National Implementation Study of Career and Technical Education under Perkins V

Even with constant change in the nature of work and the economy, the education decisions students make today will influence their later career direction and success. Helping secondary and postsecondary students develop skills that have value in the workplace is the key goal of career and technical education (CTE). Congress has supported CTE for over a century, most recently through the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act in 2018 (Perkins V). Many provisions of the prior Perkins Act remain, but Perkins V includes some changes designed to: (1) expand access to and participation in CTE for all students, (2) enhance CTE program quality through new mechanisms for program improvement and labor market alignment, and (3) increase flexibility in Perkins funding and accountability. Perkins V requires IES to conduct a national evaluation to assess CTE programs under the new law. This study would have examined how key priorities in Perkins V were being implemented by states and districts.