Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)

OCTAE is responsible for helping all students acquire challenging academic and technical skills and be prepared for high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand occupations in the 21st century global economy.

Welcome to OCTAE

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) administers, coordinates programs that are related to adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges.

Adult Education and Literacy

The Division of Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL) 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. DAEL:

Administers the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act formula grant program.
Provides assistance to States to improve program quality, accountability and capacity.
Carries out national leadership activities to enhance the quality of adult education services.

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. DATE:

Administering state formula and discretionary grant programs under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins).
Provides assistance to states to improve program quality, implementation, and accountability.
Carries out 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 community college initiatives:

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; and
Promote the development of strategies that support students in the completion of their postsecondary certification and degree programs.

Mailing Address

US Department of Education
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education Office
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
LBJ, Room 4A197
Washington, DC 20202

Email: octae@ed.gov

US Department of Labor
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education Office
Employment Training Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Frances C. Perkins Building, Room N4462
Washington DC, 20210

Key Staff

Office of the Assistant Secretary: Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary
Office of the Assistant Secretary: Tiwanda Burse, Senior Advisor
Division of Adult Education and Literacy: F. Grace Air, Acting Director
Division of Academic and Technical Education: Adam Flynn-Tabloff, Acting Director
Policy, Research, and Evaluation Staff: Adam Flynn-Tabloff, Director

Get more information about the laws and policies governing career, technical, and adult education.

Performance Measures and Accountability

Performance measures are used to quantitatively assess the implementation and outcomes of educational systems.

See performance measures

Accountability and Reporting

WIOA Statewide Performance Reports

Read the reports

See policy resources related to adult education and career and technical education.

See policy resources

Additional Information from OCTAE

More information about career, technical, and adult education from the team at OCTAE.

The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information.

See the resources

Perkins Collaborative Research Network

Learn about important intersections and opportunities for CTE programs and students.

Visit the network

National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS)

The NRS is an outcome-based reporting system for the State-administered, federally funded adult education program.

Visit NRS

The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS)

LINCS provides adult educators with resources, PD activities, an online community of practice, and online lessons to help enhance their practice.

Visit the LINCS site

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) State Plan Portal

Learn what States/Territories are doing to help citizens get high-quality jobs and careers and employers hire and retain skilled workers.

Visit WIOA State Plans

OCTAE Grants, Programs, and Initiatives

See programs, grants, and initiatives managed by OCTAE.

OCTAE Grants and Programs

The programs and grants managed by OCTAE support a wide range of activities that help prepare young people and adults for further education.

See our programs

OCTAE Initiatives

OCTAE investments total approximately $1.9 billion annually.

See the programs

Grants for Adult Education

See grant programs available to help adults interested in furthering their education.

See the grants

Our Locations

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-7100

US Department of Labor
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education Office
Employment Training Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Frances C. Perkins Building, Room N4462
Washington DC, 20210

The hands of a group of engineers pointing to blueprints of a building.

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)

Welcome to OCTAE

Adult Education and Literacy

Career and Technical Education

Community College

Mailing Address

Key Staff

Home

Welcome to OCTAE

Adult Education and Literacy

Career and Technical Education

Community College

Contacts

Mailing Address

Key Staff

Legislation and Reports

Our Locations