Department of Education

CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Fiscal Year 2025 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

Summary of Request ................................................................................................................. 7

Activities:

Career and technical education: State grants ........................................................................ 8

Career and technical education: National programs.............................................................15

Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State grants .........................................20

Adult education: National leadership activities .....................................................................28

Account Summary Table...........................................................................................................33

State Tables*

*State tables reflecting actual fiscal year 2023 allocations and fiscal years 2024 and 2025 

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"), $2,268,436,000, of which $1,477,436,000 shall become available on July 1, 

2025, and shall remain available through September 30, 2026, and of which $791,000,000 shall 

become available on October 1, 2025, and shall remain available through September 30, 2026:

1

Provided, That $57,000,000 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, $18,712,000 shall be for national leadership activities under section 242.4

NOTES 

A full-year 2024 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the Budget was prepared; therefore, 

the Budget assumes this account is operating under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions 

Act (Division A of Public Law 118-15, as amended). The amounts included for 2024 reflect the annualized level 

provided by the continuing resolution.

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 $1,477,436,000 shall become 

available on July 1, 2025, and shall remain 

available through September 30, 2026, and 

of which $791,000,000 shall become 

available on October 1, 2025, and shall 

remain available through September 30, 

2026:... 

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 $57,000,000 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, $18,712,000 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 2023 2024 2025 

Discretionary:

DiscretionaryAppropriation $2,191,436 $2,191,436 $2,268,436

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 2,191,436 2,191,436 2,268,436
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

4 

Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

2024 $2,191,436

2025 2,268,436

Net change +77,000

Increases:

2024 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 +$40,000 

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 +32,000

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. 13,712 +5,000

Subtotal, increases +77,000
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

5 

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2024

Authorized

2024 

Annualized CR

2025

Authorized

2025

Request

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

CTAE State grants (Title I) $1,318,082 $1,429,848 $1,318,082 $1,469,848

CTAE National programs (Section 114) 8,202 32,421 8,202 64,421

Adult education (Adult Education and Family Literacy Act 

(AEFLA))2,3:

AEF LA Adult basic and literacy education State grants (AEFLA) 0 715,455 To be determined 715,455

AEF LA National leadership activities (AEFLA section 242) 0 13,712 To be determined 18,712

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 1,326,284 1,326,284

Total annual appropriation 2,191,436 2,268,436

Portion of request not authorized 734,167

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2025. Reauthorization for fiscal year 2025 is expected through appropriations action. 2 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. 3 The GEPA extension applied through September 30, 2021. Reauthorization for fiscal year 2025 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

20161 $1,915,686 $1,700,609 $1,669,731 $1,720,686

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

20172 1,808,686 1,720,686 1,720,686 1,715,314

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

20183 1,476,441 1,720,686 1,720,686 1,830,686

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

20194 1,637,159 1,945,265 1,855,686 1,925,686

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

20205 1,842,159 2,003,133 1,935,686 1,960,686

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

20216 2,723,265 1,985,686 2,035,686 2,030,936

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

20227 2,183,936 2,238,981 2,132,848 2,091,436

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

20238 2,308,981 2,214,981 2,246,436 2,191,436

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

20249 2,447,900 2,191,436 2,211,436 2,191,436

(2024 Advance for 2025) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000) (791,000)

2025 2,268,436

(2025 Advance for 2026) (791,000)

1 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.

2 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.

3 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). 4 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). 5 The Senate allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further Consolidated 

Appropriation Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94). 6 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). 7 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). 8 The House allowance reflects the regular annual fiscal year 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). 9 The House allowance reflects Subcommittee action and the Senate allowance reflects Committee action on the 

regular annual 2024 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the annualized continuing resolution level.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

7 

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 $40.0 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 $64.4 million request for CTE National Programs, which includes an increase of 

$32.0 million, would provide $57.0 million in fiscal year 2024 for the Career-Connected High 

Schools initiative, of which $32.0 million would support new 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 $18.7 million request for Adult Education National Leadership Activities includes a

$5 million increase 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. 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

8 

Career and technical education: State grants 

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

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2025 Authorization: $1,318,0821

Budget Authority: 

Period of fund availability: 

2024 Annualized CR 2025 Request Change

Annual appropriation $638,848 $678,848 +$40,000

Advance for succeeding fiscal year 791,000 791,000 0

Total 1,429,848 1,469,848 +40,000

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.

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2025.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

9 

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

10

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) 

2020 $1,282,598

2021 1,334,848

2022 1,379,848

2023 1,429,848

2024 Annualized CR 1,429,848

FY 2025 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2025, the Administration requests $1.5 billion for Career and Technical Education 

(CTE) State Grants, $40.0 million more than a fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on 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 from secondary education to postsecondary 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

11

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 prepare for and enter jobs in a changing economy. 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 2025 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. The request also reflects the need to prepare American workers for the historic 

amount of in-demand and high-quality jobs that will help rebuild the American economy by 

investing in critical sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and 

biotechnology through the Invest in America agenda.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2023 2024 2025

 ds: State grants $1,406,541 $1,406,541 $1,445,889

Formul a funds: Range of awards to States $5,860–141,893 $5,860–141,893 $6,057–145,551

 ds: Territories allocation $1,859 $1,859 $1,911

 ds: Indian set-aside $17,873 $17,873 $18,373

Formul a funds: Indi an set-aside: Number of grants 38 38 38

 ds: Native Hawaiian grants $3,575 $3,575 $3,675

Formul a funds: N ative Hawaiian grant: Number of grants 9 9 9

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 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

12

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.

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 

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

for 2024 will be available in summer of 2024.

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 96

2024 93 —

2025 95 —

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

mathematics standards.

Year Target Actual

2022 44% 59%

2023 43 54

2024 51 —

2025 54 —

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

reading/language arts standards.

Year Target Actual

2022 55% 59%

2023 53 56

2024 56 —

2025 56 —

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

science standards.

Year Target Actual

2022 46% 61%

2023 40 56

2024 51 —

2025 53 —
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

13

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 69

2024 56 —

2025 60 —

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 33

2024 30 —

2025 33 —

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 81

2024 74 —

2025 78 —

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 60

2024 56 —

2025 58 —
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: State grants

14

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 22

2024 19 —

2025 21 —

Measure: Annual cost per secondary student. 

Year Target Actual

2022 $106 $77

2023 171 82

2024 124 —

2025 100 —

Measure: Annual cost per postsecondary student.

Year Target Actual

2022 $142 $542

2023 225 148

2024 384 —

2025 300 —
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

15

Career and technical education: National programs 

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

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2025 Authorization: $8,0891

Budget Authority: 

Period of fund availability: 

2024 Annualized CR 2025 Request Change 

$32,421 $ 64,421 +$32,000

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.

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2025.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Career and technical education: National programs

16

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) 

2020 $7,421

2021 7,421

2022 7,421

2023 32,421

2024 Annualized CR 32,421

FY 2025 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2025, the Administration requests $64.4 million for Career and Technical 

Education (CTE) National Programs, $32.0 million more than a fiscal year annualized CR based 

on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. Funds would support $31.8 million in new awards and 

$25.0 million for 19 continuation awards for grants awarded in a fiscal year 2023 competition. 

This request reflects the need to prepare American workers for the high-skill, in-demand, and 

high-wage jobs stemming from the Investing in America agenda, specifically in critical sectors 

that include infrastructure, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and 

biotechnology, among others. In these industries, CTE programs are integral to developing a 

skilled workforce that can meet the regional workforce and economic needs of communities 

across the country in an accelerated time frame. In fiscal year 2023, The Department received 

more than 160 eligible applications from 43 states and the District of Columbia, requesting more 

than $850 million to implement comprehensive career-connected learning projects.

The Career-Connected High Schools program leverages the evidence-based Innovation and 

Modernization Grants authority in the Perkins Act. The program supports career-connected, 

postsecondary education-aligned high school experiences tied to regional and geographic 

economic needs. Funds are used to build evidence for integrated strategies and practices that, 

when taken to scale over time, would strengthen and accelerate career-based pathways and 

alignment across grades 11-14, reducing barriers between high school, postsecondary 

education, and employers; and supporting improved postsecondary education attainment, 

workforce training and career outcomes for all students, especially for underrepresented 

students and students from low-income backgrounds.1

 

The Career-Connected High Schools program, launched in fiscal year 2023, supports 

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

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

1 Hoffman, N., Vargas, J. et al. (2021), The Big Blur: An Argument for Erasing the Boundaries Between High School, 

College, and Careers—and Creating One New System That Works for Everyone. Boston, MA: Jobs for the Future. 

Retrieved from: https://www.jff.org/resources/the-big-blur-an-argument-for-erasing-the-boundaries-between-highschool-college-and-careers-and-creating-one-new-system-that-works-for-everyone/.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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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 are 

designed to create and align new structures and supports to help high school students, with a 

focus on underrepresented students, develop and navigate clear pathways to postsecondary 

education and career preparation,

1 accrue early college credit, pursue in-demand, high-value 

credentials,

2 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 in an 

accelerated manner, eliminating many admissions and financial barriers that often pose 

significant obstacles to students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. 

This competition would support student progress toward earning career-related credentials and 

a high school diploma, obtaining college credit through dual enrollment opportunities3

, and 

enrolling in registered apprenticeships while supporting the 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 $7.4 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, including supporting implementation of new state plans 

approved in fiscal year 2024, as well as research and evaluation activities mandated under the 

statute. Funds would be used to support coordination and facilitation of cross-sector 

consortiums to develop common metrics, coordinate activities, develop new resources, share 

and evaluate data, and develop continuous improvement strategies to develop and implement 

education to workforce pathways for key industries.

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

authority, including authorizing the use of funds to pay stipends to program participants to 

support their retention and completion.

1 Tierney, W. G., Bailey, T., Constantine, J., Finkelstein, N., & Hurd, N. F. (2009), Helping students navigate the path 

to college: What high schools can do: A practice guide (NCEE #2009–4066). Washington, DC: National Center for 

Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. 

Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/. 2 For example, the labor force participation rate of high school graduates with a certification or professional license, 

but no further education, is 35 percent higher than the participation rate of high school graduates who lack one of 

these credentials, and their median weekly earnings are 17 percent higher. See Cunningham, Eva (2019), 

“Professional certifications and occupational licenses: evidence from the Current Population Survey,” Monthly Labor 

Review, June 2019, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved from: 

https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2019/article/professional-certifications-and-occupational-licenses.htm. 3 What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education (2017), Dual Enrollment 

Programs: WWC Intervention Report. Retrieved from: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_

dual_enrollment_022817.pdf.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2023 2024 2025

Research and evaluation $1,356 $718 $740

Performance data collection and reporting $838 $832 $835

Other program improvement activities $5,227 $4,169 $4,125

Innovation grants for Career-Connected 

High Schools:

Innovati on grants for C areer-Connected High SchoolsFunding for new awards $24,250 0 $31,780

Innovati on grants for C areer-Connected High SchoolsNumber of new awards 19 0 25

Innovati on grants for C areer-Connected High SchoolsRange of new awards $1,100-4,425 0 $1,100-4,425

Innovati on grants for C areer-Connected High SchoolsFunding for continuation awards 0 $25,000 $24,970

Innovati on grants for C areer-Connected High SchoolsNumber of continuation awards 0 19 19

Innovati on grants for C areer-Connected High SchoolsPeer review of new award 

applications $250 0 $250

Evaluation and technical assistance $500 $1,702 $1,721

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

In addition to the independent evaluation required by Career-Connected High Schools grantees, 

the Department developed the following performance measures for the Career-Connected High 

Schools program: The number and percentage of students who graduated from high schools 

served by the proposed project who, prior to or upon graduation— 

(1) Earned, through their successful participation in dual or concurrent enrollment programs in 

academic or CTE subject areas— 

(i) any postsecondary credits; and, separately,

(ii) 12 or more postsecondary credits that are part of a program of study that culminates

with an associate, bachelor's, or advanced degree, or completion of a Registered 

Apprenticeship Program.

(2) Completed 40 or more hours of work-based learning for which they received wages or 

academic credit, or both.

(3) Attained an industry-recognized credential that is in-demand in the local, regional, or State 

labor market and associated with one or more jobs with median earnings that exceed the 

median earnings of a high school graduate.
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(4) Met, in each year of high school, with a school counselor, college adviser, career coach, or 

other appropriately trained adult for education and career counseling during which they 

reviewed and updated a personalized postsecondary educational and career plan.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State grants

(Adult Education and Family Literacy Act)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2025 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

Period of fund availability: 

2024 Annualized CR 2025 Request Change

$715,455 $715,455 0

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. 

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 

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2021. Reauthorization for fiscal year 2025 is expected through 

appropriations action.
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21

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 

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. 
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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)

2020 $656,955

2021 674,955

2022 690,455

2023 715,455

2024 Annualized CR 715,455

FY 2025 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2025, the Administration requests $715.5 million for Adult Education State 

Grants, level with a fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. 

The request reflects the continued need for Federal investment in adult education programs as 

data1 suggests that the United States is losing ground to many of its economic competitors in 

terms of the employment-related skills of working-age adults. The request would also support 

the Administration’s efforts to prepare American workers for high-quality jobs created by the 

Investing in America agenda that includes critical sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, 

advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and biotechnology. 

Program enrollment has bounced back after the pandemic, with an increase from 899,000 

individuals in program year 2021-2022 to 1.1 million individuals in program year 2022-2023, 

showing there remains significant need for programs that help individuals acquire basic 

foundational skills (including English language acquisition), complete secondary education, and 

transition to further education and training. According to the first reports2 of the Institute for 

Education Sciences’ (IES) evaluation of the program (released in March of 2023), over one-third 

of local providers who were surveyed reported having waiting lists for entry into adult education 

programs. 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.3 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 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. 

1 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Skills Surveys 2 Available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/2023001/. The 2023 reports document key findings from the early 

implementation of the program as of school year 2018-2019, the first year when grantees and subgrantees were 

expected to fully operate under WIOA’s rules.

3 https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/faq.asp#6001
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Moreover, 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 (which includes the ability to solve problems by accessing and making use of 

information through computers and computer networks). 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

 

The 2023 IES reports also show that Federal funding is critical for adult education programs. 

According to local providers, Federal funding constituted approximately 28 percent of the 

funding supporting adult education programs in the country. Furthermore, program funds were 

particularly critical to sustaining local providers’ capacity to offer integrated education and 

training (IET) programs, with 25.2 percent of local providers indicating that almost all funding for 

IET came from this program’s funds.

Critically, IET programs provide adult education and literacy activities concurrently and 

contextually with workforce preparation activities and workforce employment opportunities in 

high-demand industries and are emphasized under WIOA. In contrast, other key Federal 

programs appeared to provide very little support for IET. Seventy-six percent of respondents 

indicated that no Federal funding for workforce development under Titles I and III of WIOA were 

used to support IET, 93.9 percent of respondents indicated the same for Federal vocational 

rehabilitation funds under WIOA Title IV, and 89.5 percent of respondents indicated the same 

for Perkins career and technical education funding for adult and postsecondary education, 

suggesting that (at least in 2018-2019), the burden of supporting IET for adult learners with 

Federal funds fell on the adult education program. IET programs have been shown to be 

successful at helping adults with low basic skills attain postsecondary credits and accelerate 

credential attainment2 and can lead to positive impacts on earnings.

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.

2 Anderson, T., Kuehn, D., Eyster, L., Barnow, B., and Lerman, R. (2017). New Evidence on Integrated Career 

Pathways. Urban Institute. Available at 

https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/91436/ao_final_impacts.pdf.
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

Adult education: Adult basic and literacy education State grants

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2023 2024 2025

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

Range of awards to States $940–100,427 $881–100,802 $881–100,802

Integrated English literacy and civics 

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

Range of awards to States $60–16,343 $60–16,199 $60–16,199

Number of participants in Adult basic 

and literacy and English literacy 

and civics education 1,120,779 1,120,779 1,120,779

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 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

2020 47.0% 35.9%

2021 47.0 36.8

2022 42.0 42.4

2023 42.0 44.1

2024 44.0 —

2025 45.0 —
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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

2020 46.5% 36.1%

2021 46.5 31.8

2022 42.0 39.4

2023 42.0 42.2

2024 44.0 —

2025 44.5 —

Additional information: Data available for reporting in 2023 covers outcomes from July 1, 

2022 through June 30, 2023. In 2023 States reported near universal resumption of in-person 

instruction and return to normal operations of other adult education services post-pandemic. 

This had a positive effect on States’ ability to obtain and match test scores used to measure 

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

adult education program. Data for 2024 will be available in late 2024.

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

2020 27.0% 26.1%

2021 28.0 27.0

2022 25.0 22.5

2023 27.0 24.9

2024 28.0 —

2025 27.0 —

Additional information: Data available for reporting in 2023 covers outcomes for participants 

who exited a program from January through December of 2021 and attained a credential as well 

as attained employment or participated in education or training between January and December 

of 2022. Note that although program services and in-person instruction have resumed, the 

effects of the pandemic were still disrupting high school equivalency testing during 2021, thus 

affecting the possible number of high school equivalency attainers for this measure. In addition, 

grantees are still grappling with the reporting burden as this measure requires conducting 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 have limited experience 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 as the 

Department continues to provide technical assistance and States gain experience addressing 

technical issues pertaining to data matching. Data for 2024 will be available in late 2024. 
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Measure: The percentage of participants who are in unsubsidized employment during the 

second quarter after exit from the program.

Year Target Actual

2020 28.5% 30.2%

2021 29.0 29.3

2022 20.0 35.0

2023 30.0 35.8

2024 33.0 —

2025 34.0 —

Additional information: Data available for reporting in 2023 covers outcomes for participants 

who exited a program from July through December of 2021 and were employed between 

January and December of 2022. Performance reported for the unsubsidized employment 

measures in 2023 reflects the gradual improvement and stabilization of employment outcomes 

for adult education program participants in the 2022 follow-up, a time when overall employment 

opportunities for program participants were generally increasing. Note that individuals not 

seeking employment or postsecondary education or training (e.g., retirees) are included in the 

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

reliability for these measures to improve in the future as the Department continues to provide 

technical assistance and States gain experience addressing technical issues pertaining to data 

matching. Data for 2024 will be available in late 2024. 

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

quarter after exit from the program.

Year Target Actual

2020 27.0% 27.9%

2021 27.5 28.6

2022 20.0 30.8

2023 30.0 37.9

2024 33.0 —

2025 34.0 —

Additional information: Data available for reporting in 2023 covers outcomes for participants 

who exited a program from January 2021 through December 2021 and were employed between 

January and December of 2022. Performance reported for the unsubsidized employment 

measures in 2023 reflects the gradual improvement and stabilization of employment outcomes 

for adult education program participants in the 2022 follow-up period, a time when overall 

employment opportunities for program participants were generally increasing. Note that 

individuals not seeking employment or postsecondary education or training (e.g., retirees) are 

included in the denominator for these measures. The Department expects the data matching, 

quality, and reliability for these measures to improve in the future as the Department continues 

to provide technical assistance and States gain experience addressing technical issues 

pertaining to data matching. Data for 2024 will be available in late 2024. 
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Efficiency Measures

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

participants.

Year Target Actual

2020 $950 $1,043

2021 950 1,576

2022 950 2,712

2023 2,700 —

2024 2,700 —

2025 2,900 —

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

attained by adult education participants.

Year Target Actual

2020 $6,000 $7,143

2021 6,000 9,646

2022 6,000 10,815

2023 10,500 —

2024 10,500 —

2025 10,700 —

Additional information: Data available for reporting for 2022 covers financial reporting and 

outcomes associated with the fiscal year 2020 appropriation (which had an obligation period of 

July 1, 2020, to September 30, 2022). Increases in actual costs reflect State reports of 

increased access to IET models, which WIOA promotes, although they 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. As noted, the cost data being reported for 2022 is based on data from program year 

2020, when the pandemic was still disrupting program participation, which means there were 

fewer participants in the denominator and increased cost per participant. The Department re-set 

targets for 2023 to reflect the expectation for States to continue to increase their use of such 

models, and the 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 2023 for the two measures above are expected in late 2024. 
CAREER, TECHNICAL, AND ADULT EDUCATION

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Adult education: National leadership activities 

(Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Section 242)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2025 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

Period of fund availability: 

2024 Annualized CR 2025 Request Change

$13,712 $18,712 +$5,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

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

including program accountability and improvement, 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) 

2020 $13,712

2021 13,712

2022 13,712

2023 13,712

2024 Annualized CR 13,712

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2021. Reauthorization for fiscal year 2025 is expected through 

appropriations action.
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FY 2025 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2025, the Administration requests $18.7 million for Adult Education National 

Leadership Activities, $5 million more than a fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal 

year 2023 appropriation. The increase would support access to high-value postsecondary

education offerings as part of adult education programs for individuals in correctional 

institutions. 

Transition to Postsecondary Education for Individuals who are Incarcerated 

The request would provide $5 million to support the implementation of high-quality programs at 

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

educational offerings as part of an adult education program for people who are incarcerated. 

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. 

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 In July 2023, the FAFSA Simplification Act

reinstated Pell Grants for individuals who are incarcerated, allowing every correctional facility 

across the country to expand access to postsecondary education. 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 experimental sites in select State and federal 

prisons to offer these programs with Pell funds. Through experimental sites, over 9,000 students 

earned an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, certificate, or diploma. 

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 $4.5 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 the development and success of high-quality programs that lead to good 

paying jobs. Funds could be used for direct services to students, particularly support services

that enhance successful student transitions to postsecondary education. An additional $500,000

would support a second activity, 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 with 

programs in the Department of Education, in collaboration with other federal agencies including 

the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and would provide assistance in the areas of implementing best 

practices, data collection, oversight, evaluation, continuous improvement, and implementation. 

The TAC would also be available to provide assistance to institutions and state prison systems 

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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seeking to use Pell Grant funds to develop and establish high-quality programs, particularly 

those that lead to in-demand, good paying jobs for people who are incarcerated.

Ongoing Investments 

Other activities supported through the fiscal year 2025 request include the following:

• Evaluating Adult Education and Literacy Activities, which supports (1) rigorous research and 

evaluation on effective adult education and literacy practices in addition to (2) a statutorily 

required independent evaluation of the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) 

programs at least every 4 years to assess opportunities to improve services and outcomes 

for adult education program participants. In addition, the Institute of Education Sciences 

(IES) has been 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 Department published the first 

set of reports from these evaluation efforts, which examined early implementation of the 

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act at the local level in 2018-19, in March of 2023.1

• 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 improve 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.

• Integrated Education and Training (IET), which includes efforts that allow participants to 

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. 

1 Available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/evaluation/pathways_wioa.asp.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2023 2024 2025

Evaluating Adult Education and Literacy 

Activities $667 $300 $1,755

Literacy Information and Communications 

System $3,937 $4,274 $4,350

National Reporting System $1,563 $1,600 $1,600

Integrated Education and Training $3,761 $3,640 $3,583

Other technical assistance, logistical 

support, and evaluation $3,784 $3,898 $2,424

Pell Grant Initiative

Consortia awards 0 0 $4,500

Number of awards 0 0 18

Average award 0 0 $250

Correctional and Reentry Education 

Technical Assistance Center 0 0 $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. 
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Measure: The percentage of grantees submitting high-quality learner assessment data through 

the National Reporting System (NRS).

Year Target Actual

2020 90% 95%

2021 90 96

2022 95 95

2023 96 91

2024 96 —

2025 95 —

Additional information: In 2023, 52 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 actual for 2022 has been revised 

due to a determination that an additional grantee met requirements for this measure after these 

data were published (making it 54 of 57 grantees meeting the measure in 2022). 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, and the 

need to update or replace data systems, 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

Select here for the online version.