SKILLS BLOG

FY 2018 omnibus released, increases funding for key workforce, education programs

By Kermit Kaleba, Katie Spiker, Katie Brown, March 18, 2012

Authors: Kermit Kaleba, Katie Spiker, and Katie Brown

Congressional leaders last night released final text for an omnibus spending package that is expected to finalize Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations for most federal programs. The $1.3 trillion omnibus reflects the increased spending levels for both defense and non-defense programs agreed to as part of recent legislation lifting the budget “caps” for federal discretionary spending, and includes some critical boosts in funding for key education and workforce development programs, including:

  • Increasing state workforce formula grants under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by a combined $80 million, including a $30 million increase to the WIOA Adult program (from $816 million to $846 million); a $30 million increase to WIOA Youth programs (from $873 million to $903 million); and a $20 million increase to the WIOA Dislocated Worker state grants (from $1.02 billion to $1.04 billion).
  • Increased funding for apprenticeship grants at the Department of Labor, from current levels of $95 million to $145 million
  • Modest increases for a range of other national grant programs at DOL, including a $6 million increase for migrant and seasonal farmworker grants, a $5 million increase for ex-offender grant programs, and a $5 million increase for YouthBuild.
  • A $75 million increase in career and technical education state grants under the Carl Perkins Act
  • A $35 million increase for adult education state grants under Title II of WIOA
  • An increase in the maximum Pell Grant award, from the current $5,920 per year to $6,095 for the 2018-19 academic year.

Importantly, the omnibus rejects many of the proposed cuts to workforce and education programs that were included in President Trump’s FY 2018 budget request, and sends a clear signal about the bipartisan support for investments in skills as the economy grows.

The bill is expected to be passed by the House today, and then will move to the Senate for a vote. It is unclear whether the Senate will be able to complete work on the measure before the current short-term “continuing resolution” expires tomorrow – some Senators have expressed a willingness to delay the vote into the weekend – but it is expected that the overall measure will pass and move to the President for his signature.

National Skills Coalition applauds the increased funding for key education and workforce programs, and we thank Congressional appropriators and leadership for their efforts to ensure that our budget addresses the needs of today’s labor market. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to build on these increases in the FY 2019 appropriations process.

Key Education and Workforce Programs – FY 2018 Omnibus

 

FY 2017 Omnibus

FY 2018 Omnibus

Change

Department of Labor

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Title I – State Formula Grants

$2,709,832,000

$2,789,832,000

$80,000,000

WIOA Adult

$815,556,000

$845,556,000

$30,000,000

WIOA Dislocated Worker

$1,020,860,000

$1,040,860,000

$20,000,000

WIOA Youth

$873,416,000

 

$903,416,000

$30,000,000

Wagner-Peyser/Employment Service Grants

$671,413,000

 

$666,413,000

-$5,000,000

Workforce Data Quality Initiative Grants

$6,000,000

 

$6,000,000

Apprenticeship Grants

$95,000,000

$145,000,000

$50,000,000

DW National Reserve

$220,859,000

$220,859,000

Native American Programs

$50,000,000

$54,000,000

$4,000,000

Ex-Offender Activities

$88,078,000

$93,079,000

$5,000,000

Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers

$81,896,000

$87,896,000

$6,000,000

YouthBuild

$84,534,000

$89,534,000

$5,000,000

Senior Community Service Employment Program

$400,000,000

$400,000,000

Department of Education

Career and Technical Education State Grants

$1,117,598,000

$1,192,598,000

$75,000,000

Adult Education and Family Literacy State Grants

$581,955,000

$630,667,000

$48,712,000

Federal Work Study

$1,093,997,000

 

$1,130,000,000

$36,003,000