Rep. Adam Smith Introduces Education Package to Expand Tuition-Free Community College and Career-Connected High Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today introduced a new education package that includes the Community and Technical College Investment Act and the Career and Technical Education Access Act, two bills designed to expand opportunities for students to access affordable higher education, gain in-demand skills, and build stronger pathways into the workforce.

"Too many students are being priced out of higher education or graduating high school without a clear path to a career," said Congressman Smith. "This legislation is about breaking down those barriers, making community and technical college tuition-free, expanding wraparound support, and creating high schools that connect academics with real-world technical skills. Together, these bills invest in students, strengthen our workforce, and help more families achieve economic stability."

Community and Technical College Investment Act

The Community and Technical College Investment Act creates a federal-state partnership to make community and technical colleges tuition-free while expanding wraparound support services to help students stay enrolled and graduate.

• States can receive grants to cover tuition for eligible students, build stronger transfer and degree-completion pathways, and coordinate education and workforce systems.
• Subgrants will support community colleges in addressing students' non-tuition needs such as housing, childcare, transportation, food, and digital access.
• An emergency aid fund will provide direct financial support to students facing unexpected crises like job loss, housing insecurity, or family emergencies.

Community and technical colleges like Green River, Highline, and Renton Technical College play a central role in South King County, serving diverse, first-generation, and working-class students. These institutions are well positioned to benefit from the new supports, helping more local students enroll, persist, and graduate.

Bill text here. Fact sheet here.

Endorsements:

This bill is endorsed by The Institute for College Access and Success, The Center for Law and Social Policy, National Council for Community and Education Partnerships, Network for Public Education. National Association for College Admission Counseling, Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, Renton Technical College, Highline College, Seattle Colleges, and Green River Community College.

• "This legislation has the power to remove critical barriers that prevent students-especially those from historically marginalized communities-from completing their education at institutions like Renton Technical College. By investing in access and supporting completion, we're not only transforming lives-we're fueling Washington's workforce and ensuring our industries have the skilled professionals they need for sustained economic growth." - Yoshiko Harden, President, Renton Technical College
• "Community and technical colleges can only be true engines of economic mobility if resources to support access, retention and completion are present for all community members. This legislation will provide those resources as it addresses financial barriers students face in paying tuition, accessing support services and covering the true cost of their education. Prospective students need to know that their pathway to economically mobility and social equity is through their local community and technical college." - Dr. John R. Mosby, President, Highline College
• "By providing access to higher education for all individuals, regardless of their financial situation, we are investing in our collective future and giving everyone the opportunity to succeed. Community colleges, like Green River College, are a crucial stepping stone for many students on their path to higher education and a career. Making Green River tuition-free would remove the #1 student identified barrier to access and help ensure that all students have the opportunity to prepare for a successful future." - Dr. Suzanne Johnson, President, Green River College
• "Congressman Smith's proposal to make community and technical colleges tuition free would be a huge boost to the over 307,000 students who come to our colleges, their families, and Washington's economy. For people of all ages and backgrounds, Washington's 34 community and technical colleges are proud to serve students right in their own communities as they start their educational journey, train for well-paying jobs, and learn skills they need for everyday life. With Congressman Smith's bill, students can graduate without tuition debt, putting them on the path to success right away, an investment that would pay off many times over for our state and our country." - Nate Humphrey, Executive Director, Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges (SBCTC)
• "The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) believes that postsecondary education is a public good, delivering benefits to both individuals and society. NACAC is proud to endorse the Community and Technical College Investment Act, which strengthens equitable pathways to higher education and meets students where they are. By making community and technical colleges tuition-free, expanding wraparound supports, and providing emergency aid, this legislation addresses the barriers that prevent too many students from completing their education. It ensures that more students can access education and earn the credentials and degrees that lead to meaningful careers, while strengthening the workforce and building more resilient communities." - Sean Robins, Director of Advocacy, The National Association for College Admission Counseling
• "The Network for Public Education is proud to support the Community and Technical College Investment Act. Community and technical colleges serve as a vital bridge, connecting K-12 learning to the world of work and higher education. This legislation will swing open the doors of opportunity for young people across our nation-especially those with limited means-by giving them the chance to gain the skills they need to launch meaningful careers and lead productive lives." - Carol Burris, Executive Director, The Network for Public Education
• "TICAS strongly supports the Community and Technical College Investment Act. By recognizing and addressing the ongoing and significant barrier of college costs for low-income students, including food, housing, childcare and transportation- this bill will improve college access, completion rates, and basic needs security for future students. As the need for a more educated workforce continues to grow, investments like this are how we can meet that demand and ensure all students, no matter their background, can complete their educational journey."- Jessica Thompson, Senior Vice President at The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS)
• "Community and technical colleges are a vital resource for the American economy because they help meet the high demand for workforce training. With 37 percent of Hispanic, 26 percent of Asian, and 33 percent of Black undergraduates enrolled at public community colleges, these institutions are also valuable opportunities for underrepresented students entering higher education. Despite their importance for communities and the national economy, community and technical colleges have faced decades of consistent underfunding at the federal level, which has created a cost barrier preventing millions of students from earning credentials and entering the middle class. By allowing states to make these institutions tuition-free and increase offerings of wraparound supportive services, the Community and Technical College Investment Act is an important step toward increasing the ability for everyone to pursue and complete educational opportunities and job training programs." - Lorena Roque, interim director of Education, Labor & Worker Justice at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

Career and Technical Education Access Act

The Career and Technical Education Access Act provides federal funding to enable states to expand and strengthen high school career and technical education programs, giving students an early start on postsecondary success and workforce training.

• Creates a voluntary federal grant program to help states establish, expand, or improve career and technical education programs tailored to workforce needs.
• Provides flexibility for states to launch programs through standalone technical high schools, regional career centers, or hybrid models.
• Mandates workforce alignment assessments every three years to ensure programs match in-demand jobs.
• Requires automatic transfer credit recognition for students completing CTE programs.
• Permits funding for online and hybrid programs to expand access for rural and underserved areas.
• Establishes a CTE Pell Grant to allow high school students to access financial support for credentialing, apprenticeships, and dual-enrollment coursework.

These provisions are especially significant for South King County, where students face steep barriers to higher education and employers in aerospace, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing are seeking more skilled workers. By expanding career-connected learning in high school, this legislation will help local students move into good-paying jobs or further education with stronger preparation.

Bill text here. Fact sheet here.

Endorsements:

This bill is endorsed by LiUNA Local 242, Northwest Education Access, Machinists Institute, and Southeast Seattle Education Coalition.

• "At NW Education Access, we have seen the power of career-connected learning to transform lives. This bill will help ensure more students, especially those from low-income and first-generation backgrounds, can access high-quality CTE opportunities." - Jeff Corey Deputy Director, Northwest Education Access
• "We are excited to endorse a bill that supports the livelihoods of young people while meeting the real needs of our economy. By allowing states to shape CTE pathways that reflect local industries and communities, this legislation creates access to meaningful careers for youth in places like Southeast Seattle, where early opportunity can change lives." - Liz Huizar, Executive Director of Southeast Seattle Education Coalition
• "The Machinists Institute, a 501c3 offering education and registered apprenticeship pathways to aerospace and industrial trades strongly endorses the Career and Technical Education Access Act. This legislation will expand high-quality career and technical education opportunities, foster strong industry partnerships, and provide critical support for students and employers nationwide. By establishing flexible grant programs, incentivizing employer participation, and introducing CTE Pell Grants for secondary students, the Act ensures equitable access to hands-on learning, college credit, and in-demand career pathways. This Act clearly outlines a strategy and resources to strengthen our workforce and empower the next generation of skilled professionals." - The Machinists Institute

A Pathway to Opportunity

Together, these bills address the affordability and accessibility crisis in education at every stage. By investing in both secondary and postsecondary education, the package creates a pipeline for students to move from high school into community college, career training, or a four-year degree without being weighed down by debt.

"From Renton to Kent to Bellevue, students in our district deserve the chance to graduate with less debt and more opportunity," Smith said. "This package invests in young people and families here at home, while also strengthening our economy and workforce nationally."

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