Strengthen the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): The 118th Congress came agonizingly close to reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was last reauthorized over 10 years ago. However, Congress did not reconsider this legislation during the first session of the 119th Congress.
AACC and ACCT endorsed the nearly enacted WIOA reauthorization bill, A Stronger Workforce for America Act (SWAA). The bill’s highlight was authorization of the Strengthening Community College Training Grants Program (SCCTG). SCCTG is currently funded as an unauthorized program, so authorization would put the program on a more solid footing. The bill’s language did not fundamentally change the program as it has been administered to date: it would continue to be a Department of Labor (DOL) competitive grant program to community colleges working in partnerships with businesses and others to expand and improve their workforce education programs.
SWAA also emphasized increasing the amount of training that is conducted through the federal workforce system. To that end, the bill required that local areas use not less than 50% of the funds it receives to provide individuals with skills development, which includes training. It would also reprogram money that is generated by H1B visa fees and currently used for DOL competitive grants towards Individual Training Accounts (ITA) for dislocated workers. Those workers would be guaranteed an ITA of at least $5,000 as a result.
The Trump administration has emphasized workforce education, most notably through its report America’s Talent Strategy: Equipping American Workers for the Golden Age. The strategy emphasizes things such as demand-driven program development, system alignment and registered apprenticeships. It is not clear how or if the administration’s priorities might be factored into a future iteration of WIOA reauthorization legislation.
Bolster Job Training and Career and Technical Education, Support Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Foster Childcare Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS): Increasing funding for SCCTG, whether authorized or not, and other priority programs is essential to community colleges’ workforce development missions. Most of these programs were level-funded in the FY 26 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill, a sharp rebuke to the administration’s proposal to eliminate or greatly reduce several of them. Some if not all of these proposals may reappear in the administration’s forthcoming FY 27 budget request. Therefore, it is essential that community colleges continue to educate their members of Congress about the essential support these programs provide to their students and institutions.
Talking Points:
- Congress was close to authorizing SCCTG in the A Stronger Workforce for America Act in the 118th Congress. Authorizing SCCTG would give the program security to continue the work of connecting community colleges with businesses and help community colleges expand workforce development programming.
- Increasing funding for SCCTG is a priority, especially as it supports workforce development missions.