Education (Career & Technical Education)

This bill amends the Higher Education Act to set a new limit on clock hours for training programs preparing students for recognized professions. It requires that such programs cannot exceed 150% of either the state's minimum clock hour requirement or the relevant federal agency's requirement for that profession. The change directly affects vocational and career-focused training programs that already meet state standards but were previously allowed to offer significantly more hours. The rule applies starting with the 2024-2025 academic year for federal financial aid purposes.

This bill would terminate the U.S. Department of Education by October 1, 2026, and transfer its education-related functions to other federal agencies. It would move K-12 education programs to the Office of Education within Health and Human Services, student loans to the Treasury Department, vocational education to the Labor Department, and civil rights enforcement to the Justice Department. The bill also specifies that certain education programs would be terminated after October 1, 2036, and includes provisions to ensure continuity of existing grants, contracts, and legal proceedings during the transition. It directly affects federal education programs, agencies handling education funding, and recipients of education-related grants and services.