On Tuesday, March 15, President Biden signed the omnibus bill to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2022, providing over $1.5 trillion across the entire federal government. Today was the last day to do so to avert either another continuing resolution or a government shutdown. While overall investments in education were lower than what the President had originally proposed, the Perkins Basic State Grant was given a much needed $45 million increase! While this represents a steady increase in CTE funding since 2017, ACTE will advocate for larger investments that are needed in the FY 2023 budget.  

Within the omnibus, the Department of Education was funded at $76.4 billion overall – an 4% increase over FY 2021. This includes many important investments across K-12, postsecondary and adult education that are important to the CTE community, such as:  

Secondary Education 

• 6% increase for Title I grants to local education agencies 
• $27 million increase to Title II of ESEA for effective instruction
• $448.4 million increase for special education 
• $7.5 million increase for education for homeless children & youth 
• $60 million increase for Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants 

Postsecondary & Adult Education 

• $15.5 million increase for Adult Education 
• $20 million increase for federal work-study 
• $400 increase to the maximum Pell grant 

Further, FY 2022 was the first spending bill in a decade to include earmarks. Earmarks are used by Members of Congress to guarantee funding for specific projects or grantees that would benefit their state or district. This bill earmarks $2.3 million for vocational rehabilitation projects, $140 million for K-12 projects, and $249 million for higher education projects. We will be reporting back with a full analysis of the earmarked projects pertaining to CTE in the near future.  

The Department of Labor (DOL) was funded at $13.2 billion, a 5% increase over FY 2021. Included in the $653 million increase for DOL are numerous investments in programs that are critical to ensuring connections between education and the workforce. For example, registered apprenticeships were given an additional $50 million – a 27% increase over FY 2021! Strengthening Community College Grants received a $5 million, or over 10%, increase, and WIOA state grants received a $34 million increase.   

With FY 2022 appropriations now complete, Congress now turns its focus to the FY 2023 appropriations process. The first step is the release of the President’s budget, which is expected to arrive by the end of March. ACTE will continue to work with its partners on Capitol Hill and within the Administration to advocate for more robust federal investments in CTE – stay tuned for more updates over the coming weeks.

Benefits of CTE Dual Enrollment: North Carolina’s Career & College Promise (CCP) is a statewide dual enrollment initiative that offers three pathways to high school students, including a CTE pathway. Recently, the CTE Research Network compared 2012-19 data on CCP CTE students in grades 11 and 12 to non-CCP students to reveal that CCP CTE students earned six times more college credits in high school, were two percentage points more likely to graduate and were 9 percentage points more likely to pursue postsecondary education than non-CCP participants. The benefits were even higher for students from economically disadvantaged households and learners from racial and ethnic groups that are historically underrepresented in postsecondary education.

Dual Credit Funding Policy: In 2016 Idaho adopted the Advanced Opportunities policy, which dedicates $4,125 of state funding to each high school student to pay for dual credit courses. To determine the impact of the policy, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education analyzed payments, dual credit participation and postsecondary outcomes data from 2016 to 2020 and uncovered the following:

• Since the introduction of Advanced Opportunities, postsecondary credits earned by graduating public high school students increased by 51%.
• Student savings outweigh the policy’s costs to Idaho. For instance, Idaho’s 2019-20 dual credit graduates saved $20.8 million compared to a $12.8 million state investment.
• Postsecondary enrollment and retention rates were 27 percentage points and 7 percentage points higher, respectively, for dual credit participants than non-participants.
• About 63% of dual credit participants who enrolled in a postsecondary institution had first-semester GPAs above 3.0, compared to only 37% of non-participants.

Landscape of CTE Early Postsecondary Opportunities: Currently, CTE courses make up one-third of all enrollments in early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs). Recently, Advance CTE, in partnership with the College in High School Alliance, surveyed state CTE directors to better understand how EPSOs are serving CTE learners. The following are key findings from the survey:

• While 87% of states said expanding access to EPSOs is a top or their highest priority, less than 30% find EPSOs to be “very” or “mostly” equitable. Many states indicated that the decentralized nature of EPSOs is a barrier to implementing statewide equitable supports.
• Most states collect CTE EPSO enrollment and outcomes data, but fewer than half disaggregate outcomes by learner group or special population status and only 20% make data publicly available.
• While 71% of states reported having statewide articulation agreements for CTE EPSO credits, these credits may not be accepted by individual institutions.
• Credential requirements can be a barrier for recruiting CTE EPSO teachers. About 42% of states report that CTE EPSO teachers need the same qualifications as both high school and postsecondary CTE instructors.

Similar challenges were raised in a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) report examining dual enrollment programs across 16 southern states. Both the Advance CTE and SREB reports highlight innovative practices states are using to tackle these issues.

Recruiting Dual Credit Teachers: The College in High School Alliance has published a report about strengthening the dual credit teacher pipeline. The publication discusses the recent growth in dual enrollment programs, how instructor credential requirements limit student access and participation in dual enrollment, and strategies to address the dual credit teacher shortage.

On March 8, congressional leaders released the negotiated text of the long-overdue Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations omnibus package. In great news for CTE, the omnibus bill includes a $45 million increase for the Perkins Basic State Grant! While larger investments in CTE are still needed, this bill offers more than what the President requested and continues the steady increase in Perkins funding since 2017. Overall, the omnibus proposes $1.5 trillion in spending, including a 5.6% increase over FY 2021 in defense-related spending and a 6.7% increase for non-defense spending.

At this point, there are only three days before the current continuing resolution (CR), which extended current funding levels to give Congress more time to negotiate without shutting down the government, is set to expire. It is expected that the House will vote on the omnibus bill on March 9, which would give the Senate just two days to pass it. Because of the short timeline, the House also plans to pass another CR, through March 15, to buy the Senate a little more time to hold their final vote on the bill. We will have more information on other education and workforce funding levels in the bill over the next few days and will continue to post updates as Congress tries to finalize the process. 

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.