The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced progress in their partnership to streamline federal workforce development programs. The agencies reported that the transition of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) state plan portal to DOL has allowed for joint administration of core WIOA programs, including adult education and family literacy. Plans are underway to integrate the Perkins state plan portal into the WIOA portal, which will enable states with combined plans to submit information through a single system.
Since October 1, nearly 800 payment requests from 43 states and territories have been processed, and all grantees have been onboarded to DOL’s GrantSolutions and Payment Management System. This platform is widely used across federal agencies for managing grants and payments.
ED and DOL are aligning timelines for submitting modifications to the 2026 WIOA State Plan and will offer joint feedback on these submissions. On November 25, 2025, DOL released guidance developed with ED’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), outlining available waivers, flexibility options under WIOA, and recommendations for further integrating career and technical education (CTE) programs into public workforce systems.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education Nick Moore said: “This successful workforce partnership is proof that the Department of Labor is well-positioned to co-administer, implement, and streamline CTE and adult education programs to better meet the needs of Americans. With the ability to more easily and efficiently administer their programs, states across the country are already seeing positive results. Commonsense reforms work, and I’m proud to work alongside the experienced team at Labor to build the talent pipeline for the Golden Age of America.”
Employment and Training Administration Acting Assistant Secretary Lori Frazier Bearden stated: “The Department of Labor is committed to working closely with the Department of Education to reduce federal bureaucracy and better integrate our education and workforce development systems. We’re off to a strong start, already delivering targeted resources so states can develop clear pathways from education to good-paying jobs. Our success proves that streamlining resources and empowering states lead to better results for both taxpayers and job seekers.”
Several states have played a role in harmonizing their own education and workforce efforts. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey commented: “Alabama has positioned itself to be on the cutting edge of workforce innovations and opportunities because of remarkable coordination and collaboration. The newly formed Alabama Department of Workforce's mission is to elevate Alabama’s talent pipeline to benefit our state’s workforce future by connecting our incredible partners in education to industry demand. This new effort to streamline governmental programming by the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Education will help promote that future by meeting the needs of Alabamians more effectively and efficiently. We are excited to do our part in leading the implementation of this new initiative and continue working with our partners to ensure its continued success.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp added: “In Georgia, my administration is building career pathways that connect K-12, CTE, workforce, and postsecondary programs to provide an integrated talent system designed to meet the needs of employers, jobseekers, and students. President Trump’s efforts to integrate Perkins CTE and adult education into the public workforce system is a long overdue, and commonsense reform that will bolster our state efforts.”
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves remarked: "Mississippi is ahead of the curve when it comes to training people for the jobs of the future. I signed legislation that created the Office of Workforce Development (AccelerateMS) and overhauled our workforce development strategy. We’re already seeing that legislation bear fruit. Our state’s strategy aligns with the needs of the private sector, and we’re training Mississippians for jobs that pay above average wages and are in high demand. It’s a big reason we’re breaking so many economic development records. What a lot of states have lacked up until now is clarity from the federal government and the flexibility to let states lead. The steps the Trump administration and Secretary McMahon are taking to align workforce and education programs are giving states the room to solve problems, rather than forcing them to navigate bureaucracy. If we can stay focused on policy and outcomes at the federal level while allowing states and local leaders to drive implementation, we can build the kind of demand-driven, accountable workforce system America has needed for decades."
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen said: “President Trump is leading the way — streamlining the federal government and helping states more easily invest in the next generation of our workforces. Directing federal agencies to partner and provide commonsense solutions helps states like Nebraska leverage all of our resources. We can’t thank the Trump Administration enough for their steadfast support and ongoing willingness to innovate and find ways to make government effective at the state level.”
Jimmy Baker, Chancellor of Alabama Community College System stated: “The Alabama Community College System is proud to serve as the state’s premier provider of education and workforce training. Across our colleges, we continue to innovate to meet the needs of students, employers, and communities, and our Innovation Center’s short-term ‘Skills for Success’ courses are a powerful example of that commitment. These programs provide rapid, high-quality training that connects learners to genuine opportunities and supports employers with job-ready talent. As federal efforts move toward stronger alignment between Perkins CTE, Adult Education, and the public workforce system,
Alabama stands ready.
Our system has already demonstrated how integrated planning and collaborative partnerships can elevate outcomes.
The continued progress at the national level will further empower
the work already underway across
our colleges
to build a skilled,
competitive
workforce
for
our state.”
Dr.
Eric Mackey,
Alabama State Superintendent
of Education:
“We appreciate
the U.S.
Department
of Education’s efforts
to better align Perkins career
and technical education funds
and
the public workforce system as we continue
to work improve students’ academic
and technical skills so Alabama students are prepared for high-demand careers when they graduate
and enter
the workforce.
Since first combining our Perkins
and WIOA plans in 2020,
Alabama has made significant progress in workforce development
and has led
the way nationally through this innovative consolidation
and integration
of its Perkins
and WIOA plans into a single,
cohesive vision
for workforce
and talent development
in our state.
By working together with our partner agencies including
the Department
of Workforce
and
the State Workforce Board,
we are building a stronger,
more connected
workforce pipeline for students,
job seekers,
and employers.””
Courtney Taylor,
Executive Director
of Accelerate Mississippi:
“For too long,
workforce
and education programs have been treated as separate silos – and it resulted in slow
and duplicative programs that were disconnected from what employers actually need.
States know how to build talent pipelines because they directly interact and work with businesses and communities every day.
I welcome the administration’s effort to bring Perkins and the workforce system together and put decision-making closer to the people who feel the impact.
When we can remove red tape and trust states to lead,
we deliver tangible results:
stronger employers,
more skilled workers,
and a more competitive America.”
On May 21,
2025,
ED and DOL signed an Economy Act Interagency Agreement allowing one agency to procure goods or services from another.
Under this agreement,
DOL provides administrative services for ED's CTE programs while ED retains responsibility for policymaking as well as program oversight.
On July 15,
2025,
both departments announced implementation of their partnership aimed at integrating federal education with workforce systems.
On September 8th they launched an integrated WIOA portal managed by DOL; later in September grant funding was reactivated via DOL's GrantSolutions platform just two weeks after transition began.
