U.S. Department of Education
09/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/08/2025 08:18
U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Take Next Steps in Implementing Their Workforce Development Partnership
ED and DOL to integrate education and workforce systems through staff detail, integrated state plan portal, and centralizing program funds
September 8, 2025
Today, the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) announced they have taken historic steps to integrate the federal government's workforce portfolio through its innovative partnership announced a few months ago. The Departments are launching a new, integrated state plan portal that will streamline federal workforce development programs and allow ED and DOL to administer core Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, including adult education and family literacy programs. ED will transfer program funds and detail staff to DOL to support the programs.
These actions position DOL as the centralized hub for federal workforce programs and effectuate the agencies' joint workforce development agreement.
"The Trump Administration is committed to ensuring that all Americans are prepared for a fulfilling and meaningful career. I am confident that the Department of Labor is well positioned to cooperatively administer, implement, and streamline these critical career and adult education programs," said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. "Thanks to our workforce development partnership, states will now be able to more easily and efficiently administer their programs. I am proud to work alongside Secretary Chavez-DeRemer as we continue to implement commonsense reforms that will better serve students, families, and states."
"To prepare our next generation of American workers, the Trump Administration is taking decisive action to streamline unnecessary bureaucracy and advance the skills needed to fill jobs of the future," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. "The Department of Labor has an exciting and important role to play here, and I'm honored to team up with Secretary McMahon and our state partners to better connect workers with the training they need to find in-demand, mortgage-paying jobs."
Background:
On May 21, ED and DOL signed an Interagency Agreement (IAA), a tool routinely utilized by government agencies to procure services, share resources, collaborate, and ensure efficient service delivery. Under the partnership, DOL will perform certain day-to-day administrative services for ED's career and technical education (CTE) and WIOA Title II programs in accordance with 31 U.S.C. ยง 1535, alongside the larger suite of workforce programs DOL already administers. ED will maintain all statutory responsibilities for these programs, including policymaking authority and oversight responsibilities.
Administering Perkins and WIOA Title I, II, and III through the ED-DOL partnership will facilitate streamlined services for states and grantees. The integrated state plan portal is a content management system that improves the process of creating, reviewing, and managing the state plans associated with WIOA programs. States submit four-year plans and modify the plans every two years.
Adult education and CTE grantees will now use DOL's Payment Management System, thereby aligning the grants management and payment systems across ED and DOL's education and workforce programs.
These cooperative efforts will provide a coordinated federal education and workforce system, consistent with President Trump's Executive Order Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.
ED and DOL will continue to provide states with additional guidance as these efforts are implemented. For any immediate program questions, state partners and grantees should reach out to their respective DOL Employment and Training Administration or ED Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education points of contact.
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