Trump Department of Education Axes Biden Admin’s ‘Misguided’ Technical School Move
The U.S. Department of Education has announced a reversal of a “misguided” policy from the Biden administration that imposed extensive reporting requirements on career and technical education (CTE) programs. The previous policy, introduced in December 2024, was criticized for adding unneeded burdens and hours of compliance on states and educational institutions, ultimately detracting from efforts to enhance workforce skills. The Acting Under Secretary of Education, James Bergeron, emphasized that the previous rules weakened alignment with federal education laws and discouraged innovation while increasing costs. The announcement coincided with February’s recognition as Career and Technical Education Month,with a commitment to collaborate with stakeholders to improve CTE program oversight. As tuition costs rise and political tensions affect customary higher education institutions, more young adults are turning toward trade schools, leading to a 16% enrollment increase in vocational programs in 2023. This trend reflects a growing preference for practical skills training amid increasing dissatisfaction with traditional universities.
The Department of Education announced Monday it is reversing a “misguided” Biden administration policy requiring “burdensome and unnecessary reporting” practices for technical schools.
The Biden-era policy released in December of 2024 placed additional reporting requirements on career and technical education programs which “would have piled on thousands of hours in additional reporting compliance requirements on states, high schools, and community colleges that can be better spent on equipping the American workforce with the skills necessary to rebuild our economy,” the department’s press release said.
Technical schools argued the new rule “would be massively disruptive and result in significant state and local administrative burdens, disincentivize innovation, weaken alignment with other federal laws governing education and workforce systems” and “reduce data quality.”
“The Trump Education Department is committed to strengthening our career and technical workforce and equipping students with the tools they need to excel,” Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron said in the announcement.
“The 11th hour Biden-Harris information collection on CTE programs was unnecessary bureaucratic red tape that would only drive up costs and hinder innovation.
“As we celebrate CTE month, the Department looks forward to working through a more thoughtful and cooperative process with states, local CTE programs, employers, stakeholders, and Congress to reauthorize the Perkins Act.”
Career & technical education programs like Ivy Tech’s are so critical for preparing our next generation with hands-on, real-world skills. #CTEMonth pic.twitter.com/P0lDEIXRiX
— U.S. Department of Education (@usedgov) February 11, 2025
A growing number of young adults have begun turning to trade schools rather than higher education, especially as tuition costs rise and institutions become increasingly overrun with left-wing politics.
Vocational school enrollment saw a 16 percent increase in 2023, while many colleges have been forced to close in recent months.
Universities have come under fire since 2023, when the Israel-Hamas conflict sparked fiery campus protests that resulted in violence and hundreds of arrests.
Many of the schools saw decreases in enrollment and lost major donors in response to their failures to address campus unrest.
President Donald Trump recently proclaimed February to be Career and Technical Education Month, promising to “invest in the next generation and expand access to high-quality career and technical education for all Americans.”
“Hardworking Americans are the backbone of our great Nation,” the White House news release said.
“Our workforce is the best in the world, and my Administration is dedicated to giving our students and workers the tools they need to succeed in a time where emerging technologies are advancing at an unprecedented pace.”
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