12/22/09:  New Jobs Bill Passed by U.S. House

• $4.1 billion for school renovation grants
• $500 million for summer youth employment in the Workforce Investment Act
• $300 million for college work study
• $750 million for job training in "high growth fields;" specifically green and health care industries
• $23 billion for an education jobs fund-this money will be funneled through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to help states save and create 250,000 new education jobs over two years

You can read a summary of the job creation legislation and the entire text on the House Appropriations Committee's Web site. Despite the quick House passage, the Senate is not expected to vote on the bill until January. ACTE will be following the action closely and working with Congress to maximize resources for education and workforce development programs.

12/22/09:  Congress Passes FY 2010 Funding Bill   On December 10, the House of Representatives voted 221 to 202 to pass H.R. 3288, an omnibus appropriations bill containing final FY 2010 funding levels for programs under the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, as well as the components of five other appropriations bills. The Senate followed suit on September 13 and passed the bill by a vote of 57-35, and the president signed it into law on December 16.

Before this action, the programs in this bill were operating under a continuing resolution (CR) that had been in effect since the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1. The CR was scheduled to expire on December 18, so the six individual funding bills were combined to expedite their passage. In the omnibus, the entire Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill is increased by $8.5 billion over FY 2009 levels, but education programs received few increases totaling only 1.7 percent overall. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act is funded at $1.27 billion, which is equal to the FY 2009 level.

Three new programs of particular interest to CTE are included in the bill. Under the Department of Labor, $40 million is provided for a Green Jobs Innovation Fund that is designed to prepare workers for careers in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and $45 million is provided for a transitional jobs program to help workers who face substantial barriers to entering the workforce. Under the Department of Education, $50 million is designated for a High School Graduation Initiative designed to assist high schools labeled as "dropout factories" retain students and raise graduation rates.

View ACTE's FY 2010 Funding Chart online for information on other key program funding levels. A detailed summary of the FY 2010 appropriations process and the final education-related funding provisions has also been released by New America Foundation and provides excellent background information.