**Please note that these questions are answered based on minimum requirements set forth in the federal Perkins legislation. States may add additional requirements for CTE programs and Perkins recipients, or may require more specific uses of funds or plan requirements. Each state may have different requirements as set forth in the state's Perkins plan, so be sure to contact your state Perkins administrator with your questions as well.
Accountability
Q: Has the new Perkins legislation incorporated elements of the NDCCTE Exemplary Standards? [From Patrick Konopnicki, Virginia Beach, VA]
A: The law does not specifically mention or reference the outstanding practices that have been identified by NDCCTE for Exemplary programs. However, many of the practices are integrated throughout the law, such as linkages between secondary and postsecondary (transition options), professional development, technology, partnerships, alignment with standards, continuous improvement, serving special populations (access and inclusion), and placement and retention. These are all key elements of the new Perkins law (as many were of the 1998 law).
Q: Will changes in the Perkins law translate to exit exams for students in Career and Technology programs? [From Marc Penrod, Decatur, TN]
A: Nothing in the new law would require exit exams for CTE students (unless the state already has a high school exit exam, in which case that would continue to apply to all students.) There will be a greater focus on technical assessments aligned to industry standards though.
Q: With the new provision on local compliance, who will monitor and enforce this new provision of the Perkins reauthorization? Besides loss of funding, is there a penalty clause when non-compliance has occurred at a local career and technical institution? [From Ike Costein, Shelby, OH]
A: States will monitor all local compliance issues. States will then have to show the federal Department of Education that they have processes in place to do this. The only consequence specified in the law is a loss of funding, but the first year an accountability target is missed, local programs or states would have to implement an improvement plan. This is an intermediate step before fiscal sanctions are imposed.
Q: Could you please expand upon greater local accountability requirements? [From Roger Rockenbaugh, Crawfordsville, IN]
A: ACTE has put together a fact sheet on the new accountability system.
Q: Can students in a transfer program with an occupational outcome be counted? [From Arlene Parisot, Helena, MT]
A: It will be up to each state to define exactly who will be counted in each of the performance indicators, but generally, here are the indicators for postsecondary students. Further education and employment are both considered positive outcomes.
“(i) Student attainment of challenging career and technical skill proficiencies, including student achievement on technical assessments, that are aligned with industry-recognized standards, if available and appropriate.
(ii) Student attainment of an industry-recognized credential, a certificate, or a degree.
(iii) Student retention in postsecondary education or transfer to a baccalaureate degree program.
(iv) Student placement in military service or apprenticeship programs or placement or retention in employment, including placement in high skill, high wage, or high demand occupations or professions.
(v) Student participation in, and completion of, career and technical education programs that lead to employment in non-traditional fields.”
Q: Has the definition for Special Populations students remained the same? In previous law, there was a 'other barriers to student achievement." Is that category maintained in new Perkins? How are 'other barriers' defined...by the state or local? [From Laurie Winterberg, Pensacola, FL]
A: The definition for special populations has remained the same...except that the last category, "individuals with other barriers to educational attainment," has been eliminated, so this will no longer have to be included in data disaggregation or reporting.
Uses of Funds
Q: Are there any changes relating to cooperative work experience? Are local districts required to provide coop support for approved programs in order for continue receiving Perkins funding? [From Van Hughes, Cheswick, PA]
A: There are no changes to these provisions in the new law. These activities remain a permissive use of local and state funds, but are not requirements.
Q: Is there a new requirement for professional development that it needs to be continuous? [From Patti Beltram, Peoria, AZ]
A: The new law says that professional development must be “high quality, sustained, intensive, and focused on instruction, and increases the academic knowledge and understanding of industry standards, as appropriate, of career and technical education teachers.” Professional development activities will need to be a part of broader professional development plans for educators, and not one time events with no connection to program improvement or broader goals. This may be accomplished through a variety of strategies, such as follow-up activities and report back sessions, or a comprehensive professional development plan for each educator.
Q: Please clarify whether local schools are required to spend Perkins funding on each of the "Requirements for Use of Funds" or are these required for a program to be eligible for funding? [From Ken Maguire, West Des Moines, IA]
A: The Department of Education has said under previous law that each of the required uses of funds had to be satisfied, but they can be funded from either federal or nonfederal sources. If nonfederal funds are used, then additional funds can be spent on the “permissive” uses described in the law.
Q: As a newly recruited CTE educator from the business sector, the cost of becoming a certified educator is not assisted or funded by the local school district. Are there provisions in the new use of funding rules that would provide for some financial assistance in that area? [From Jerrit Ekama, Akron, OH]
A: There is a great deal of flexibility for states and local school districts in this regard. Specifically, there is new language allowing Perkins state funds to be spent on “improving the recruitment and retention of career and technical education teachers, faculty, administrators, and career guidance and academic counselors, including individuals in groups underrepresented in the teaching profession; and the transition to teaching from business and industry, including small business.”
Q: Could you clarify the statement about eliminating the restriction on preparation of careers requiring a Bachelor's degree, ie. engineering, teaching, BUT does not effect funding? [From Christi McKinney, FL]
A: The 1998 Perkins law said that vocational education offered students the knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers “(other than careers requiring a baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degree).” This parenthetical clause has been eliminated, so CTE programs under the new law can prepare students for careers that will eventually require a bachelor’s or advanced degree (such as teaching). However, an additional clause was added that will require Perkins funding to be targeted to secondary and sub-baccalaureate postsecondary programs. For example, you can now offer a elementary teacher preparation academy at the high school level, even though that career generally requires a bachelor’s degree, but you could not fund a bachelor’s degree program in elementary education out of Perkins funds.
Q: Can Perkins funds be used to get a CTE program industry certified and to get CTE teachers industry certified? [Kay Nixon, Murfreesboro, TN]
A: Yes, while this is not specifically mentioned in the law, the elements of program and teacher certification are covered throughout several of the uses of funds. For example, professional development that helps teachers “stay current with the needs, expectations, and methods of industry” is mentioned.
Q: Can Perkins funds be used to pay for industry certification for students? [From Kay Nixon, Murfreesboro, TN]
A: In some cases, federal funds can be used to pay for industry certifications for students, especially as they relate to the Perkins accountability system. Check with your state for more information.
Fiscal/Structural Issues
Q: Will districts that receive less than 15,000 in Perkins funding still be required to form a consortium in order to apply for the funds? [From Greg Shipp, Huntsville, TX]
A: Yes, this provision has not changed at all from current law.
Q: Can secondary funds be used for 7-8 grade? [From Jim Martin, FL]
A: Yes, as in the 1998 law, the new Perkins law states, “No funds received under this Act may be used to provide career and technical education programs to students prior to the seventh grade, except that equipment and facilities purchased with funds under this Act may be used by such students.” However, it is up to states and local school disctricts whether funds are actually spend in seventh and eighth grades.
Q: Will adding the secondary CTE programs having access to the Perkins funds reduce the funds currently available to the local schools? [From Jerrit Ekama, Akron, OH]
A: There were no changes in the formula that will change the amount of funds a local program gets from its state. Each state will still decide how much of its funds to allocate to secondary and postsecondary programs, and the funds will then go out by a formula based on population and poverty (so changes in the population of a school district could affect its funding).
Q: What do you mean targeting percentages for large CTE programs vs. rural schools? Could you explain that again? [From Patti Beltram, Peoria, AZ]
A: This relates to the reserve fund, which is also included in current law. This provision says that from the 85 percent of funds that a state must pass through to local programs, the state may award grants to local programs for CTE activities in rural areas, areas with high percentages of career and technical education students, and areas with high numbers of career and technical education students. It is up to a state to decide whether or not to use this reserve provision, and if so, how to distribute funding.
Tech Prep
Q: If a state chooses to combine Tech Prep with the Basic Grant, will the state still be held accountability for the Tech Prep accountability provision? [From Jim Schoelkopf, Gresham, OR]
A: No, if a state chooses to combine Tech Prep and Basic State Grant funds, then all of the funds are treated as if they were Basic State Grant funds and are subject to the requirements of Title I. The requirements of Title II – which is Tech Prep – would no longer apply.
Q: What processes will a state have to combine Tech Prep funding streams into their basic grants? [From Ricardo Hinojosa, Laredo, Texas]
A: Each state that wishes to combine the two funding streams will have to indicate this in its state plan. The state plan can be revised annually, so states can change this decision each year. A variety of groups and stakeholders must be consulted during the development of the state plan. The Department of Education has also released guidance on the combination of Tech Prep and Basic State Grant Funds.
Q: With the increased focus on broader transitions including career clusters and pathways, will Tech Prep funds be able to be spent earlier than 9th grade? [From Kathryn Schmidt, MA]
A: This is not specified in the law, so it will be in large part up to interpretations from the Department of Education and states. However, there is some flexibility that could allow this to occur.
