On July 31, 2018, the President signed into law the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (“Perkins V”), which reauthorized the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Under the Perkins CTE Program, states, secondary school districts, area career and technical schools, and post-secondary institutions receive funds to operate CTE programs. These programs offer students the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience necessary to compete for well-paying, in-demand jobs in fields such as health care, agriculture, and technology. Perkins V went into effect on July 1, 2019.
Perkins V contains new provisions to help young people experiencing homelessness access and succeed in CTE programs, including designating individuals experiencing homelessness, as defined by the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act, as one of nine special populations. These new provisions center on the addressing the needs of special populations in the areas of state and local plans, funding, and evaluation and accountability.