Perkins Career Tech Ed

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (Perkins Act) is a federal program designed to “develop more fully the academic, vocational and technical skills” of secondary and postsecondary students in preparation for further education and work. Congress passed legislation to reauthorize the Perkins Act in July 2006. Although the administration had proposed that Perkins funding be redirected to a new High School Reform initiative, President Bush signed the bill into law August 12.

The Bush administration has eliminated funding for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act for the past two years, but Congress has continued to support the program with level funding of $1.3 billion. Budget documents released in February 2006 claim that the program is “ineffective” and contributes little to academic achievement or college enrollment.

In 2005, President Bush proposed that Perkins Act funding be redirected to a new High School Reform initiative that would expand certain principles of the No Child Left Behind Act into high-school grades. Although NASSP strongly supports and has led the charge concerning high school reform, the association opposes the use of Perkins funds for these purposes, citing the important relationship between education and the workforce, which provides relevance to academic coursework.