The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act: Shaping the Future Workforce

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act is a cornerstone of federal efforts to enhance career and technical education (CTE) in the United States. This legislation provides crucial funding and guidance to states and local educational agencies, aiming to equip students with the academic, technical, and employability skills necessary for success in postsecondary education and high-demand careers. With a focus on aligning education with workforce needs, promoting equity, and ensuring accountability, the Perkins Act plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of workforce development.

Historical Context and Evolution

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act was first authorized in 1984, marking a significant federal commitment to CTE. Named for Carl D. Perkins, a former U.S. Representative from Kentucky, the act has been reauthorized several times to adapt to evolving workforce demands and educational priorities. These reauthorizations include Perkins II in 1990, Perkins III in 1998, Perkins IV in 2006, and the most recent, Perkins V, in 2018, officially known as the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

Each reauthorization has built upon the previous version, refining the focus and expanding the scope of CTE programs. Perkins V, signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 31, 2018, continues Congress’ commitment by providing nearly $1.4 billion annually for CTE programs. This bipartisan measure underscores the importance of CTE in preparing the nation’s youth and adults for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st-century economy.

Key Objectives and Provisions

The Carl D. Perkins Act is designed to achieve several key objectives:

Improving Academic and Technical Achievement: The act emphasizes the importance of integrating rigorous academic content with technical skills, ensuring that CTE learners are well-prepared for both postsecondary education and careers.
Strengthening Connections Between Secondary and Postsecondary Education: Perkins aims to create seamless pathways for students to transition from high school CTE programs to postsecondary education and training, reducing duplication of effort and maximizing student success.
Enhancing Accountability: The act requires states to set performance indicators for CTE programs and to collect and report data on student outcomes, ensuring that programs are effective and meeting the needs of students and employers.
Promoting Equity and Access: Perkins seeks to ensure that all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to high-quality CTE programs that prepare them for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations.

Funding and Allocation

Funding from the Perkins Act is allocated to states based on a formula that considers factors such as population and poverty levels. This ensures that resources are directed to areas with the greatest need. States then distribute funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) and postsecondary institutions through a competitive grant process or other mechanisms. These funds can be used to support a wide range of activities, including:

Curriculum Development
Teacher Training and Professional Development
Equipment Purchases and Upgrades
Career Guidance and Counseling Services
Partnerships with Local Businesses and Industries
Support for Special Populations (e.g., students with disabilities, English learners)

The Division of Academic and Technical Education (DATE)

The Division of Academic and Technical Education (DATE) plays a crucial role in administering the Perkins Act at the federal level. DATE is responsible for:

Administering formula and discretionary grant programs under the Perkins Act.
Providing assistance to help states improve program administration, implementation, and accountability.
Implementing national initiatives that support high-quality CTE programs.

DATE also oversees the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network, which provides the latest information and resources about CTE.

State Strategies and Initiatives

To effectively implement the Perkins Act, states have developed a variety of strategies and initiatives. These include:

State Plans: States are required to develop comprehensive state plans that outline their vision for CTE, identify key priorities, and describe how they will use Perkins funds to achieve their goals.
Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA): States and local areas must conduct a CLNA to identify the needs of their communities and align CTE programs with local labor market demands.
Stakeholder Engagement: States are encouraged to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including educators, employers, students, and community leaders, to ensure that CTE programs are relevant and responsive to the needs of all.
Work-Based Learning: States are increasingly emphasizing work-based learning opportunities, such as internships, apprenticeships, and job shadowing, to provide students with real-world experience and connect them with potential employers.
Career Pathways: States are developing career pathways that link secondary and postsecondary education, providing students with a clear roadmap to careers in high-demand fields.

Key Resources and Tools

Several resources and tools are available to support states and local educational agencies in implementing the Perkins Act effectively. These include:

Advance CTE: A national non-profit organization that provides leadership, advocacy, and resources to support state CTE leaders.
Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE): A professional organization for CTE educators and administrators.
Perkins Collaborative Resource Network: A website that provides information and resources about the Perkins Act.
Career Readiness Metrics Framework: Sets a standard for practitioners, policymakers and researchers to evaluate whether learners are on track for and progressing through their career pathways as well as guidance on implementation for each learner level.
Policy Benchmark Tool: CTE Program of Study Approval: This resource will assist state and local leaders in assessing the quality of their programs.

Accountability and Performance Measures

A key aspect of the Perkins Act is its emphasis on accountability. States are required to set performance indicators for CTE programs and to collect and report data on student outcomes. These indicators typically include:

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Graduation Rates
Job Placement Rates
Student Skill Attainment
Participation in Postsecondary Education
Nontraditional Enrollment

By tracking and reporting on these measures, states can identify areas where programs are successful and areas where improvement is needed. This data-driven approach helps ensure that CTE programs are effective and that students are well-prepared for careers.

Impact and Future Directions

The Carl D. Perkins Act has had a significant impact on career and technical education in the United States. By providing funding, guidance, and a framework for accountability, the act has helped to improve the quality and relevance of CTE programs across the country. As a result, more students are graduating with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in postsecondary education and careers.

Looking ahead, the Perkins Act will continue to play a vital role in shaping the future of workforce development. As the economy evolves and new industries emerge, CTE programs must adapt to meet the changing needs of employers. This will require ongoing collaboration between educators, employers, and policymakers to ensure that CTE programs remain relevant, rigorous, and responsive to the needs of all students.

Promoting a Regional Approach to the Perkins V Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment

This Advance CTE resource provides a framework, self-assessment, guidance and key questions to help states leverage the CLNA process to foster regional collaboration.

Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation: The Impact and Promise of the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment

This report, co-authored by ACTE and Advance CTE, shares state approaches to the CLNA process, perspectives on successful implementation, and reflections on opportunities for improvement.

The State of Career Technical Education: An Analysis of States’ Perkins V Priorities

This report outlines commonly included state plan elements that support a comprehensive and cohesive state vision and implementation plan. These hallmarks include: A shared statewide vision; Ongoing and meaningful alignment and collaboration across the K-12, postsecondary and workforce systems; A commitment to access and learner support; A commitment to quality programs; Systems for attracting, retaining and developing CTE instructors; The use of data-driven decision-making; and A strong system of support to ensure fidelity of implementation.

Planning for Engagement: Identifying Key Stakeholders for Perkins V

This tool was designed to jumpstart state stakeholder engagement efforts and includes strategies and tools to coordinate engagement efforts.

Career Readiness Stakeholder Engagement Tool

The tool helps state leaders with prioritization of stakeholder engagement efforts through the use of a stakeholder map that measures the level of support and the level of influence of each stakeholder.

Beyond the Numbers: Design Principles for CTE Data Reporting

This report provides nine principles for developing effective and accessible CTE data reporting tools.

Ensuring Career Pathway Quality: A Guide to Pathway Intervention

This guide outlines the different types of intervention needed for pathways and explores the steps leaders should take when making decisions to transform or phase out pathways that do not have labor market relevance.

Auditing a State Career and Technical Education Program for Quality

This guide outlines a three-phase audit process to address CTE program quality, alignment, and overall effectiveness.

Coordinating Across Perkins V and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

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.

Raising the Bar: State Strategies for Developing and Approving High-quality Career Pathways

This report from Advance CTE examines successes in Tennessee, New Jersey and Delaware to demonstrate how states can use the career pathways approval process to raise the level of quality across the board.

Perkins Accountability Comparison

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.

Driving Quality in Postsecondary CTE: Approval and Evaluation Policies

This report from Advance CTE explores how states can leverage program approval and program evaluation policies and processes to ensure postsecondary CTE program quality. The report examines state examples from California, Florida and Wisconsin.

Putting Labor Market Information in the Right Hands: A Guide

This guide from Advance CTE is designed to help states think through the process of disseminating labor market information.

Communicating About Perkins V

This tool aims to help state leaders think through their overall communications strategy throughout the process of developing and implementing your Perkins V state plan.

Stakeholders and Perkins V: Meaningful Engagement for Student Success

This guide contains specific strategies on how best to connect with, speak to and learn from stakeholders with a unique perspective.

How does the Carl D. Perkins Act facilitate the integration of career and technical education into the broader educational system?

The Carl D. Perkins Act encourages collaboration between secondary schools and postsecondary institutions by providing funding that supports a continuum of career and technical education. This integration allows for smoother transitions for students as they move from high school to higher education or directly into the workforce. By aligning curriculum and promoting shared resources, the act helps ensure that students receive relevant training that meets industry standards.

Discuss how the funding mechanisms of the Carl D. Perkins Act influence the quality of career and technical education programs across different states.

The funding mechanisms established by the Carl D. Perkins Act allocate resources based on state population and economic needs, which helps target support where it is most needed. States must demonstrate how they will use these funds to improve their CTE programs, thereby encouraging innovation and accountability. This targeted funding approach ensures that educational institutions can develop relevant training programs tailored to local job markets, ultimately enhancing program quality.

Evaluate the impact of performance accountability measures outlined in the Carl D. Perkins Act on career and technical education outcomes.

Performance accountability measures mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Act significantly impact career and technical education outcomes by requiring states to track and report on key performance indicators such as graduation rates, job placements, and student skill attainment. By holding states accountable for these metrics, schools are incentivized to improve program quality and align training with workforce demands.

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