Shifting Funds to Trade Schools 7-23-25

AI Overview

Federal funding for higher education can be shifted to support trade schools by reallocating existing resources and potentially creating new funding streams specifically for career and technical education. This could involve streamlining workforce development programs, expanding registered apprenticeships, and ensuring that funding aligns with industry needs.  Here's a more detailed look: 

1. Reallocating Existing Funds:

Review of Federal Workforce Programs: The Trump administration initiated a review of federal workforce programs to identify inefficiencies and redundancies. This could lead to consolidating resources and directing them towards programs that support skilled trades.

Perkins V Funding:  The Perkins V Act provides federal funding to states for career and technical education (CTE) programs. States can explore ways to leverage this funding to support students pursuing high-growth trades.

Streamlining Programs: Consolidating or eliminating overlapping programs could free up resources to be redirected to CTE initiatives, according to Fox Rothschild LLP. 

2. Creating New Funding Streams:

Expansion of Registered Apprenticeships: Federal funding could be directed towards expanding registered apprenticeship programs, which combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. These programs are crucial for preparing students for skilled trades.

Incentivizing Industry Partnerships: Federal grants could incentivize collaboration between educational institutions and industry partners to develop training programs that meet specific workforce needs. 

3. Addressing Funding Disparities:

Balancing Funding Formulas: Current funding formulas for higher education may favor traditional four-year institutions. Adjusting these formulas to ensure equitable distribution of resources across different types of educational institutions is crucial. 

Targeted Funding for CTE Programs:  Federal agencies could allocate specific funding streams dedicated to supporting CTE programs, ensuring that these programs receive adequate resources to meet student demand. 

4. Considerations:

Accreditation: Ensuring that trade schools and programs are accredited is important for eligibility for federal funding and for maintaining quality standards. 

Student Access: Federal financial aid programs like Pell Grants and student loans are available to students attending accredited trade schools, providing crucial financial support. 

Alignment with Workforce Needs: Funding should be directed towards programs that align with high-demand industries and provide students with skills that lead to well-paying jobs. 

Comments

“Draining the “Swamp” on college campuses will take time. US Universities have moved toward becoming “global” since the 1960s. They have campuses in many other countries. Accepting foreign students to US-based campuses was adopted as the “brain drain” anticipating that the best students would become US citizens. This worked, but it also opened the door to “foreign influence”. Marxist-Globalist Faculties expanded foreign influence and demanded “Academic Freedom”. They claim that they are “Global Universities” with no allegiance to the US.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader