Ivey, education leaders praise federal move to merge education, workforce programs
By Alabama Daily News Dec 8, 2025 Orignal Article Link
Federal education and workforce officials say they’re seeing early progress in their effort to merge major federal programs, and Alabama leaders say the move fits with work the state already has underway.
The partnership between the U.S. departments of education and labor is aiming to give states a simpler way to manage career and workforce programs. The agencies have started moving key pieces of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to the Department of Labor, including the state plan portal and payment systems.
Nick Moore, former head of Alabama’s Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation and now acting assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, said early results show the shift is already reducing red tape.
“With the ability to more easily and efficiently administer their programs, states across the country are already seeing positive results,” Moore said.
Gov. Kay Ivey said the federal changes fit with Alabama’s recent restructuring under the new Alabama Department of Workforce.
“Alabama has positioned itself to be on the cutting edge of workforce innovations and opportunities because of remarkable coordination and collaboration,” Ivey said. “The newly formed Alabama Department of Workforce’s mission is to elevate Alabama’s talent pipeline to benefit our state’s workforce future by connecting our incredible partners in education to industry demand.”
Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy Baker said the move reflects work already happening across the state’s two-year colleges. He pointed to the short-term “Skills for Success” programs as an example of training that responds quickly to employers’ needs.
“These programs provide rapid, high-quality training that connects learners to genuine opportunities and supports employers with job-ready talent,” he said.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey said the federal merger will help educators better prepare students for high-demand careers.
“Since first combining our Perkins and WIOA plans in 2020, Alabama has made significant progress in workforce development and has led the way nationally through this innovative consolidation and integration of its Perkins and WIOA plans into a single, cohesive vision for workforce and talent development in our state,” he said.
Federal officials said that since Oct. 1, the partnership has processed nearly 800 payment requests from 43 states and territories after moving the WIOA state portal and payment system to labor.