Overview
Status in the House: Perkins was last reauthorized in 2006 and was originally due for reauthorization in 2012. On September 13, 2016, in a 405-5 vote, the House passed H.R. 5587, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (the bill that would reauthorize Perkins). On June 22, 2017, H.R. 2353, an updated version of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, was brought to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the bill was passed on a voice vote without any objections.
Status in the Senate: On June 26, 2018, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee marked up a bill to reauthorize Perkins. The bill passed out of committee on a unanimous voice vote.
Advance CTE Recommendations: Advance CTE advocates for Perkins reauthorization based on these recommendations, which reflect the input and priorities of our members and our vision, Putting Learner Success First: A Shared Vision for the Future of CTE.
Purpose: Perkins is dedicated to increasing learner access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs of study. With a focus on systems alignment and program improvement, Perkins is critical to ensuring that programs are prepared to meet the ever-changing needs of learners and employers. Perkins reflects the 100-year federal commitment to CTE by providing federal support for CTE programs and focuses on improving the academic and technical achievement of CTE students, strengthening the connections between secondary and postsecondary education and improving accountability. Perkins affords states and local communities the opportunity to implement a vision for CTE that uniquely supports the range of educational needs of students — exploration through career preparation — and balances those student needs with the current and emerging needs of the economy.
Resources on the Current Law
- Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (January 2006)
Full text of the current Perkins law - Understanding the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (February 2018)
An overview of Perkins including its purpose, how funds are distributed and why Perkins is an investment that matters - How States Use Perkins — The Basics (October 2017)
A summary of the ways states leverage Perkins to support CTE - Perkins Collaborative Resource Network
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education Division of Academic and Technical Education website with information on Perkins, including non-regulatory guidance, state profiles, performance data and more - Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006: Background and Performance (December 2012)
A Congressional Research Service report for Congress on outcomes under Perkins
Resources on the Reauthorization Process
- Recommendations for Perkins Reauthorization (February 2016)
A summary of Advance CTE’s recommendations for the renewal of Perkins - Summary and Analysis of H.R. 2353 (June 2017)
An overview of H.R. 2353, including themes and local implications - Advance CTE and ACTE Joint Letter on H.R. 2353 (June 2017)
A letter in support of H.R. 2353 - Advance CTE and ACTE Joint Letter on Senate Perkins Reauthorization Bill (June 2018)
A letter to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee in response to the Senate Perkins Reauthorization Bill - Summary and Analysis of Senate Perkins Reauthorization Bill (July 2018)
An overview of the Senate Perkins Reauthorization Bill, including state and local implications
Resources on the Federal Investment in Perkins
- Investing in CTE: An American Imperative (June 2018)
Illustrates the need for an increased federal investment in CTE - FY2004-2018 Perkins Funding Levels (March 2018)
An overview of federal appropriations to CTE
Advance CTE Members can also access additional resources on Perkins funding and uses.