Office of Career, Technical & Adult Education, USDOE

The Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) within the U.S. Department of Education administers and coordinates programs related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges. Latest news and information is available at OCTAE Connection newsletter” and  OCTAE Blog.

Adult Education and Literacy

The Division of Adult Education and Literacy is responsible for enabling adults to acquire the basic skills necessary to function in today’s society so that they can benefit from the completion of secondary school, enhanced family life, attaining citizenship and participating in job training and retraining programs. OCTAE’s initiatives are designed to:

• Administer the Adult Education formula grant program to the States (see information about the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)).
• Provide assistance to States to improve program quality, accountability and capacity.
• Establish national leadership activities to enhance the quality of adult education.

Career and Technical Education

The Division of Academic and Technical Education is responsible for helping all students acquire challenging academic and technical skills and be prepared for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations in the 21st century global economy. OCTAE’s CTE initiatives are designed to:

• Administer state formula and discretionary grant programs under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins).
• Provide assistance to states to improve program quality, implementation, and accountability.
• Establish national initiatives that help states implement rigorous career and technical education programs.

Community College

OCTAE provides national leadership to strengthen the role of community colleges in expanding access to postsecondary education for youth and adults and advancing workforce development. OCTAE’s initiatives are designed to:

• Build public support for community colleges as centers of innovation and providers of excellent education and training that are affordable and accessible to all Americans.
• Facilitate the dissemination of timely and actionable guidance on community college educations for teachers, administrators, students, parents, and employers.
• Promote the development of strategies that support students in the completion of their postsecondary certification and degree programs.