All4Ed Statement on the Cancellation of Career Connected High Schools Grant Program Funding
July 31, 2025
Contact: Enrique A. Chaurand
Email: echaurand@all4ed.org
Washington, D.C. – “All4Ed strongly condemns the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to cancel previously appropriated and promised funding for the Career Connected High Schools (CCHS) program—a vital initiative that is helping students across the country gain the skills and credentials needed for high-wage, high-demand careers.
“This decision to terminate funding is short-sighted, deeply disruptive, and undermines efforts to prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow.
“The Career Connected High Schools program is a bold investment in reimagining the high school experience. Through partnerships among school districts, institutions of higher education, and employers, students receive postsecondary and career guidance, participate in dual enrollment, gain work-based learning experience, and earn industry-recognized credentials in fields ranging from healthcare to advanced manufacturing.
“In places as different as South Bend, Indiana, and San Antonio, Texas, the Career Connected High Schools program is expanding students’ worldviews, sparking new aspirations, and delivering real results. In South Bend, students are learning to build a two-seater plane, performing phlebotomy through a partnership with the National Guard, and gaining experience in broadcasting and media production. In San Antonio, students are earning FESTO industry certifications in electricity, fluid power, and robotics fundamentals, as well as manufacturing credentials and internships with SouthWest Research and TOYOTETSU. These hands-on experiences provide students with high quality career-connected learning, proving what’s possible when we invest in young people and their futures.
“The decision to cancel this program contradicts Secretary McMahon’s public support for career-focused education, particularly in STEM fields — and it undermines the president’s own executive order on ‘Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.’
“Cutting off funding now will hurt students, communities, and employers at a time when bipartisan momentum is building around high-quality college and career pathways. These grants are helping rural and underserved communities expand opportunity and create talent pipelines in industries that are vital to local economies.
“We urge the administration to immediately reverse this decision and release the funds that Congress has already approved. Students and communities deserve continued investment—not abandonment.”
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