This week lawmakers continued to make progress on federal fiscal year 2023 (FY23) funding while the Biden Administration highlighted the impact the American Rescue Plan can and is having on the nation’s workforce. New plans to address student learning loss from the pandemic were also announced..
House Continues to Make Progress on FY23 Funding
As shared previously, the House Committee on Appropriations advanced funding legislation for the upcoming 2023 federal fiscal year (FY23) set to begin October 1. The bill proposes $45 million for the Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins V) basic state grant program– a proposed increase in line with what the program secured in the previous fiscal year. In addition, the bill proposes $50 million for a new competitive grant program to fund consortia of eligible recipients under Perkins V’s national activities account. Advance CTE and its partners have continued to share concerns about this proposal with lawmakers and have emphasized that additional funding will likely be needed to fully meet the demand for CTE programs across the country in the years ahead. The bill is expected to be considered as part of wider funding legislation in the coming weeks. Following this step, formal activity will then center on the Senate where lawmakers in the upper chamber will need to pass comparable funding legislation ahead of the fast-approaching October 1 FY23 deadline.
As this process continues, Advance CTE will continue to advocate for robust investments in Perkins V to fully meet the needs of CTE learners across the country. We encourage you to get in touch with your Senators to urge them to include at least $200 million for Perkins V’s basic state grant program. To do so, click here!
White House Convenes ARP Workforce Summit
On Wednesday, July 13, the White House hosted a summit titled “The American Rescue Plan and the Workforce.” The half day event convened state and local stakeholders and high ranking cabinet officials within the Biden Administration, including Vice President Harris and U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. The event was intended to highlight the ongoing impact the ARP is having on workers and learners, particularly regarding the more flexible aspects of the legislation passed last year. More information on these efforts can be found here. Vice President Kamala Harris’ remarks during the event can be accessed here.
Biden Administration Highlights Funding for Academic Recovery
Last week the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a series of actions aimed at addressing student learning loss as a result of the pandemic. As part of the National Partnership for Student Success, ED will partner with AmeriCorps and the Johns Hopkins School of Education to recruit a quarter million new school tutors and mentors in the coming years. Officials hope that this additional capacity will help more schools and districts accelerate learning and reverse learning loss trends. The effort highlights how stakeholders can leverage and otherwise make use of federal pandemic aid funding provided as part of the American Rescue Plan. More information on the effort can be found here.
Steve Voytek, Policy Advisor