The last two weeks have been extremely busy, with a number of executive actions from the Trump Administration impacting education and workforce development efforts in many ways, some of which remain uncertain. Meanwhile, the Senate is set to consider the nominations of key officials to lead the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) while lawmakers celebrate CTE month and introduce new legislation in support of several key legislative priorities for the CTE community.
OMB Seeks to Withhold Federal Funding
Last week, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a two-page, wide-ranging memorandum to leaders of all federal agencies, including ED and DOL, requiring them to “…temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.” As written, it was unclear which federal funding streams would be affected by this memo and how existing uses of federal funds were to be reconciled with the various executive orders (EOs) referenced in the memo, some of which Advance CTE shared previously. Prior to the issuance of this memo, ED outlined a series of actions the agency was taking to implement President Trump’s Executive Order related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Formula funding made available to states via the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) is forward-funded, as are most large federal investments in education and workforce development like the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). As a consequence, these funds had mostly been distributed to states on July and October 1 of last year meaning these resources appeared to be largely unaffected by the OMB communication. However, significant confusion and uncertainty remained regarding how far-reaching the memo’s impact was intended to be. Due to this confusion, a federal court placed a temporary halt to these efforts. As litigation continued regarding this memo, OMB issued a two-sentence memo rescinding the initial communication from the White House. Shortly thereafter, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that while this was a rescission of the initial OMB memo, the broader government-wide review of all federal funding in alignment with President Trump’s policy priorities remains in effect. The court’s halt on these efforts has recently been extended.
Advance CTE is monitoring these developments closely and will continue to communicate implications of these Executive Actions as they become available to the wider CTE community. If your state, district, or CTE program has been adversely impacted by these recent developments, we encourage you to reach out as we continue to understand how these Executive Actions are impacting CTE programs in your community and across the nation.
CTE Month Kicks-Off
This week marks the formal start of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month® – an annual month-long celebration of all things CTE. On Monday, President Trump issued a proclamation formally recognizing February 2025 as CTE Month. “During Career and Technical Education Month, we reaffirm our belief in excellence by putting America first and investing in the best training and retraining opportunities that will result in a stronger workforce and a booming economy,” the proclamation stated in part.
In Congress, a resolution designating February as CTE month was introduced. Support for this resolution was not only bipartisan, but bicameral, with a collaboration across both the House and Senate, led by Congressional CTE Caucus co-chairs Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) in the House, and Senate CTE Caucus co-chairs Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Budd (R-NC). “We are thrilled to support the bipartisan, bicameral 2025 Career Technical Education Month Resolution, reflecting a national and shared commitment to high-quality skills, credentials of value, and meaningful work-based learning. The broad support for this resolution strengthens our network of state CTE leaders and highlights the vital link between education and economic development,” said Kate Kreamer, Executive Director of Advance CTE, as part of the resolution’s introduction. Read the full press release here.
We encourage members of the CTE community to reach out to their members of Congress and Senators to encourage them to co-sponsor this year’s resolution. Opportunities to do so will be available throughout the month of February. To do so, please click here.
Advance CTE Endorses Bipartisan Short-term Pell Proposal
This week, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, in bipartisan partnership with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Roger Marshall (R-KS). The JOBS Act legislation, which has been considered in previous Congresses, would expand federal Pell Grant program eligibility to learners enrolled in high-quality, shorter-term CTE programs. The legislation emphasizes alignment with Perkins V and the Workforce Opportunity and Innovation Act (WIOA) to ensure these programs and related credentials lead to opportunities in critical segments of the economy. A bipartisan group of 35 Senators currently supports the legislation. Read more about the JOBS Act reintroduction here.
President Trump Signs School Choice and “K-12 Indoctrination” Executive Orders
In recent weeks, President Trump has continued to sign many Executive Orders and taken additional actions with implications for education. During this year’s National School Choice week, the President issued an executive order prioritizing school choice efforts and directing ED to issue guidance within the next 60 days regarding how States may use federal formula funding to support K-12 educational choice initiatives. In addition, the President also signed an EO that same day titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” This EO directs the head of several federal agencies, including ED, to develop an “Ending Indoctrination Strategy” intended to limit federal support for the teaching of certain ideologies identified in the order while also seeking to promote “Patriotic Education.” Advance CTE continues to analyze these EOs and is monitoring developments regarding their implementation in the weeks and months ahead.
House Holds Education Hearing as Nation’s Report Card Results Are Released
This week, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing titled “The State of American Education.” This hearing covered topics related to the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, DEI influence within public education, debate regarding the future of ED, and the cost of higher education among other issues. The NAEP, known informally as the nation’s report card, measures performance outcome data in mathematics and reading assessments in fourth and eighth grades. This year’s NAEP found that scores on these assessments in 2024 dropped below those in 2022. Notably, fourth-grade math scores improved, while eighth-grade math scores did not improve significantly. Reading scores in both grades reflected a trending decline that began before the pandemic. A summary of the results can be found here.
During the hearing, a panel of experts was present to answer questions and add insight regarding workforce development needs, parental rights, efficacy of school voucher programs, and higher education funding reform. Members of the House committee and panelists emphasized the growing need for education and workforce alignment to support learners in garnering skills and credentials that could lead to careers in in-demand fields. An archived webcast of the hearing, including opening statements and witness testimony, can be accessed here.
Key Senate Confirmation Hearings Slated for Next Week
Senate confirmation hearings for Secretary positions for the Department of Labor (DOL) and Department of Education (ED) are scheduled for this upcoming Wednesday, February 12, and Thursday, February 13, respectively. Lori Chavez-Deremer, a former congresswoman from Oregon, has been nominated to serve as the Secretary of Labor, details and live coverage of the nomination hearing can be found here. As previously reported, Linda McMahon has been nominated to serve as the Secretary of Education, details and live coverage of the nomination hearing can be found here. Ahead of the hearing, the ED has announced additional appointments to implement the Trump Administration’s education agenda.
