WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Department of Education and United States Department of Labor reported that 21 states have submitted combined Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act state plans integrating career and technical education programs, more than doubling the total from nine states in 2024 as the Trump administration pushes closer coordination between education and workforce systems.
Federal officials described the increase as a key milestone in a joint workforce development initiative designed to align workforce training, education planning and employer demand while reducing administrative burdens on state agencies.
The combined plans incorporate programs funded under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, commonly known as Perkins V, into broader workforce planning frameworks governed by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Labor and education officials indicated the expansion followed joint federal guidance issued in April encouraging states to integrate career and technical education programs into combined workforce plans ahead of the rollout of Workforce Pell Grant programs later this year.
Nick Moore characterized the increase in combined plans as evidence that states were responding to federal efforts to align previously separate planning systems and reduce regulatory obstacles.
Henry Mack stated that states increasingly view integrated workforce and education planning as a way to improve training and employment outcomes while supporting the administration’s broader workforce development agenda.
Federal officials said the integrated plans are intended to strengthen alignment between education systems and labor market needs, expand access to career pathways and create a more unified workforce development structure tied to employer demand.
The agencies also pointed to expanded use of workforce system waivers following guidance issued in November encouraging states to pursue additional flexibility under workforce development programs. According to the departments, states have requested 180 waivers aimed at reducing administrative barriers and increasing coordination between workforce and education agencies.
State workforce officials in Mississippi and Florida cited the combined planning approach as a mechanism for aligning training investments with labor market demand and improving coordination between education and employment systems.
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