House Appropriations Committee Advances FY27 ED and DOL Funding Measure
Earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee approved its fiscal year (FY) 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-ED) appropriations bill. The legislation was advanced along party lines (34-28) after a nearly 12 hour markup. Notably, the committee did not make substantive changes to the proposed funding levels for most education and workforce development programs.
As a reminder, the bill proposes an $8 billion, or 10%, reduction in funding for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) alongside a 10% funding cut to core Title I funding authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This aspect of the legislation comes alongside a $3.7 billion, or 27%, proposed reduction of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) budget, including a significant cut to programs authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
Of note for the Career Technical Education (CTE) community, the bill proposes to increase funding for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act’s (Perkins V) state grant program by $10 million while slightly reducing funding for the legislation’s national activities account by $2 million. The proposal would also provide $290 million for registered apprenticeship program expansion, a $5 million increase over current funding levels. House appropriators highlighted the investment as part of broader efforts to expand opportunities nationwide, aligning with the Trump administration’s goal of 1 million active apprentices. Click here to access committee hearing details and recording.
ACTION ALERT: Ask your member of Congress to support Education and Workforce Funding in FY27.
The Senate has not begun formal consideration of its FY27 appropriations bills. Advance CTE is grateful for the modest proposed increase in funding for Perkins V state grants, but remains concerned regarding the wider contours of the proposed legislation and its potential impact on state education systems where CTE programs operate. As the FY27 continues to progress, we will continue to engage in the FY27 appropriations process and advocate for greater federal investment in CTE.
Department of Education Announces Talent Marketplace Challenge Semifinalists
Last week, ED announced 10 state semifinalists selected for a $15 million Connecting to Opportunity challenge grant, aiming to accelerate the development of statewide talent marketplaces. This competition is funded through Perkins V’s national activities account. The participating states will receive technical assistance and support during the six month start-up period before finalists are selected. The challenge seeks to strengthen connections between learners and employment opportunities and to contribute to a national model for talent marketplace systems, aligning with the Trump administration’s Talent Strategy. Read more about the announcement here.
House Subcommittee Examines Artificial Intelligence and Higher Education
Last week, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled “Building an AI-Ready America: Higher Education in the Age of AI.” Members and witnesses discussed the role of postsecondary education institutions in preparing learners for an evolving workforce and examined how artificial intelligence (AI) may affect higher education and workforce development. The discussion highlighted the role of schools as places for innovation and collaboration, and of institutions of higher education as enabling the connection between AI research and practice. The hearing also discussed the need to expand appropriate oversight to protect learners as AI adoption continues to grow. Watch the hearing here.
Odds & Ends
- DOL’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) published a request for comment on two workforce tools, CareerOneStop.org and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), as the agency seeks to redesign site features and to include AI-powered job search and integration with state and local systems. Comments are due August 10, 2026. Read more here.
- The Nation’s Report Card, also known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), released new results on long-term trends showing uneven recovery from the pandemic. Click here to learn more about the results.
- ED published a request for public comment on information collection activities related to the Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award. Click here to learn more.
- ED’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services opened a grant opportunity to support state-led apprenticeship programs to recruit and prepare special education teachers. Click here to learn more.
- ED’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, in coordination with DOL, launched the Teacher Quality Partnership Program, which offers grant funds to support teacher preparation and expand pathways into the profession. Click here to learn more.
