Washington Update

The House and Senate are in recess for the President’s Day holiday from Monday, February 16th through Friday, February 20th. Both chambers are scheduled to resume on Monday, February 23rd.

Congress Enacts the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Tuesday, February 17th. The measure was passed by the House on Friday, February 13th with a vote of 246 to 183. The Senate passed it later that night by a vote of 60 to 38.

The ARRA provides $3.95 billion for job training which includes $500 million for adult training, $1.2 billion for youth training (including summer jobs), $1.25 billion for dislocated worker training, and $750 million for competitive grants given to training programs in high growth industries with $500 million of it designated for energy-related research, labor exchange and job training projects.

Click here to view Title VIII - Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies of Division A from ARRA Conference Report.

Upcoming Meetings

The U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council

Maximizing the New Federal Youth Dollars:
How to Quickly Implement a Successful Summer Jobs Program

February 24-25, 2009

Renaissance St. Louis Grand & Suites
St. Louis, MO

Click here to access the final agenda for the workshop.

Reports, Announcements, and Articles

New from the Center for American Progress

The Other College: Retention and Completion Rates Among Two-Year College Students
Molly F. McIntosh and Cecilia Elena Rouse

Released on February 10, this report highlights the challenge faced by policymakers in improving academic success among community college students, such as creating a learning community to prepare students for both individual success and economic competitiveness in the global, knowledge-driven economy. Two-year college students are less likely to be traditional college-going age (18 to 24) than four-year college students, and they are also more likely to be of minority descent and from families of lower socioeconomic status. The authors review the current research literature on two types of remedies: financial aid and changes to the college institutional environment, including remedial education, student support services, learning communities, and transfer agreements.

Click here to view the report: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/02/pdf/two_year_colleges.pdf

ETA Releases

• WWW.RECOVERY.GOV Now Available
  February 17, 2009

• ETA Announces Clarifications and Corrections to Advancing Registered Apprenticeship SGA; Extends Submission Date to March 31; Announces March 4 Webinar for Prospective Applicants
  February 17, 2009