Overview
Status: On July 31, 2018, the President signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act into law. This bill reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins) and will be referred to as Perkins V.
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 Perkins V
- Perkins V (September 2018)
Full text of Perkins V (The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act)
- Major Tenets of Perkins V (August 2018)
A one-page overview of the major tenets of The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V)
- Side-by-Side Analysis of Perkins IV and Perkins V (October 2018)
This document displays the text of Perkins IV alongside the text of Perkins V and includes an analysis of the changes between the two laws.
- Perkins Accountability Comparison (October 2018)
This document compares the secondary and postsecondary indicators of performance in Perkins IV and Perkins V, as well as points out alignment with performance measures from ESSA and WIOA.
- Coordinating Across Perkins V and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (October 2018)
This guide from Advance CTE and the National Skills Coalition looks at six opportunities to promote coordination across Perkins V and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as states develop and implement plans under Perkins V.
- Perkins V Redline (August 2018)
This document shows how the text of Perkins V compares to Perkins IV
- Summary and Analysis of Perkins V (August 2018)
An overview of Perkins V, including state and local implications
- Understanding the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) (August 2018)
An overview of Perkins including its purpose, how funds are distributed and why Perkins is an investment that matters
- Infographic: Perkins V Timeline & State Plan Development Process (October 2018)
This two-page color infographic displays the timeline for the submission of Perkins V state plans and outlines the state plan development process.
- Advance CTE and ACTE Joint Letter on Senate Passage of Perkins Reauthorization (July 2018)
A letter to the Senate in response to the Perkins Reauthorization Bill that the Senate voted to pass on July 23, 2018
Resources on Perkins IV
- Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (January 2006)
Full text of Perkins IV
- Recommendations for Perkins Reauthorization (February 2016)
A summary of Advance CTE’s recommendations for the renewal of Perkins
- 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 Federal Investment in Perkins
- Investing in CTE: An American Imperative (April 2019)
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.