Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V): A Primer. CRS Report R47071, Version 3

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins Act) is the primary federal law aimed at developing and supporting career and technical education (CTE) programs for secondary and postsecondary students. In the 109th Congress, the Perkins Act was reauthorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV; P.L. 109-270). The Perkins Act was most recently amended in the 115th Congress by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V; P.L. 115-224). Perkins V was signed into law by President Trump in July 2018 and went into effect on July 1, 2019. The purpose of the act is to develop more fully the academic knowledge and technical and employability skills of secondary and postsecondary students who elect to enroll in CTE programs. This report provides an overview of Perkins V, including its design, implementation, and funding as described in statute. After a brief introduction to CTE, the report is divided into sections that focus on a detailed description of the Basic State Grants (BSG), discuss National Activities and other programs under Title I, and summarize additional provisions under Title II. A final section summarizes Perkins V authorizations and appropriations. The appendices provide a brief history of federal involvement in CTE as well as formulas and allocations for the BSG.