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Perkins Overview

Perkins V

History

The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 was the first authorization for the federal funding of vocational education (now known as career and technical education). Subsequent legislation included the Vocational Act of 1973 and the Carl D. Perkins Act of 1984 (Perkins). Perkins was reauthorized as the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act (Perkins II) in 1990, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III), the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV), and most recently as the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V).

Purpose of Perkins V

As put forth in the legislation, the purpose of Perkins V is:

To develop more fully the academic knowledge and technical and employability skills of secondary and postsecondary students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs and programs of study, by—

  • building on the efforts of States and localities to develop challenging academic and technical standards and to assist students in meeting such standards, including preparation for high skill, high wage, or in-demand occupations in current or emerging professions; 
  • promoting the development of services and activities that integrate rigorous and challenging academic and career and technical instruction, and that link secondary and postsecondary education for participating career and technical education students; 
  • increasing State and local flexibility in providing services and activities designed to develop, implement, and improve career and technical education; 
  • conducting and disseminating national research and disseminating information on best practices that improve career and technical education programs and  programs of study, services, and activities; 
  • providing technical assistance that—promotes leadership, initial preparation, and professional development at the State and local levels; and improves the quality of career and technical education teachers, faculty, administrators and counselors; 
  • supporting partnerships among secondary schools, postsecondary institutions, baccalaureate degree granting institutions, area career and technical education schools, local workforce investment boards, business and industry and intermediaries; 
  • providing individuals with opportunities throughout their lifetimes to develop, in conjunction with other education and training programs, the knowledge and skills to keep the United States competitive; and
  • increasing the employment opportunities for populations who are chronically unemployed or underemployed, including individuals with disabilities, individuals from economically disadvantaged families, out-of-workforce individuals, youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system, and homeless individuals. 

Carl D. Perkins Career And Technical Education Act of 2006 as Amended By The Strengthening Career and Technical  Education For The 21st Century Act Sec. 2. [20 U.S.C. 2301]. 

Perkins V State Plan

New York State’s vision for career and technical education prioritizes building partnerships to create a continuum of career options that begins with middle and high school career exploration and continues on to postsecondary concentration in an occupational area, technical skill training, and employment. 

The mission of the New York State Board of Regents “…to ensure that every child has equitable access to the highest quality educational opportunities, services and supports in schools that provide effective instruction aligned to the state’s standards… so that each child is prepared for success in college, career, and citizenship” calls on the New York CTE community to join in this endeavor: that all learners have access to high-quality Career and Technical Education opportunities that are equitably and deliberately integrated at all educational levels to better prepare New York students for lifelong learning and career success.

In order to move toward this shared vision, the state has established a set of priorities which provide a framework for strategies to be implemented over the course of this Four-Year Plan:

  • Increase access to high-quality CTE programs
  • Support at-risk CTE students
  • Build regional collaboration—secondary and postsecondary with business and industry grounded in labor market needs
  • Improve career development for all students

Read the New York State Perkins V State Plan here. 

Read the Proposed State Determined Performance Levels (SDPL) for 2024-2025 here. 

Perkins V Plan Timeline

Perkins V Timeline


Eligibility Requirements

First-time applicants with an individual allocation greater than $15,000 and who meet New York State's Perkins V definitions of size, scope and quality must call the CTE team at 518-486-1547 to confirm eligibility. 

Size

  • Each NYSED-approved CTE program of study must have a minimum of eight CTE concentrators across all grade levels enrolled. A CTE concentrator at the secondary level means a student served by an eligible recipient who has completed at least two (2) sequenced CTE courses in a single NYSED-approved CTE program or program of study at a local high school, or has completed BOCES CTE course work in a state-approved program equivalent to two full year high school courses. 
  • Applicants must have a minimum of three NYSED-approved CTE programs of study in three of the sixteen national career cluster areas. 

Scope

  • Academic and technical content are aligned, leading to a nonduplicative program offering.
  • Addresses both academic and technical knowledge and skills, including employability skills
  • Aligned with the needs of industry in the economy of the state, region, or local area
  • Secondary-level students are exposed to various opportunities to continue education beyond high school (multiple entry and exit points)
  • Culminates in the ability for students to attain a recognized postsecondary credential

Quality

  • All students within each program achieve performance targets established for Perkins V performance indicators
  • Progresses in specificity, begins with all aspects of the industry or career cluster and leads to more occupation-specific instruction
  • Incorporates challenging state academic learning standards and industry standards specific to each content area
  • Evidence of appropriate teachers’ certification and professional development

Perkins Resources

Perkins Legislation:

Additional Resources: