to an article in Work Shift, beginning in summer 2021, five of North Carolina’s community colleges participated in an outreach campaign called “Better Skills. Better Jobs.” This initiative aims to re-enroll adult learners who completed at least 50% of a degree or credential program within the past five years. The five colleges placed calls, emails and texts to 12,000 prospective adult learners. As a result, 753 additional students enrolled in fall 2021, and roughly 87% of these learners received grades and 63% completed a credential or re-enrolled for the spring semester. This spring, five more North Carolina community colleges are expected to participate in the outreach campaign.

Student Supports: Community colleges offer more than an education. For many, they also provide supports to address non-academic barriers to enrollment, persistence and completion. Recently, the Education Commission of the States released a policy brief that discusses how states and community colleges can provide wraparound supports. The brief highlights examples of wraparound supports, different approaches to providing supports (such as two-generation programs that combine postsecondary education for adult learners with childcare and early childhood education for their children) and examples of states and community college systems that have coordinated multiple supports for students.

The biggest news this week was that the U.S. Senate passed its CTE Month resolution with a record 68 cosponsors on February 15! The House resolution is still open for co-sponsors. In addition to final CTE Month activities, ACTE is also keeping a close eye on any negotiations that may arise on the America COMPETES Act/USICA, which contains language similar to the JOBS Act and the College Transparency Act (CTA), two of ACTE’s top legislative priorities. After passing a short-term CR to extend government funding to March 11, both chambers will be in recess for the duration of this week. Here are the key headlines from the past week:

• Notice of Funding Opportunity for Community Colleges in STEM: The Department of Defense’s National Defense Education Program (NDEP) is seeking to strategically fund STEM education at 2-year institutions and Community Colleges through a consortium approach to develop and encourage STEM ecosystems. DOD NDEP Notice of Funding Opportunity Letters of Intent are due February 22, 2022, to osd.dodstem@mail.mil. Full applications are due March 29, 2022, through grants.gov.

• Senate Passes Continuing Resolution (CR): On February 17, the Senate passed a CR to extend government funding until March 11. After passage of the short-term funding bill, Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) was optimistic that appropriators could reach an agreement on Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations by the new mid-March deadline.

• ACTE and Advance CTE Hold Capitol Hill Briefing with CTE Caucus Co-Chairs: On Tuesday, February 15, ACTE and Advance CTE hosted a Capitol Hill webinar briefing with career and technical education student organizations (CTSOs) and congressional CTE Caucus co-chairs Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), bringing together policymakers, CTE stakeholders and CTSO representatives for a learner-focused conversation on the value of CTE. Read more about the event here.

• Senate HELP Committee Holds Hearing on Workforce Development: On February 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing titled, “Supporting Quality Workforce Development Opportunities and Innovation to Address Barriers to Employment.” Four witnesses testified about their workforce development strategies and recommendations to confront the nation’s skills gap. Read more about the hearing here. 

On February 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing titled, “Supporting Quality Workforce Development Opportunities and Innovation to Address Barriers to Employment.” Four witnesses testified about their workforce development strategies and recommendations to confront the nation’s skills gap. 

Melinda Mack, Executive Director of the New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals. noted the importance of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in New York, where half a million New Yorkers utilize resources like American Job Centers. Mack added that childcare, transportation, access to career navigation and case management, and continued access to benefits like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are key to worker success in job training programs. 

In response to business demand, the local workforce board in the rural Southern Tier of New York, the regional adult education provider and a state-funded workforce intermediary partnered with four local businesses to design an accelerated machining training program. The program invested WIOA funding to provide individualized case management to ensure workers could navigate the program and access public resources to support childcare needs. 

Peter Beard, Senior Vice President for Regional Workforce Development – Greater Houston Partnership, observed that in Houston, upskilling appears to be more effective when provided in the context of an individual’s current employment, in part because the additional skills workers obtain are generally context specific. 

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) noted that there are opportunities for workers to pursue postsecondary and apprenticeship programs if they wish, and that engaging learners and parents in career exploration is extremely beneficial. “Ultimately, more career exposure is necessary to make sure we are getting through to adults and parents, because many don't know what exists in their region. [Showing] them the facilities makes a huge difference.” 

Ashli Watts, President and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said, “We hear the rhetoric that college is not for everyone. What we should be saying is that something past high school is for everyone. In Kentucky, we are looking at Union Scholarship dollars so children can go to the pathways that we need for the logistics and manufacturing sectors. We are completely aligned. In Kentucky, our system has been at the forefront of making sure we have the students that are going to meet the needs of our employers in Kentucky.” 

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) added that the JOBS Act, which would expand Pell Grants to short-term postsecondary programs, would help solve or address several of the workforce barriers that the witnesses addressed. 

Each witness emphasized the need to support sector-based training models and industry or sector partnerships to bring businesses of all sizes together with education providers. These partnerships would increase employment opportunities for workers, as well as support learning on the job, including through work-based learning, apprenticeship, and incumbent worker training. You can watch the full hearing here.

On the evening of February 17, the Senate passed a new continuing resolution (CR) by a vote of 65-27. This vote comes after the House passed the CR, H.R. 6617, to extend Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 spending through March 11. The CR was temporarily held up by Republicans in the Senate who attempted to include provisions related to combating vaccine mandates and a Department of Health & Human Services harm reduction program. The amendments were ultimately voted down, with some Republicans voting in line with their Democratic colleagues. The bill now goes to President Biden to sign before government funding runs out after February 18.

Moving forward, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will continue negotiations to hopefully pass an FY 2022 spending package before government funding runs out again on March 11. Committee leadership has stated that they have come to an agreement on top-level funding, however, have given specifics. It is expected that the military will be receiving a larger increase than originally proposed by Democrats, while more modest increases will be given to non-defense spending like education. This is an effort to reach an agreement that will satisfy at least 60 Senators, including ten Republicans who demanded parity between defense and non-defense increases.

Although no specifics have been given about Perkins funding, ACTE continues to urge Congress to maintain the $50 million increase proposed by the House and Senate last year for FY 2022. It is expected that the President’s budget request will not come until after the State of the Union speech on March 1^st, which marks the beginning of the FY 2023 appropriations process.