Perkins V, also known as the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, is a federal law in the United States that governs the funding and administration of career and technical education (CTE) programs. Enacted in 2018, it is the latest reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. The primary goals of Perkins V are to improve the quality of CTE programs, increase access to these programs for all students, and ensure that CTE aligns with the needs of the labor market.
Special populations under Perkins V include:
- Individuals with disabilities – Students with physical or mental impairments substantially limiting one or more major life activities.
- Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults – Students who face financial barriers that impact their educational opportunities.
- Individuals preparing for non-traditional fields – Students entering career fields where their gender is underrepresented.
- Single parents, including single pregnant women – Individuals who are raising children on their own.
- Out-of-workforce individuals – People who are unemployed or underemployed and seeking to reenter the workforce.
- English learners – Students for whom English is not their first language require additional language support.
- Homeless individuals – Students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
- Youth who are in or have aged out of the foster care system – Students who have been in foster care at some point in their lives.
- Youth with a parent who is a member of the armed forces and is on active duty – Students who have a parent serving in the military.