Perkins V
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.
The federal legislation that funds career and technical education (CTE), the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, was most recently reauthorized in 2018 as the Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act for the 21st Century (Perkins V).
Its purpose is to develop more fully the academic knowledge and technical and employability skills of secondary and postsecondary students enrolled in CTE programs of study, primarily by
- building on the efforts of states and localities to develop challenging academic and technical standards;
- promoting the development of services and activities that integrate academic, career, and technical instruction, and that link secondary and postsecondary education for participating CTE students;
- increasing state and local flexibility in providing services and activities designed to develop, implement, and improve CTE.;
- disseminating national research, and providing professional development and technical assistance, that will improve CTE programs of study, services, and activities.
- Conducting technical assistance that promotes leadership and professional development to improve the quality of CTE teachers, faculty, administrators and counselors
- Supporting partnerships among secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, area CTE schools, local workforce investment boards, business and industry and intermediaries
- Providing individuals with the skills to keep the United States competitive; and
- Increasing the employment opportunities for special populations.
Perkins V Resources
OCTAE Guidance Documents
March 31 2020 OCTAE Guidance for Perkins V Plan Submission COVID-19
1830-0029 Perkins V State Plan Guide – Responses to Public Comments
1830-0029 – Supporting Statement
1830-0029 Perkins V State Plan Guide – Revised Pursuant to Public Comments
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE)
Perkins V CAR package and EdFacts Submission System package for public comment
NAPE Perkins V State Plan Guidance Feedback 3.10.19
NAPE Perkins V State Plan Guidance Feedback 12.23.18
NAPE Resources and Tools
State Level Data Dashboards
Click below for state-level data dashboards to assist with equity gap analyses and Perkins V planning. Visualizations include secondary and postsecondary concentrators by gender at the career cluster level; and concentrators by gender and by race and ethnicity in CTE. Click on the “How to View” Guide for instructions. These data are all derived from the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network.
- Career Clusters by Gender: Secondary
- Career Clusters by Gender: Postsecondary
- Concentrators by Sub-Population: Secondary
- Concentrators by Sub-Population: Postsecondary
Perkins V Equity Provisions Summary
Perkins V At-A-Glance Sheets:
- Equity Gap Analysis – State
- Local Equity Gap Analysis
- Special Populations in Perkins V
- Equity and the Perkins V Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment
The Power of Micromessages in Marketing, Recruitment and Success in CTE
Diversifying the Advanced Manufacturing Pipeline: A Conversation with Toyota and NAPE
Policy Opportunities to Promote Students with Disabilities in Career and Technical Education
Partner Organization and Other Resources
Senate HELP Committee Report on Perkins V (January 2019)
The H.E.L.P. Committee Report released early in 2019 provides key details on legislative intent (pages 1-18), a section-by-section analysis (pages 18-31) and how the new law made changes to Perkins IV (pages 31-132)
Perkins V Redline (R2353 Redline July 2018)
Advance CTE Perkins V-related Materials
ACTE Perkins V-related Materials
National Skills Coalition: Perkins Act
EdSource.org: Serving Students from Foster Care
Recognizing and Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness
Perkins IV Resources
- Equity Provisions in Perkins IV (NAPE)
- Guide for Program Improvement for Perkins IV: Nontraditional CTE Program Participation and Completion (NAPE)
- Guide for the Submission of State Plans (USDOE, OVAE, March 2007)
- Perkins IV Implementation Q&A: Programs and Services for Special Populations (NAPE)
- Perkins Program and Policy Guidance Memorandums (USDOE, OVAE, various dates)
- States Have Broad Flexibility in Implementing Perkins IV (GAO-09-683, July 29, 2009)
The Perkins V legislation, Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st
Century Act, provides states and local education agencies with a critical framework to center equity within Career and Technical Education (CTE) – the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA). The needs assessment process is the primary lever within Perkins V for educators to highlight factors limiting the success of marginalized communities and underrepresented student groups in CTE.
At NAPE, we believe the needs assessment enacted as a step-by-step process will be insufficient to yield meaningful and transformative change.
To ensure our most vulnerable students benefit from this process, we are offering three guiding principles to frame the needs assessment:
- Asset Orientation
- Grounded Action
- Systems are Not Neutral
Applying an equity lens can be challenging and messy; it is also extremely rewarding as the results can be transformative for educators, students, and their families. We recognize that each of us is in a different stage on our journey to apply an equity lens to our work. We also know the desire to do right by our students and the communities we serve is a key starting point.
Strategies for Special Population Success: Practical Tips and Tools for Educators – a free resource
When the Perkins Act was reauthorized in 2018, it increased the focus of career and technical education (CTE) programs on serving the needs of special populations and expanded the definition to include nine distinct groups.
- Individuals with disabilities
- Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults
- Individuals preparing for nontraditional fields
- Single parents, including single pregnant women
- Out-of-workforce individuals
- English learners
- Homeless individuals
- Youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system
- Youth with a parent who is a member of the armed forces and is on active duty
NAPE has completed a literature review, compiled effective practices and identified organizations with particular expertise to support development of your Perkins Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment and Local Application, and to assist state agencies in providing effective technical assistance to better serve each of these nine student groups.
Why is This Important to NAPE?
The Perkins Act is the main piece of legislation addressing CTE in the United States. It represents the largest federal investment in secondary education and one of the largest sources of federal institutional support for community colleges. It funds and strengthens CTE programs in all 50 states and territories, ensuring that programs are rigorous and that academic and technical content is linked across secondary and postsecondary education.
Additionally, many of the Perkins Act’s provisions are in line with NAPE’s mission to promote equity in CTE. The Act requires states to set targets for performance on measures of nontraditional enrollment and completion by gender, holding them accountable for ensuring that women and men participate in and complete training programs in fields where they are traditionally underrepresented. The Act also includes provisions for helping special populations (i.e., individuals with disabilities; individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults; individuals preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents, including single pregnant women; out-of-workforce individuals; homeless individuals; youth who are in, or have aged out of the foster care system; youth with an active military parent; and English Learners (English Language Learners)) to enroll and complete CTE programs, preparing them for high-skill and high-wage employment. This makes it a key piece of legislation for furthering diversity and equity in education.
Key Dates in Perkins V Passage
July 31, 2018: President Donald Trump 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 and will now be referred to as Perkins V. The complete bill can be accessed here.
July 25, 2018: On Wednesday afternoon, July 25, 2018, after the U. S. Senate passed HR 2353 which amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, now called the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, the U. S. House of Representatives voted by voice vote for final passage of the legislation.
June 26, 2018: The US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions met on June 26th to mark up Perkins CTE. Chairman Alexander (R-TN) offered a Bipartisan Chairmans Amendment drafted with Ranking Member Murray (D-WA), and Senators Enzi (R-WY) and Casey (D-PA). The amendment passed unanimously on a voice vote. No date has been set for action by the full US Senate. The markup can be watched at Perkins CTE Markup and the full bill is available here.
June 22, 2017: The U.S. House of Representatives voted by voice vote to pass H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. Learn More
May 17, 2017: Perkins CTE passes House Education and the Workforce Committee on a unanimous vote. Learn More
May 4, 2017: Members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce today introduced the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen and improve career and technical education (CTE). Learn More
February 28, 2017: NAPE CEO Mimi Lufkin testified before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, with the House Committee on Education and Workforce at a hearing titled “Providing More Students a Pathway to Success by Strengthening Career and Technical Education.” Learn More
October 1, 2016: Perkins on hold in the Senate as committee leaders wrangle with secretarial authority. Learn More
September 13, 2016: Republican and Democratic members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce today praised House passage of H.R. 5587, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. Learn More
August 2016: The USDOE released “Questions and Answers (Q & As) Regarding the Implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, Version 5.0.” Look for Quick Links at the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network
July 7, 2016: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved H.R. 5587, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. The bipartisan language unanimously passed as an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute. Read Fact Sheet and Bill Summary
July 5, 2016: NAPE sends letter of support of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.
June 28, 2016: Perkins language was introduced in the House yesterday. Committee Markup is expected on July 7. Read NAPE Summary of Provisions Related to Equity in CTE and NAPE Press Release.
July 26, 2016: Rep. Davis (D-CA) introduced H.R.5641, a companion bill to the the Equity in Career and Technical Education Act introduced by Senator Hirono on June 23
June 23, 2016: Senator Hirono (D-HI) introduced S.3093, Equity in Career and Technical Education Act, which is supported by NAPE (read Summary).
May 17, 2016: The House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing on “Helping Students Succeed by Strengthening the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.”
November 2, 2015: NAPE submitted a letter to Chairman Enzi and Ranking Member Casey with recommendations based on the Senate HELP Committees eight priorities for Perkins Reauthorization. Read Letter
October 28, 2015: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a briefing, “Improving Career and Technical Education to Help Students Succeed in the Workforce”
July 23, 2014: NAPE signs on to NCWGE letter with recommendations to the House and Senate regarding Perkins reauthorization. Read Letter
June 9, 2014: This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will unveil the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill, which will include Perkins funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015.
May 14, 2014: NAPE signs on to the diverse Perkins CTE Coalition letter with recommendations to the House and Senate regarding Perkins reauthorization.
November 19, 2013: The House Committee on Education and Workforce held a hearing, “Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs: Improving the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act,” which provided significant indication that the House might move on Perkins in the 113th Congress. Learn More
September 20, 2013: The House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education held a hearing titled “Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs: A Discussion on Career and Technical Education and Training Programs.” View Archived Webcast or Read Summary by NAPE’s Public Policy Director
July 31, 2013: The Senate HELP committee approved the Workforce Investment Act reauthorization bill, which would include $17 million additional funding for Perkins administrative programs – a 30% cut from what is currently available to most states. Read more here.
July 26, 2013: The House markup for FY 2014 Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS-Education) appropriations bill, which includes Perkins funding and was originally scheduled during the week, was postponed until further notice. The FY 2014 appropriations process will not be easily resolved due to disparate proposals from each chamber.
July 12, 2013: The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its Labor-HHS-Ed bill, which would restore Perkins funding to pre-sequestration levels. The Senate bill provides a $3.52 billion, or 5.4%, increase for discretionary education spending compared to FY 2013. However, the overall funding level for the approved House Labor-HHS-Ed bill is 19% below current funding levels and is expected to contain deep cuts to many programs.
April 2013: Senators, led by Senator Blumenthal of Connecticut, released a letter urging the Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education to restore FY 2012 Perkins funding in the FY 2014 budget.
February 2013: NAPE issued a Position Paper on the reauthorization of Perkins.
