The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) was signed into law by President Trump on July 31, 2018. This bipartisan measure reauthorized the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) and continued Congress’ commitment in providing nearly $1.4 billion annually for career and technical education (CTE) programs for our nation’s youth and adults.
Perkins V represents an important opportunity to expand opportunities for every student to explore, choose, and follow career and technical education programs of study and career pathways to earn credentials of value. As States and local communities embark on the development of new plans for CTE, the Department hopes that the videos, resources, links, and media found below and throughout this Website can be useful tools for States and local recipients in "rethinking CTE" and arriving at bold goals under the newly-authorized Perkins V statute.
Video Playlist
History of the Act
The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 was the first authorization for the Federal funding of vocational education. Subsequent legislation for vocational education (now termed career and technical education) included the Vocational Act or 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), and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV).
Links to Legislation
- Compilation of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) from the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Public Law 115-224)
- Committee Report on the Perkins V Act from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee (PDF, 570 KB)
- Perkins IV Act (PDF, 486 KB)
- Perkins III Act (PDF, 381 KB)
- Perkins II Act - Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990 (PDF, 13.8 MB)
- Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (PDF, 9.3 MB)
- Vocational Education Amendments of 1976 (PDF, 26.3 MB)
- Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 (PDF, 6.2 MB)
- Vocational Education Act of 1963 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 (PDF, 788 KB)
Associated Resources
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CTE Data StoryLink
Related Links
This publication is a compilation of the text of Public Law 88-210. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https:// www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps
- Formula Grants
- Legislation
- Articles and Publications
This video launches a Request for Information (RFI) on expanding work-based learning opportunities for youth across Federal, State, and local education and employer systems.
- National Initiatives
- Work-Based Learning & Apprenticeships
- Learning Modules
- Presentations
An Opportunity to “Rethink CTE”
- National Initiatives
- Presentations
