Department of Education

CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language.............................................................................................................. 1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes............................................................................ 2

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers................................................................................... 3

Summary of Changes ................................................................................................................... 4

Authorizing Legislation.................................................................................................................. 5

Appropriations History................................................................................................................... 6

Significant Items in FY 2023 Appropriations Reports ................................................................... 7

Summary of Request .................................................................................................................... 8

Activities:....................................................................................................................................... 9

Career and technical education: State grants ......................................................................... 9

Career and technical education: National programs .............................................................16

Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State grants..........................................19

Adult education: National leadership activities ......................................................................26

Account Summary Table.............................................................................................................32

State Tables*

*State tables reflecting actual fiscal year 2022 allocations and fiscal years 2023 and 2024 

estimates are posted on the Department’s webpage at: 

https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables/index.html
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

1 

Appropriations Language

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, the Carl D. Perkins Career and 

Technical Education Act of 2006 ("Perkins Act"), and the Adult Education and Family Literacy 

Act ("AEFLA"), [$2,191,436,000]$2,447,436,000, of which [$1,400,436,000] $1,656,436,000

shall become available on July 1, [2023]2024, and shall remain available through September 

30, [2024]2025, and of which $791,000,000 shall become available on October 1, [2023]2024, 

and shall remain available through September 30, [2024]2025:1 Provided, That [$25,000,000 

shall be available for innovation and modernization grants under such section 114(e) of the 

Perkins Act]$200,000,000 shall be for competitive grants to consortia of local educational 

agencies, institutions of higher education, and employers to pilot evidence-based strategies to 

increase the integration and alignment of the last two years of high school and the first two 

years of postsecondary education to improve postsecondary and career outcomes for all 

students: 2 Provided further, That funds for grants under the preceding proviso may be used to 

pay stipends to program participants: 3 Provided further, That of the amounts made available for 

AEFLA, [$13,712,000]$43,712,000 shall be for national leadership activities under section 242.4

(Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2023.)

NOTE

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document that follows the appropriation language. 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

2 

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1 ...of which [$1,400,436,000]$1,656,900,000

shall become available on July 1, [2023]

2024, and shall remain available through 

September 30, [2024]2025, and of which 

$791,000,000 shall become available on 

October 1, [2023]2024, and shall remain 

available through September 30, 

[2024]2025:... 

This language provides funds on a forwardfunded basis for Career and Technical 

Education and Adult Education programs, as 

well as advance funding for Career and 

Technical Education.

2... Provided, That [$25,000,000 shall be 

available for innovation and modernization 

grants under such section 114(e) of the 

Perkins Act]$200,000,000 shall be for 

competitive grants to consortia of local 

educational agencies, institutions of higher 

education, and employers to pilot evidencebased strategies to increase the integration 

and alignment of the last two years of high 

school and the first two years of 

postsecondary education to improve 

postsecondary and career outcomes for all 

students:...

This language specifies the funding level for 

the Career-Connected High Schools initiative 

and authorizes competitive grants to 

consortia of local educational agencies, 

institutions of higher education, and 

employers to pilot evidence-based strategies 

to increase the integration and alignment of 

the last two years of high school and the first 

two years of postsecondary education to 

improve postsecondary and career outcomes 

for all students. 

3 ...Provided further, That funds for grants 

under the preceding proviso may be used to 

pay stipends to program participants:

This language authorizes the use of funds to 

support paid, work-based learning activities.

4...Provided further, That, of the amounts 

made available for AEFLA, 

[$13,712,000]$43,712,000 shall be for 

national leadership activities under section 

242.

This language overrides the statutory 

2 percent cap on the reservation of Adult 

Education funding for National Leadership 

Activities.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

3

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2022 2023 2024

Discretionary:

DiscretionaryAppropriation $2,091,436 $2,191,436 $2,447,900

Advance:

Advance for succeeding fiscal year -791,000 -791,000 -791,000

Advance from prior year 791,000 791,000 791,000

Total, budget authority 2,091,436 2,191,436 2,447,900
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

4 

Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

2022 $2,191,436

2023 2,447,900

Net change +256,464

Increases: 

2023 base

Change

from base

Program: 

Increase for Career and Technical Education State 

Grants to support improvements in career and technical 

education programs. $1,429,848 +$43,464

Increase for Career and Technical Education National 

Programs for competitive awards for a CareerConnected High Schools initiative to increase the 

integration and alignment of the last two years of high 

school and the first two years of postsecondary 

education, to provide technical assistance and evaluate 

these projects, and to support paid, work-based learning. 32,421 +183,000

Increase for Adult Education National Leadership 

Activities to support the use of Pell Grants at correctional 

institutions to provide access to postsecondary offerings 

as part of adult education programs; scaling up of 

college bridge programs for adults without a high school 

degree or equivalency; and for a disconnected youth 

initiative. 13,712 +30,000

Subtotal, increases +256,464
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

5 

5 

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2023

Authorized

Footnote

2023

Appropriation

Footnote

2024

Authorized

Footnote

2024

Request

Footnote

Career and technical education (Carl D. Perkins CTEA):

CTAE State grants (Title I) $1,299,884 $1,429,848 $1,318,082 $1,473,312

CTAE National programs (Section 114) 8,089 32,421 8,202 215,421

Adult education (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act 

(AEFLA)):

AEFLA Adult basic and literacy education State grants (AEFLA) 01,2 715,455 To be determined2 715,455

AEFLA National leadership activities (AEFLA section 242) 01,2 13,712 To be determined2 43,712

Unfunded authorizations(UA)

UA Grants to States for workplace and community transition 

training for incarcerated individuals (HE Amendments 

of 1998, Title VIII-D) Indefinite 0 Indefinite 0

Total definite authorization 1,307,973 1,326,284

Total annual appropriation 2,191,436 2,447,900

Portion of request not authorized 759,167

1 A total of $678,640 thousand is authorized for Adult Education in fiscal year 2021 (via the GEPA extension), of which 2 percent (not to exceed $15,000 

thousand), which amounts to $13,573 thousand, must be reserved to carry out National Leadership Activities. 2 The GEPA extension applied through September 30, 2021. Reauthorization for FY 2024 is expected through appropriations action.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

6

Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget Estimate

to Congress

Footnote

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate

Allowance Footnote Appropriation Footnote

20151 $1,722,686 N/A $1,720,939 $1,707,686

(2015 Advance for 2016) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20162 1,915,686 $1,700,609 1,669,731 1,720,686

(2016 Advance for 2017) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20173 1,808,686 1,720,686 1,720,686 1,715,314

(2017 Advance for 2018) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (785,628)

20184 1,476,441 1,720,686 1,720,686 1,830,686

(2018 Advance for 2019) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20195 1,637,159 1,945,265 1,855,686 1,925,686

(2019 Advance for 2020) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20206 1,842,159 2,003,133 1,935,686 1,960,686

(2020 Advance for 2021) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20217 2,723,265 1,985,686 2,035,686 2,030,936

(2021 Advance for 2022) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20228 2,183,936 2,238,981 2,132,848 2,091,436

(2022 Advance for 2023) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

20239 2,308,981 2,214,981 2,246,436 2,191,436

(2023 Advance for 2024) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

2024 2,447,900

(2024 Advance for 2025) (791,000)

1 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action. The level for the Senate 

allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only 2 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee.

3 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 appropriation 

bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.

4 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriations bill; the Senate allowance 

reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). 5 The levels for the House and Senate allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019 appropriations 

bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245). 6 The Senate allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further Consolidated 

Appropriation Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94). 7 The level for the Senate Allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects Division H of the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260). 8 The House allowance reflects floor action; the Senate allowance reflects the Chair’s mark; and the Appropriation 

reflects Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-103). 9 The House allowance reflects the regular annual FY 2023 appropriation, which was introduced on the floor; the 

Senate allowance reflects the Chair’s mark; and the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 

(P.L. 117-328).
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

7 

Significant Items in FY 2023 Appropriations Reports

Career and Technical Education State Grants

House: CTE Teacher Shortages.—The Committee is concerned about the growing 

shortage of qualified public school teachers at all levels of education and the lack 

of Federal data on CTE teacher shortages. Specifically, the Department’s 

Teacher Shortage Area database does not account for schools which have 

ceased to offer a CTE course due to a staffing shortage. Further, the Department 

does not currently collect data on the characteristics of the CTE teacher 

workforce including demographic information, salary, years of industry 

experience, and highest level of educational attainment. In the fiscal year 2024 

Congressional Budget Justification, the Committee requests for the Department 

to identify Federal data that can help Congress and stakeholders better 

understand CTE teacher shortages. If such data are unavailable, the Committee 

requests the Department suggest methods for obtaining necessary data 

prospectively.

Response: While the Department supports a number of data collection activities that include 

information on teachers, the data available on teacher shortages generally is 

limited. The Department’s Office of Postsecondary Education’s Teacher 

Shortage Areas database is a State-level reporting system and does not include 

district- or school-level data. The National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) 

collects data on the characteristics of the teacher workforce, including CTE 

teachers, and including demographic information, salary, and highest level of 

educational attainment, but not years of industry experience. First Look data from 

the 2020-2021 survey are available at https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/. The 

Institute for Education Sciences is currently considering including teacher 

shortage and pipeline issues in the LEA survey it is carrying out for the National 

Evaluation of Career and Technical Education. However, this is an evaluation, 

not a routine data collection like NTPS and data would only be collected 

periodically.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

8

Summary of Request

Programs in the Career, Technical, and Adult Education account support State and local efforts

to improve their career and technical education programs and their adult education and literacy 

systems. The objective of the career and technical education programs is to develop the 

academic, career, and technical skills of youth and adults in high schools, community colleges, 

and correctional institutions by: (1) promoting the integration of academic, career, and technical 

instruction, and (2) supporting State and local program improvements. Adult education 

programs support local efforts to provide educational services to adults who lack the basic or 

English literacy skills needed to benefit fully from job training, obtain better jobs, complete 

secondary education, succeed in postsecondary education, and become full participants in their 

children’s education. The Administration requests a total of $2.3 billion for this account. 

This request provides $1.5 billion for Career and Technical Education State Grants, which 

includes an increase of $43.5 million, to continue support for quality improvements in career and 

technical education programs as well as the President’s goal to invest in workforce development 

and build the capacity of the existing workforce development system. 

The $215.4 million request for CTE National Programs would provide $200 million in fiscal 

year 2024 for the Career-Connected High Schools initiative to support competitive grants to 

consortia of local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and employers to 

increase the integration and alignment of the last two years of high school and the first two 

years of postsecondary education, and would include paid work-based learning experiences, as 

well as funds for technical assistance, evaluation, and other ongoing activities. 

The $715.5 million request for Adult Education State Grants would support programs that are 

critical to increasing the number of adults who have the basic literacy and numeracy skills 

required to participate successfully in workforce education and training programs, including 

meeting the basic entrance requirements of apprenticeship programs.

The $43.7 million request for Adult Education National Leadership Activities includes a

$30 million increase. The increase would provide $10 million to support programs at correctional 

institutions that use Pell Grant funds to provide access to postsecondary offerings as part of an 

adult education program and to provide technical assistance in this area; $12.5 million to scale 

up college bridge programs for adults without a high school degree or equivalency; and $7.5 

million for an initiative focused on disconnected youth without a high school diploma. Funds 

would also continue to support activities intended to increase the literacy and workforce skills of 

our Nation’s English speaking adult population, as well as the ongoing need to address the 

English language acquisition, literacy, and workforce skills gaps of our immigrant population

who do not speak English.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

9 

Activities:

Career and technical education: State grants 

(Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, Title I)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2024 Authorization: $1,318,082

Budget Authority: 

2023 Appropriation 2024 Request Change

Annual appropriation $638,848 $682,312 +$43,464

Advance for 

succeeding fiscal year $791,000 $791,000

Total $1,429,848 $1,473,312 +43,464

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Career and Technical Education (CTE) State Grants are authorized under the Carl D. Perkins 

Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended, and reauthorized by the 

Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) in 2018. The 

program assists States and Outlying Areas in expanding and improving career and technical 

education in high schools, technical schools, and community colleges. Each State uses program 

funds to support a variety of career and technical education programs developed in accordance 

with its State plan. 

The Department allocates funds to States, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 

the Virgin Islands, through a formula that sets baseline funding at the same amount received by 

each State in fiscal year 2018. Any additional funds above the fiscal year 2018 level are 

distributed through a formula based on State per-capita income and population in three age 

cohorts (15-19, 20-24, and 25-65). The formula also provides for a minimum State allocation of 

at least 0.5 percent of the total funding available for States, and an additional provision limits the 

amount of funds that may be distributed to States initially receiving 0.5 percent or less of the 

funds designated for States.

In addition, the Pacific territories receive 0.13 percent of the total appropriated for State Grants 

to operate the same kinds of career and technical education programs as the States. Within that 

set-aside, the statute calls for initial allocations of $660,000 to Guam, $350,000 each to 

American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands, and $160,000 for Palau; any remaining 

funds are distributed among Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands based 

on their share of the set-aside. Also, 1.25 percent of the total appropriation for State Grants is 

set aside for grants to federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and 

0.25 percent is set aside for competitive grants to organizations that primarily serve and 

represent Hawaiian Natives.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

10

Under the statute:

• Programs must integrate academic and career and technical education; promote student 

attainment of challenging academic standards along with technical skills; provide strong 

linkages between secondary and postsecondary education; provide activities to prepare 

special populations for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations 

that will allow graduates to earn a living wage; and provide work-based learning 

opportunities and opportunities to gain postsecondary education credit, which may include 

industry-recognized postsecondary credentials, in high school settings. 

• States must set performance targets (“State-determined levels of performance”) for a 

number of “core indicators” specified in the law. 

o The core indicators for secondary education programs focus on high school graduation 

rates for CTE concentrators, as measured by the 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, 

and, at the State’s discretion, the extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, as 

defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA); proficiency in 

challenging academic standards, as measured by the State academic assessments 

required by Title I of the ESEA; participation in postsecondary education or advanced 

training, military service, in a service program that receives assistance under Title I of 

the National and Community Service Act of 1990, volunteer service in the Peace Corps, 

or employment, in the second quarter after exiting from secondary education; and 

participation in CTE programs that lead to employment in fields that are traditionally 

dominated by one gender (non-traditional fields). 

In addition, States must choose at least one indicator of CTE program quality from the 

following: graduation from high school with a recognized postsecondary credential; 

graduation from high school with postsecondary credits in a relevant CTE program; or 

graduation from high school having participated in work-based learning. States also 

have the option of including any other statewide valid and reliable measure of student 

success in CTE.

CTE concentrators at the secondary level are students who have completed at least 

two courses in a single career and technical education program or program of study.

o The core indicators for postsecondary education programs focus on CTE concentrators 

who, during the second quarter after completing a postsecondary education program, 

continue to participate in postsecondary education, or participate in advanced training, 

military service, in a service program that receives assistance under Title I of the 

National and Community Service Act of 1990, volunteer service in the Peace Corps, or 

are placed or retained in employment; CTE concentrators who receive a recognized 

postsecondary credential during participation in or within 1 year of program completion; 

and participation in CTE programs that lead to employment in non-traditional fields.

CTE concentrators at the postsecondary education level are students who have 

(1) earned at least 12 credits within a career and technical education program or 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

11

program of study; or (2) completed such a program if the program encompasses fewer 

than 12 credits or the equivalent.

• At least 85 percent of State Grant funds must be allocated by formula to local educational 

agencies (LEAs) and postsecondary education institutions, and a State may reserve up to 

15 percent of those funds to make grant awards to local educational agencies in rural areas, 

areas with high percentages or high numbers of career and technical education students, or 

areas with performance gaps, or to foster innovative and promising CTE programs or 

promote programs of study and career pathways that are aligned with State-identified highskill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations or industries. 

• States may use up to 10 percent of their allocations to carry out State leadership activities, 

such as preparing individuals for non-traditional fields in current and emerging professions; 

programs for special populations; activities that expose students, including special 

populations, to high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand occupations; supporting individuals in 

State institutions, such as State correctional institutions, including juvenile justice facilities, 

and educational institutions that serve individuals with disabilities; recruiting, preparing, or 

retaining CTE teachers and faculty; and providing technical assistance for subgrantees.

• States may use up to 5 percent of their allocations, or $250,000 (whichever is greater) for 

administration.

This is a forward-funded program that includes advance appropriations. A portion of the funds 

becomes available for obligation on July 1 of the fiscal year in which the funds are appropriated 

and remains available for 15 months through September 30 of the following year. The remaining 

funds become available on October 1 of the fiscal year following the year of appropriation and 

remain available for 12 months, expiring at the same time as the forward-funded portion. 

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands) 

2019 $1,262,598

2020 1,282,598

2021 1,334,848

2022 1,379,848

2023 1,429,848

FY 2024 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2024, the Administration requests $1.5 billion for Career and Technical Education 

(CTE) State Grants, $43.5 million more than the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The secondary 

and postsecondary education CTE programs under the Perkins Act are an important element of 

educational and workforce development systems. They can introduce students to careers as 

early as middle school, support attainment of academic and career skills, help students learn 

about career pathways and attain credentials needed for careers in in-demand, high-wage 

fields, provide high-quality work-based learning opportunities, assist students in the transition 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

12

from secondary education to postsecondary education and jobs, and help adults gain new skills 

and credentials needed to advance in their careers or pursue new career paths. 

Continued investment in high quality CTE programs is particularly important as students, 

workers, and recent graduates grapple with the effects of the pandemic on jobs and the 

economy. The pandemic has disproportionately impacted women and communities of color,1

and has had a disparate effect on occupational sectors,2 with the highest job losses occurring in 

the food preparation and related sectors and the leisure and hospitality industry. This is likely to 

increase demand for CTE from individuals seeking to obtain new skills or credentials in order to 

pursue job opportunities in different fields. At the same time, career counseling, education, and 

job training programs will need to ensure they stay current on high skill, high wage, or indemand occupations, including emerging professions.

The fiscal year 2024 request would continue to support quality improvements in career and 

technical education programs by aiding State and local efforts to meet statutory requirements to 

support better alignment of CTE programs with State, regional, and local economic needs, as 

well as the use of up-to-date information on in-demand industries and occupations in career 

guidance and counseling and ensuring students attain the skills they need to find high-skill, 

high-wage, or in-demand jobs where they live. In addition, State and local recipients must 

include work-based learning (along with competency-based and applied learning opportunities) 

as an element of CTE programs funded under Perkins V, which can improve student academic 

achievement and motivation by demonstrating the connection between academic learning and 

on-the-job skills.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2022 2023 2024

 ds: State grants $1,357,536 $1,406,541 $1,473,312

Formula funds: Range of awards to States $5,614–137,373 $5,860–141,487 $6,074–145,867

 ds: Territories allocation $1,794 $1,859 $1,915

 ds: Indian set-aside $17,248 $17,873 $18,416

Formula funds: Indian set-aside: Number of grants 38 38 38

 ds: Native Hawaiian grants $3,450 $3,575 $3,683

Formula funds: Native Hawaiian grant: Number of grants 9 9 9

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

The Department began implementing the measures for the reauthorized program (discussed in 

the program description section) in fiscal year 2020, following the transition year authorized in 

1 https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diverse-employees-are-struggling-the-mostduring-covid-19-heres-how-companies-can-respond. 2 https://medium.com/georgetown-cew/one-year-of-the-covid-economy-6f2d35d4c027.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

13

the statute. Baseline data for the new measures were collected late in calendar year 2021. Data 

for 2023 will be available in summer of 2023.

Measure: The percentage of secondary CTE concentrators who graduated from high school, as

measured by the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

Year Target Actual

2022 92% 96%

2023 91

2024 93

Measure: The percentage of secondary CTE concentrators meeting the state-established 

mathematics standards.

Year Target Actual

2022 44% 59%

2023 43

2024 51

Measure: The percentage of secondary CTE concentrators meeting the state-established 

reading/language arts standards.

Year Target Actual

2022 55% 59%

2023 53

2024 56

Measure: The percentage of secondary CTE concentrators meeting the state-established 

science standards.

Year Target Actual

2022 46% 61%

2023 40

2024 51

Measure: The percentage of secondary CTE concentrators who, in the second quarter after 

exiting from secondary education, are in postsecondary education or advanced training, military 

service or a service program that receives assistance under title I of the National and 

Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511 et seq.), are volunteers as described in 

section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504(a)) or are employed.

Year Target Actual

2022 78% 66%

2023 75

2024 78
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

14

Measure: The percentage of secondary CTE concentrators in career and technical education 

programs and programs of study that lead to non-traditional fields.

Year Target Actual

2022 28% 33%

2023 26

2024 30

Measure: The percentage of postsecondary CTE concentrators who, during the second quarter 

after program completion, remain enrolled in postsecondary education, are in advanced training, 

military service, or a service program that receives assistance under title I of the National and 

Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511 et seq.), are volunteers as described in 

section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504(a)), or are placed or retained in 

employment.

Year Target Actual

2022 70% 79%

2023 69

2024 74

Measure: The percentage of postsecondary CTE concentrators who receive a recognized 

postsecondary credential during participation in or within 1 year of program completion.

Year Target Actual

2022 53% 59%

2023 54

2024 56

Measure: The percentage of postsecondary CTE concentrators in career and technical 

education programs and programs of study that lead to non-traditional fields.

Year Target Actual

2022 18% 21%

2023 17

2024 19

Measure: Annual cost per secondary student.

Year Target Actual

2022 $106 $77

2023 $171

2024 $124
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

15

Measure: Annual cost per postsecondary student.

Year Target Actual

2022 $142 $542

2023 $225

2024 $384
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

16

Career and technical education: National programs

(Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, Section 114)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2024 Authorization: $8,089

Budget Authority: 

2023 Appropriation 2024 Request Change

$32,421 $215,421 +$183,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by the 

Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), includes an 

authority for National Programs to support research, development, dissemination, evaluation, 

assessment, capacity building, and technical assistance activities aimed at improving the quality 

and effectiveness of career and technical education (CTE) programs under the Act.

The National Programs authority requires the Department to work with the Institute of Education 

Sciences to (1) collect performance information about, and report on, the condition of CTE and 

on the effectiveness of CTE programs under the Act; and (2) carry out research and evaluation 

activities for each year for which funds are appropriated under the Act. The Department must 

submit to Congress an annual report on the performance of State and local programs on the 

core indicators of performance under CTE State Grants. In addition, an interim report on 

program evaluation and research activities is due to Congress 2 years after enactment of 

Perkins V; a final report is due 4 years after enactment of Perkins V; and biennial updates are 

due for succeeding years. The Act also requires that the National Center for Education Statistics 

(NCES) collect and report information on CTE.

Perkins V authorizes Innovation and Modernization grants within CTE National Programs to 

identify, support, and rigorously evaluate evidence-based and innovative strategies to improve 

and modernize CTE programs under the Act. The Department may use up to 20 percent of the 

funds authorized for CTE National Programs to carry out these grants. Eligible applicants 

include entities eligible to receive funds under CTE State Grants to carry out secondary or 

postsecondary education CTE programs or consortia that include CTE providers, business or 

industry representatives, and stakeholders (as defined under Sec. 3(19) of the Act). At least 

25 percent of the funds for these grants must be used for awards to serve rural areas, 

contingent on receipt of enough applications of sufficient quality, and the Department must give 

priority to applications for projects that will predominantly serve students from low-income 

backgrounds. Grantees must provide matching funds equal to 50 percent of their grant award 

(in cash or in-kind) from non-Federal sources.
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17

This is a forward-funded program. Funds become available for obligation from July 1 of the 

fiscal year in which they are appropriated and remain available through September 30 of the 

following year.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were: 

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands) 

2018 $7,421

2019 7,421

2020 7,421

2021 7,421

2022 7,421

2023 32,421

FY 2024 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2024, the Administration requests $215.4 million for Career and Technical 

Education (CTE) National Programs, $183 million more than the fiscal year 2023 appropriation, 

to pay continuation costs for awards anticipated to be made in fiscal year 2023 and run a new 

competition. The Career-Connected High Schools program leverages the evidence-based 

Innovation and Modernization Grants authority in the Perkins Act to demonstrate the value and 

effectiveness of career-connected, postsecondary education-aligned high school experiences 

tied to regional and geographic economic needs. Funds would build evidence for strategies and 

practices that, when taken to scale over time, would strengthen career-based pathways across 

grades 11-14, erasing current boundaries and barriers between high school and postsecondary 

education and employers, and supporting dramatically improved postsecondary education 

attainment, workforce training and career outcomes for all students, but especially for students 

of color and students from low-income backgrounds. 

The Career-Connected High Schools program, anticipated for launch in fiscal year 2023, would 

support competitive grants to consortia of local educational agencies, institutions of higher 

education (including community colleges, which are the primary partners in current pathways 

models), non-profits, and employers to increase the integration and alignment of the last two 

years of high school and the first two years of postsecondary education. These partnerships 

would create new structures and supports to help high school students, with a focus on 

underserved students, develop and navigate clear pathways to postsecondary education and 

career preparation, accrue college credit, pursue in-demand, high-value credentials, and gain 

direct experience and skills in the workplace that lead to high-quality jobs. Participating students

could progress directly from high school to postsecondary education, eliminating many 

admissions and financial barriers that often pose significant obstacles to students of color and 

students from low-income backgrounds.

For a fiscal year 2024 competition, an additional competitive priority would focus on paid workbased learning and funds under this priority could be used to support stipends for program

participants. This priority would encourage grantees to build out or expand work-based learning 

experiences including internships, apprenticeships, and would focus on re-engaging students 

who are currently disconnected from the education system. This competition would support 
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18

student progress toward earning career-related credentials, college credit through dual 

enrollment opportunities, a high school diploma, and supporting their transition from secondary 

to postsecondary education and high-quality jobs. This initiative would include impact 

evaluations and build evidence of effectiveness for these activities. A required match of Federal 

funds would help ensure that projects are sustainable after Federal funding ends. 

Approximately $16 million would be used for technical assistance, the creation of communities 

of practice, and program evaluation related to Career-Connected High Schools. Remaining CTE 

National Activities funds would support ongoing implementation of CTE State and local 

programs under the Perkins Act, as well as research and evaluation activities mandated under 

the statute.

The request includes appropriations language reflecting the proposed structure of the CareerConnected High Schools program within the underlying Innovation and Modernization Grants 

authority.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2022 2023 2024

Research and evaluation $2,072 $2,151 $2,000 

Performance data collection and 

reporting $824 838 832

Other program improvement activities 4,525 4,182 3,500

Innovation grants for CareerConnected High Schools:

Grants for Middle and High School CTFunding for new awards 0 $25,000 $166,339

Grants for Middle and High School Number of new awards 0 8 27

Grants for Middle and High School Range of new awards 0 $2,000-4,000 $4,000-8,000

Grants for Middle and High School CTFunding for continuation awards 0 0 $25,000

Grants for Middle and High School Number of continuation awards 0 0 8

Grants for Middle and High School Peer review of new award 

applications 0 $250 $1,750

Grants for Middle and High School Evaluation and technical 

assistance 0 0 $16,000

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Department anticipates developing GPRA performance measures for the CareerConnected High Schools program. Possible measures would be drawn from the “core 

indicators” specified in the statute for the CTE State Grants program.
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Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State grants

(Adult Education and Family Literacy Act)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2024 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

Period of fund availability: 

2023 Appropriation 2024 Request Change

$715,455 $715,455 0

Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State Grants

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Adult Education State Grants, authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act 

(AEFLA), support programs that help adults become literate, obtain the knowledge and skills 

necessary for employment and self-sufficiency, obtain a secondary school diploma, and 

transition to postsecondary education and training. The program also helps individuals who are 

English language learners improve their English proficiency and assists adults who are parents 

in obtaining the educational skills necessary to become full partners in the educational 

development of their children. As reauthorized in 2014 by the Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity Act (WIOA), AEFLA promotes the integration of adult education with occupational 

education and training, including through the development of career pathways systems that 

enable adults to learn new skills, obtain higher paying jobs, and build careers in high-growth, 

high-demand occupations. The Adult Education State Grants program is closely aligned with 

Department of Labor (DOL) workforce development, job-training, and employment programs, 

including through provisions requiring common performance measures, the integration of 

AEFLA activities in unified or combined State plans, and partnering through WIOA’s one-stop 

delivery system.

The statute requires the Secretary to allocate 88 percent of funds appropriated for AEFLA State 

grants to Adult Education Basic State Grants and the remaining 12 percent to Integrated English 

Literacy and Civics Education State Grants.

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2021. Reauthorization for FY 2024 is expected through appropriations 

action.
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Adult Education Basic State Grants

From the amount reserved for Adult Education State Grants, the Department makes an initial 

allotment of $250,000 to each State and $100,000 to each Outlying Area and allocates

remaining funds on the basis of each State’s share of qualifying adults. Qualifying adults are 

defined as individuals aged 16 and older who lack a high school diploma or the equivalent, who 

are beyond the age of compulsory education in their States, and who are not currently enrolled 

in school. The statute includes a “hold-harmless” provision ensuring that each State receives at 

least 90 percent of its previous year’s allocation. If funding is insufficient to satisfy the holdharmless provision, each State receives the same proportion of available funding as in the 

previous year.

A State may use up to 12.5 percent of its grant for State leadership activities and an additional 

5 percent or $85,000 (whichever is greater) for State administration. At least 82.5 percent of a 

State’s grant must be used for local awards; of this amount, up to 20 percent may be used to 

educate incarcerated and other institutionalized individuals. Of the funds provided by the State 

agency to eligible entities, at least 95 percent must be used for instructional activities.

States make subgrants to eligible entities that provide adult education and literacy activities, 

including adult education, literacy, workplace adult education, family literacy English language 

acquisition, integrated English literacy and civics education, workplace preparation, and 

integrated education and training. Eligible providers may be any organizations of demonstrated 

effectiveness and include local educational agencies (LEAs), community colleges, libraries, and 

community- and faith-based organizations. In distributing funds, States must give equitable 

access to all types of eligible entities, taking into account the extent to which such entities meet 

a variety of criteria including: responsiveness to the regional needs identified in the local 

workforce plan, the ability to serve individuals in the community identified in that workforce plan, 

past effectiveness in improving the literacy skills of adults and families, programs built on a 

strong foundation of research about effective practices, and coordination with other available 

resources in the community. 

State leadership funds must be used to align adult education to the State Unified Plan required 

by WIOA, establish, and operate high-quality professional development to improve instruction, 

provide technical assistance to eligible providers, and monitor and evaluate the quality and 

improvement of adult education services in the State. Funds may also be used for a variety of 

other activities to improve adult education and literacy services. 

The common performance accountability system created by WIOA includes six primary 

indicators of performance that focus on employment outcomes and earnings; educational 

attainment, including obtaining credentials required for employment; and the effectiveness of 

programs in serving employers.

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants (IELCE)

The IELCE program supports services designed to help adult English language learners, 

including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, achieve 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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21

competency in the English language and acquire the basic and more advanced skills 

needed to function effectively as parents, workers, and citizens in the United States. 

Using data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics, the 

Department allocates 65 percent of funds based on each State’s share of a 10-year average of 

immigrants admitted for legal permanent residence. The remaining 35 percent is allocated to 

States that have experienced recent growth in immigration, as measured by the average 

number of immigrants in the three most recent years. No State receives an award of less than 

$60,000. 

Adult Education State Grants is a forward-funded program. Funds become available for 

obligation from July 1 of the fiscal year in which they are appropriated and remain available 

through September 30 of the following year.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2019 $641,955

2020 656,955

2021 674,955

2022 690,455

2023 715,455

FY 2024 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2024, the Administration requests $715.5 million for Adult Education State 

Grants, level with the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The request reflects the continued need for 

Federal investment in adult education programs due not only to demand, but also data 

suggesting that the United States is losing ground to many of its economic competitors as 

measured by the employment-related skills of working-age adults. 

Data intended to assess the feasibility of future random assignment studies suggest that just 

over one-third of all local providers have waiting lists for entry into adult education programs.1

Although program enrollment decreased from 1.1 million individuals in 2019-20 to 725,000 in 

2020-21 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains significant need for 

programs that help individuals acquire basic foundation skills (including English language 

acquisition), complete secondary education, and transition to further education and training.

Estimates from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

from 2012-2017 indicate that in the United States there are 43 million working-age adults (ages 

16–65) with low literacy skills and 63 million working-age adults with low numeracy skills.2

PIACC data over that period of time also show that 23 to 30 percent of such adults wanted to 

participate in learning activities during the previous year but could not do so. Assuming that only 

1 This data comes from a survey of all providers about how they were implementing Title II in 2019. More information 

about this study and its forthcoming reports can be found at 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/evaluation/pathways_wioa.asp

2 https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/faq.asp#6001
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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25 percent of working-age adults with low literacy and low numeracy skills in the United States 

are interested in participating in adult education programs, there are up to 16 million adults 

seeking services from programs that currently serve under 1 million individuals.

Moreover, data suggest that the United States is losing ground to many of its economic 

competitors, as measured by the employment-related skills of working-age adults. This 

evidence strongly supports the need for increased Federal investment in adult education 

programs. For example, PIAAC results indicate that the average skills of American adults lag 

behind many other member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and 

Development (OECD). While U.S. adults scored slightly higher in literacy than the PIAAC 

international average across participating countries, they scored lower in both numeracy and 

digital problem solving. Additionally, the United States lags substantially behind in all three 

domains when compared to high-performing countries, such as Japan and Finland. In literacy, 

50 percent of U.S. adults performed at Level 3 or above compared to 72 percent in Japan and 

63 percent in Finland; in numeracy, 39 percent of U.S. adults performed at Level 3 or above 

compared to 63 percent in Japan and 58 percent in Finland; finally, in digital problem solving, 

36 percent of U.S. adults performed at Level 2 or above compared to 56 percent in Japan and 

51 percent in Finland.1

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2022 2023 2024

Adult basic and literacy State grants (ABL) $607,600 $629,600 $629,600

Range of awards to States $762–95,091 $901–100,427 $901–100,427 

Integrated English literacy and civics 

education State grants $82,855 $85,855 $85,855

Range of awards to States $60–15,827 $60–16,343 $60–16,343

Number of participants in Adult basic 

and literacy and English literacy 

and civics education 725,000 730,000 730,000

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the 

resources and efforts invested by those served by the program.

1 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Organization for Economic Cooperation and 

Development (OECD), Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), 2012–15.
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Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State grants

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Goal: To support adult education systems that result in increased adult learner 

achievement to prepare adults for family, work, citizenship, and future learning. 

Objective: Provide adult learners with opportunities to acquire basic foundation skills (including 

English language acquisition), complete secondary education, and transition to further 

education and training and to work.

Measure: The percentage of participants during the program year who are enrolled in adult 

basic education programs and are achieving measurable skill gains toward a credential or 

employment.

Year Target Actual

2019 46.5% 44.8%

2020 47.0 35.9

2021 47.0 36.8

2022 42.0 42.4

2023 42.0

2024 44.0

Measure: The percentage of participants during the program year who are enrolled in English 

literacy programs and are achieving measurable skill gains toward a credential or employment.

Year Target Actual

2019 46.0% 45.2%

2020 46.5 36.1

2021 46.5 31.8

2022 42.0 39.4

2023 42.0

2024 44.0

Additional information: Performance data reported for 2020 and 2021 reflect the continued 

disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on States’ ability to obtain the paired test scores 

used to measure educational functioning level gain, which is the primary measurable skill gain

type used by the adult education program. The Department adjusted targets for 2022 based on 

trends in actual performance. 

Measure: The percentage of participants who attained a secondary school diploma or its 

recognized equivalent and who are employed or are in an education or training program leading 

to a recognized postsecondary credential within 1 year after exit from the program.

Year Target Actual

2019 25.6%

2020 27.0% 26.1

2021 28.0 27.0

2022 25.0 22.5

2023 27.0

2024 28.0
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Additional information: Grantee performance reported for educational measures in 2022 

reflects the gradual reopening of adult education classrooms and the resumption of in-person 

instruction. These factors had a positive impact on state assessment procedures during the 

2021-22 program year. States were able to improve the number of paired test scores used to 

measure educational functioning level gain, which is the primary measurable skill gain type used 

by the adult education program. However, there are areas where the effects of the pandemic or 

pandemic-related policies continue to create an environment that may not be conducive to preand post-testing activities. For example, some local programs still require strict adherence to 

certain pandemic induced procedures, inhibiting in-person testing for large groups of students, 

which is a significant departure from what was possible prior to the pandemic. Other effects of 

the pandemic have yielded adult education program staffing shortages, specifically with regard 

to teacher recruitment and retention.

In addition, grantees have experienced an increase in burden because this measure requires 

conducting more data matches among employment, high school equivalency attainment, and 

postsecondary records. Data matching for employment and postsecondary attendance is 

difficult and costly, and many States are new to conducting these data matches. Often 

procedures for data matching are not possible during the time frame required for reporting. The 

Department expects the data matching, quality, and reliability for these measures to improve in 

the future.

Measure: The percentage of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the 

second quarter after exit from the program.

Year Target Actual

2019 27.7%

2020 28.5% 30.2

2021 29.0 29.3

2022 20.0 35.0

2023 30.0

2024 33.0

Measure: The percentage of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the fourth 

quarter after exit from the program.

Year Target Actual

2019 26.1%

2020 27.0% 27.9

2021 27.5 28.6

2022 20.0 30.8

2023 30.0

2024

Additional information: Performance reported for the unsubsidized employment measures in 

2022 reflects the gradual improvement of employment outcomes for adult education program 

participants in the follow-up period that was measured from January 2021 to December 2021, a 

time when overall employment opportunities were generally increasing. Note that individuals not 

seeking employment or postsecondary education or training (e.g., retirees) are included in the 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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25

denominator for these measures. The Department expects the data matching, quality, and 

reliability for these measures to improve in the future. Data for 2023 for the measures above are 

expected in early 2024. 

Efficiency Measures

Measure: The annual federal cost per measurable skill gain (MSG) achieved by adult education 

participants.

Year Target Actual

2019 $900 $883

2020 950 1,043

2021 950 1,576

2022 950

2023 2,700

2024 2,700

Measure: The annual federal cost per secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent 

attained by adult education participants.

Year Target Actual

2019 $6,200 $6,367

2020 6,000 7,143

2021 6,000 9,646

2022 6,000

2023 10,500

2024 10,500

Additional information: Actual data for 2020 have been revised to include updated data 

submitted by States under the Tydings waiver provision of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 

Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The Department re-set targets for 2023. Targets are 

higher to reflect the expectation for States to continue to increase their use of integrated 

education and training (IET) models, which generally have substantially higher costs (e.g., 

equipment, additional training for providers, coordination with employers, simultaneous 

teaching, and supportive services) than the typical adult education program. The new targets 

were also informed by the program costs reported in a small number of studies of adult 

education interventions that were found to be effective in improving learner outcomes. Data for 

2022 for the two measures above are expected in early 2024. 
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Adult education: National leadership activities

(Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Section 242)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2024 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

Period of fund availability: 

2023 Appropriation 2024 Request Change

$13,712 $43,712 +$30,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Adult Education National Leadership Activities address major policy priorities in adult education, 

including program improvement, accountability, professional development, and increasing 

access to learning opportunities for adults. The Department uses program funds to support 

applied research, development, dissemination, evaluation, and program improvement activities 

to assist States in their efforts to improve the quality of adult education programs. Examples of 

these activities include training institutes, training on research-based reading and math 

instruction, national and international adult literacy surveys, and technical assistance on using 

technology to improve instruction.

In addition, the Department is required to carry out certain national leadership activities, 

including assistance to States in meeting the requirements of the performance accountability 

provisions in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), assistance to local 

providers of adult education services upon request from one or more States, and carrying out 

research on effective adult education and literacy services.

This is a forward-funded program. Funds become available for obligation from July 1 of the 

fiscal year in which they are appropriated and remain available for 15 months through 

September 30 of the following year.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands) 

2019 $13,712

2020 13,712

2021 13,712

2022 13,712

2023 13,712

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2021. Reauthorization for FY 2024 is expected through appropriations 

action.
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FY 2024 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2024, the Administration requests $43.7 million for Adult Education National 

Leadership Activities, $30 million more than the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The substantial 

increase would provide $10 million to support adults in correctional institutions to access to 

postsecondary offerings as part of adult education programs; $7.5 million for an initiative focused 

on disconnected youth without a high school diploma; $12.5 million for a College Bridge Initiative.

Transition to Postsecondary Education for Individuals who are Incarcerated 

The request would provide $10 million to support the implementation of high-quality programs at 

correctional institutions that use Pell Grant funds to provide access to postsecondary offerings 

as part of an adult education program. This could include Pell eligible education programs that 

include credit-bearing postsecondary coursework, integrated education and training, advising, 

and programs that provide supported transition into postsecondary education. The full 

reinstatement of Pell Grants for incarcerated individuals will begin on July 1, 2023. For over 26 

years, individuals who were incarcerated could not access Pell grants to help fund 

postsecondary education coursework. In 2015, the Department set up an experimental site 

program that allowed select State and federal prisons to off the program. Through experimental 

sites, over 9,000 students earned either an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, certificate or 

diploma. 

The FAFSA Simplification Act removed the restrictions that previously existing and will allow 

every correctional facility across the country to expand access to postsecondary education for 

individuals who are incarcerated. Postsecondary education has been shown to reduce 

recidivism by 48 percent, increasing public safety and reducing incarceration costs. It has also 

been shown to increase employment and earnings for formerly incarcerated people.1

The request would support two activities to promote the development and implementation of 

correctional programs that use Pell Grant funds to provide access to postsecondary offerings as 

part of an adult education program. The first activity would consist of $7 million to make awards 

to consortia of (1) State departments of corrections or correctional facilities; and (2) state 

agencies of higher education or institutions of higher education to establish partnerships and 

build up the institutional capacity and knowledge of states and localities to establish and support 

these programs. Funds could be used to support direct services to students, particularly support 

services. An additional $3 million would support a Correctional and Reentry Education Technical 

Assistance Center (TAC) to provide technical assistance to stakeholders delivering education, 

particularly adult education programs, for justice system-involved populations. This TAC would 

work across the Department of Education, in collaboration with other federal agencies, and 

would provide assistance in the areas of implementing best practices, data collection, 

evaluation, and implementation. The TAC would also be available to help institutions seeking to 

use Pell Grant funds to provide programs for incarcerated individuals.

1 Patrick Oakford et al., “Investing in Futures: Economic and Fiscal Benefits of Postsecondary Education in Prison” 

(Vera Institute of Justice, January 2019).
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Disconnected Youth Initiative

The term disconnected youth is generally defined as young people ages 16 to 24 who are 

neither employed nor enrolled in school. Data from 2019 (the latest available) indicate that there 

are approximately 4.1 million disconnected youth in the U.S., representing approximately 

10.7 percent of the country’s youth population.1 There are racial and ethnic disparities in the 

population of disconnected youth, with rates ranging from 9.2 percent among white youth to 

12.8 precent for Hispanic youth, 17.4 percent for Black youth, and 23.4 percent for Native 

American youth. Students who are disconnected are more likely to have not completed high 

school, have low socioeconomic status, have a disability, be living apart from their parents 

(including encountering the foster care system), and not have health insurance compared to 

their connected counterparts. School closings during the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing 

high unemployment rates among the youth population (9.6 percent among 16- to 19-year-old 

individuals and 9.1 percent among 20- to 24-year-old individuals in July of 20212) have limited 

opportunities for disconnected youth to pursue further education or attain employment. Given 

the characteristics of the youth who are disconnected and the added disruptions caused by the 

pandemic, reconnecting these youth to career-based educational pathways and work 

opportunities is a priority that will require focused, tailored interventions and substantial support 

services.

The request would invest $7.5 million in competitive grants to five States for projects to reduce 

equity gaps for youth who are disconnected without a high school diploma and are often 

underserved in WIOA youth programs. The initiative would give priority to projects proposing to 

help youth who are disconnected attain a secondary school diploma and to projects proposing 

partnerships with public or private entities that would result in employment or transitions into 

postsecondary education for participants by the end of the project period. 

College Bridge Initiative

The request provides $12.5 million to support competitive grants to 10 States to implement 

college bridge initiatives for out-of-school youth. College bridge programs provide services such 

as college counseling, mentoring, assistance with college applications and enrollment, and 

coaching during the initial months of college enrollment to help students transition into and 

succeed in postsecondary education. This activity would help States expand and demonstrate

the effectiveness of college bridge opportunities that increase learners’ odds of educational 

success at the postsecondary level. Grant funds would be used to plan, pilot, implement, and 

scale evidence-based college bridge models that serve out-of-school youth or adapt existing 

college bridge models to serve out-of-school youth; to provide technical assistance and 

professional development to support replication of the models; to provide research and 

evaluation of key interventions; and to support and strengthen the skills of college bridge 

program personnel through professional development. States would be required to provide a 

1 Lewis, Kristen. A Decade Undone: 2021 Update. New York: Measure of America, Social Science Research Council, 

2021. https://ssrc-static.s3.amazonaws.com/moa/ADecadeUndone2021Update.pdf 2 https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea10.htm, last modified August 6, 2001.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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10 percent match of the grant award from their State leadership activities set-aside under Adult 

Basic and Literacy Education State Grants and could leverage their formula grant funds to scale 

up effective college bridge models.

Ongoing Investments 

Other activities supported through the fiscal year 2024 request include the following:

• Evaluating Adult Education and Literacy Activities, which supports rigorous research and 

evaluation on effective adult education and literacy practices in addition to a statutorily 

required independent evaluation of AEFLA programs at least every 4 years to improve 

services and outcomes for adult education program participants. IES is examining the shift 

in policies and practices since the enactment of WIOA and the challenges that States and 

local providers face in administering the program. A separate component of the evaluation is 

examining whether particular adult education strategies are effective in improving learner 

outcomes.

• The Literacy Information and Communications System, which includes an online resource 

collection of instructional and professional development materials; a professional 

development center to assist States with training and technical assistance services intended 

to meet statutory requirements; and the technology infrastructure needed to support the 

collection, maintenance, and dissemination of adult education resources.

• The National Reporting System, which receives, stores, and generates reports on the 

outcomes, participation, and student descriptive data for AEFLA programs submitted by 

States. It also specifies methodologies for collecting and reporting the data and includes 

technical assistance resources to increase the knowledge of State staff and the capacity of 

State data systems. Investments in this area will help to ensure that local providers and 

States collect and report high quality data and become skilled in using this information in 

program management and decision-making.

• Innovation Initiatives, which includes efforts to advance integrated education and training

(IET) that allow participants to participate improve basic literacy and numeracy skills as well 

as workforce skills at the same time and in the same context. The Department seeks to help 

State, local, and correctional education programs expand the availability of IET.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2022 2023 2024

Evaluating Adult Education and Literacy 

Activities $2,496 $4,084 $3,500

Literacy Information and Communications 

System 3,847 3,937 4,274

National Reporting System 1,554 1,563 1,563

Innovation initiatives 3,224 2,428 2,105

Other technical assistance, logistical 

support, and evaluation 2,5912 1,700 2,270

Pell Grant Initiative 0 0 10,000

Number of awards 0 0 20-35

Range of awards 0 0 $200-$500

Technical Assistance Center 0 $3,000

Disconnected Youth Initiative 0 7,500

Number of awards 0 0 5

Average award 0 0 $2,000

College Bridge Initiative 0 12,500

Number of awards 0 0 10

Average award 0 0 $1,500

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the 

resources and efforts invested by those served by the program. 

Goal: To support research, evaluation, information dissemination, and other activities to 

help States improve adult education and literacy programs.

Objective: To support adult education systems that result in increased adult learner 

achievement in order to prepare adults for family, work, citizenship, and future learning. 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Adult education: National leadership activities

31

Measure: The percentage of grantees submitting high-quality learner assessment data through 

the National Reporting System (NRS).

Year Target Actual

2019 90% 84%

2020 90 95

2021 90 96

2022 95 93

2023 96

2024 96

Additional information: In 2022, 53 of 57 grantees (the 50 States, the District of Columbia, 

Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands) submitted high-quality learner assessment data. The program office has developed a 

data-quality review process for States based on the Department’s “Standards for Evaluating 

Program Performance Data.” This process leads to a determination of whether each State has 

submitted high quality adult learner assessment data. States periodically upgrade or replace

their data systems in order to address any identified data quality issues. Due to the variety of 

factors involved in collecting, analyzing, and reporting data, the Department has determined that 

a target of 100 percent is not appropriate but maintains an ambitious target.
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Account Summary Table

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 2024 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

(in thousands of dollars)

Cat 

Code 2022 Appropriation 2023 Appropriation

2024 President's 

Budget Request

FY 2024 President's Budget Request 

Compared to FY 2023 Appropriation

Amount Percent

Career, Technical, and Adult Education

1. Career and technical education (Carl D. Perkins CTEA):

(a) State grants (Title I)

Annual appropriation D 588,848 638,848 682,312 43,464 6.80%

Advance forsucceeding fiscal year D 791,000 791,000 791,000 0 0.00%

Subtotal 1,379,848 1,429,848 1,473,312 43,464 3.04%

(b) National programs(section 114) D 7,421 32,421 215,421 183,000 564.45%

Subtotal, Discretionary D 0 1,462,269 1,688,733 226,464 15.49%

Subtotal, Career and technical education 1,387,269 1,462,269 1,688,733 226,464 15.49%

2. Adult education:

(a) Adult basic and literacy education State grants(AEFLA) D 690,455 715,455 715,455 0 0.00%

(b) National leadership activities (AEFLA section 242) D 13,712 13,712 43,712 30,000 218.79%

Subtotal, Adult education 704,167 729,167 759,167 30,000 4.11%

Total, Appropriation D 2,091,436 2,191,436 2,447,900 256,464 11.70%

Current 1,300,436 1,400,436 1,656,900 256,464 18.31%

Prior year's advance 791,000 791,000 791,000 0 0.00%

NOTES:

1) D = discretionary program; M = mandatory programs

2) Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.