There were a number of key updates from the Capitol this week. Read below to find out more about a a new resource on Perkins V, the Senate’s work to advance the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Appropriations process and an announcement from the Administration about leadership for the Office of Postsecondary Education.
Advance CTE and ACTE Release New Perkins V One-Pager
Looking for a short resource about the major tenets of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (PerkinsV)? Check out a new one-pager from Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) on our website here and find all of Advance CTE’s Perkins V resources on our webpage.
Senate Advances FY19 Appropriations Bill that Includes Key Education and Workforce Programs
On August 23, the Senate voted 85-7 to pass their FY19 Defense and Labor, Health and human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bills together (often called a “minibus”). Prior to its passage, over 300 amendments to the bill were filed on a wide range of topics and more than 50 were incorporated into the final bill. Some of the education-related amendments included in the final bill were: an amendment by Senators Heller (R-NV) and Klobuchar (D-MN) to require the U.S. Secretary of Education to send Congress a report on the coordination across some agencies on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs for secondary students; an amendment by Senators Reed (D-RI) and Murkowski (R-AK) to require that the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report about the condition public schools in the U.S.; an amendment by Senators Wicker (R-MS) and Peters (D-MI) about the need to expand computer science education; and an amendment by Senators Cassidy (R-LA) and Cantwell (D-WA) about the need to make funding for coding courses a top priority for students in grades K-12.
Overall, the bill included a $541 million increase (over the FY18 level) for the U.S. Department of Education and level-funding (at the FY18 level) for the U.S. Department of Labor. The Senate bill includes level funding for the following programs at the FY18 level: Perkins Basic State Grants, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and
Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants authorized under Title II of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Senate bill includes increases for the following programs: Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants authorized under Title IV-A of ESSA, Apprenticeship Grants and Adult Education and Family Literacy State Grants.
Differences between the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies FY19 appropriations bills will need to be resolved before FY19 allocations for education and workforce programs will be finalized. Advance CTE will continue to provide information about this process as it becomes available.
President Trump to Nominate Robert King for Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education
On August 21, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Robert King for Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. King formerly led the State University of New York (SUNY) System and was most recently the president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. Diane Jones will continue to serve as acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education until King is confirmed by the Senate.
Kathryn Zekus, Senior Associate, Federal Policy