The Complete Perkins V Application Toolkit

What Is Perkins V?

Perkins V — formally the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act — is the primary federal investment in career and technical education. Signed into law in July 2018, it provides approximately $1.4 billion annually to support CTE programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Perkins V funds flow from Congress through state education agencies and then to eligible local recipients — districts, consortia, and postsecondary institutions — who apply for funds based on a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment.

Perkins V represents a significant shift from prior CTE legislation, placing greater emphasis on program quality, equity of access for special populations, labor market alignment, and evidence-based improvement strategies. In 2026, "Quality" under Perkins V Section 134 is increasingly defined by third-party validation — federal auditors and state agencies are looking for Credentials of Value, not just participation numbers.

How Does Perkins V Funding Work?

Perkins V funds flow through a specific distribution chain:

Districts must receive at least $15,000 in Perkins funding to receive a direct allocation. Smaller districts typically form consortia to meet this threshold. Perkins funds must supplement — not supplant — existing local and state investment in CTE. Funds made available under Perkins V should not supplant local or state funds; Perkins V funds are to be used to improve approved career and technical education programs. Nysed

What Are the Key Requirements of Perkins V?

Perkins V has four core requirements that every eligible recipient must meet:

Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA): To receive Perkins V funds, an eligible school division must conduct a CLNA related to career and technical education and update the CLNA not less than once every two years. The CLNA examines the CTE ecosystem across multiple dimensions including student performance, labor market alignment, program quality, and equity. The same Theory of Action and corresponding Action Steps tied to a completed CLNA may be used for Perkins applications in consecutive years. Virginia Department of Education

Local Application: Based on CLNA findings, districts submit an annual application describing how Perkins funds will address identified needs. Every budget line item must trace back to a specific CLNA finding.

Size, Scope, and Quality (SSQ): Programs must meet state-defined criteria for being large enough, comprehensive enough, and high-quality enough to receive funding. SSQ is measured by documentation showing a program meets criteria to be High Skill, High Wage, and In Demand in their region.

Maintenance of Effort: States and locals must maintain their own investment in CTE. Federal Perkins funds supplement existing funding; they do not replace it.

What Is a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA)?

A Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) is the foundation of the Perkins V application. It is a structured, data-driven review of a district's entire CTE ecosystem required at least every two years. The CLNA drives local application development and all Perkins spending decisions. The CLNA is designed to drive local application development and future spending decisions. It is an opportunity to review your entire Career and Technical Education program with an in-depth lens, identify areas where targeted improvements should be made, and engage stakeholders in a common understanding and vision for the future of CTE in your community. Perkins V funding should not be spent outside of the needs identified during the CLNA. Utah

The Five Required CLNA Elements

Element 1 — Student Performance Data Review

Required: Analyze CTE concentrator performance on each of the Perkins V performance indicators.

Data to collect: 4-year graduation rate for CTE concentrators vs. all students; academic proficiency in reading/language arts and mathematics; postsecondary placement rates (employment, military, continuing education); nontraditional program enrollment and completion; program quality indicators including work-based learning participation and recognized credential attainment.

Sample language: "Analysis of [District Name]'s CTE concentrator data reveals the following trends: Our 4-year graduation rate for CTE concentrators exceeds our overall graduation rate by [X] percentage points. Academic proficiency rates in mathematics are [above/below] state targets, indicating a need for [stronger integration of technical and academic content / continued emphasis on applied math]. Credential attainment rates have [increased/decreased] from [X]% to [X]% over the past two years, with identified gaps in [specific pathway] that require attention."

Element 2 — Labor Market Alignment

Required: Describe alignment of CTE programs with state, regional, and local labor market needs.

Approved data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, state labor market information (LMI) websites, regional workforce development board reports, and employer input from advisory boards and surveys.

Sample language: "Labor market analysis indicates strong demand in our region for [Healthcare/IT/Manufacturing] occupations, with projected growth of [X]% over the next decade. Current program offerings in [pathways] align well with these needs. However, we have identified gaps in [emerging occupation/industry] where employer demand exceeds our current program capacity. Advisory board feedback confirms these findings, with [X]% of employer partners reporting difficulty filling positions in [specific roles]."

Element 3 — Program Size, Scope, and Quality

Required: Evaluate whether programs meet state-defined criteria for size, scope, and quality.

Sample language: "[District] offers [X] CTE programs of study across [X] career clusters. Of these, [X] programs meet all state criteria for size, scope, and quality. Programs in [pathways] demonstrate strong enrollment, clear course sequences, and industry credential opportunities. [Number] programs require improvement in [specific area] to meet quality standards."

Element 4 — Progress Toward Improving Equity

Required: Review progress toward improving access and equity for special populations as defined by Perkins V.

Special populations under Perkins V include: individuals with disabilities; individuals from economically disadvantaged families; individuals preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents; out-of-workforce individuals; English learners; homeless individuals; youth in or aged out of foster care; and youth with a parent in active military duty.

Sample language: "Disaggregated data reveals performance gaps for [specific populations]. Students with disabilities have a graduation rate of [X]% compared to [X]% for all CTE concentrators. We have implemented [specific strategies] to address these gaps, including [accommodations, support services, targeted interventions]. Nontraditional enrollment in [pathway] has increased from [X]% to [X]% following our outreach efforts."

Element 5 — Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Training

Required: Describe strategies for recruiting, retaining, and training CTE professionals.

Sample language: "[District] faces challenges in recruiting qualified CTE instructors, particularly in [high-need areas]. Current vacancies exist in [programs]. Retention efforts include [mentorship programs, professional development opportunities, competitive compensation strategies]. Professional development priorities for the coming year include [specific training needs identified through teacher input and program evaluation]."

Perkins V Application Timeline

Note: Timelines vary by state. Check with your state CTE office for specific deadlines. This template assumes a July 1 fiscal year start.

What Can Perkins V Funds Be Used For?

Perkins V provides flexibility in how funds are used, but all expenditures must address needs identified in the CLNA and align with the approved local application.

Budget Worksheet Template

Perkins V Performance Indicators: What CTE Directors Must Track

Perkins V establishes core indicators of performance that states and locals must track and report annually. Understanding these indicators is essential for both compliance and program improvement.

What Are the Most Common Perkins V Application Mistakes?

Mistake 1: Treating the CLNA as a Compliance Exercise

The problem: Completing the CLNA at the last minute with minimal stakeholder input, then filing it away. The fix: Use the CLNA as a genuine strategic planning tool. Engage stakeholders meaningfully, analyze data thoroughly, and let the findings drive application and programming decisions.

Mistake 2: Budget Disconnected from CLNA Needs

The problem: Allocating Perkins funds the same way every year without connecting expenditures to identified needs. The fix: Every budget line item should trace back to a specific CLNA finding. Document this connection explicitly in the application.

Mistake 3: Inadequate Stakeholder Engagement

The problem: Consulting the same small group of people or conducting stakeholder engagement as a checkbox activity. The fix: Include diverse voices — employers, postsecondary partners, students, parents, community organizations, and special population representatives. Document their input and show how it influenced the plan.

Mistake 4: Ignoring Performance Gaps

The problem: Not disaggregating data or failing to address gaps when identified. The fix: Analyze performance by student subgroup. When gaps exist, develop specific, measurable strategies to address them and show year-over-year progress.

Mistake 5: Supplanting Instead of Supplementing

The problem: Using Perkins funds to pay for things that should be covered by general operating budgets. The fix: Perkins funds must supplement, not supplant. Use them for enhancements, innovations, and improvements — not basic operating costs that would exist regardless of Perkins funding.

Mistake 6: Waiting Until the Deadline

The problem: Rushing to complete the application at the last minute, resulting in errors and weak justifications. The fix: Use the timeline above. Start early, build in review time, and submit with confidence.

How Pathful Supports Perkins V Goals

Pathful is the Career Readiness & Development Company. Pathful's Career Readiness & Development platform connects K–12 students with 45,000+ professionals across 5,000+ companies through virtual job shadows, live industry sessions, skills assessments, and work-based learning management tools — serving millions of students and adult learners across thousands of schools and districts nationwide.

Pathful's platform directly supports multiple Perkins V allowable use categories and performance indicators. Career exploration tools support indicator alignment for postsecondary placement (3S1). WBL management supports program quality indicators (5S1/5S2). The platform's four-phase Career Readiness & Development framework — Awareness, Exploration, Preparation, and Placement — maps to the progression Perkins V expects from high-quality CTE programs.

Districts using Pathful to support Perkins V goals include Sarasota County Schools (FL), Seattle Public Schools (WA), Broken Arrow Public Schools (OK), Metro Nashville Public Schools (TN), and statewide partnerships in Nevada, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Frequently Asked Questions: Perkins V Application

Q: What is the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) and how often is it required?A: The CLNA is a required, data-driven review of a district's entire CTE ecosystem that must be completed at least once every two years. It examines student performance, labor market alignment, program size and quality, equity for special populations, and educator recruitment and training. All Perkins V spending must connect to needs identified in the CLNA.

Q: What is the minimum Perkins V allocation a district can receive directly?A: Districts must receive at least $15,000 in Perkins V funding to qualify for a direct allocation. Districts below this threshold typically form consortia with neighboring districts to meet the minimum and access funding collaboratively.

Q: Can Perkins V funds be used to purchase career exploration software or platforms?A: Yes. Career exploration platforms, career assessment tools, career counseling resources, and middle school outreach materials are all listed as allowable expenditures under the Career Exploration and Guidance category — provided the expenditure addresses a need identified in the district's CLNA.

Q: What is the difference between "supplementing" and "supplanting" under Perkins V?A: Supplanting means using federal Perkins funds to replace existing local or state funding for activities the district would have funded anyway. Supplementing means using Perkins funds to add new capabilities, improve existing programs, or address gaps identified in the CLNA — beyond what the district's own budget already covers. Supplanting is prohibited; supplementing is the intent of the law.

Q: What are the Perkins V special populations and why do they matter for the CLNA?A: Perkins V defines special populations as individuals with disabilities; individuals from economically disadvantaged families; individuals preparing for nontraditional fields; single parents; out-of-workforce individuals; English learners; homeless individuals; youth in or aged out of foster care; and youth with a parent in active military duty. The CLNA must include a review of each special population's performance data and describe strategies for improving their access and outcomes in CTE programs.

Additional Resources

• U.S. Department of Education — Perkins V Overview
• Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)
• Advance CTE — State CTE Director Resources
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook

Sources

• Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) — ed.gov
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook — bls.gov/ooh
• Perkins V 2026–2027 Application Guidance — NYSED
• Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment Guidebook — Utah State Board of Education

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