Perkins Resources

This section provides for the specific uses of funds for which a college is authorized to spend its Perkins allocation, and how much must be spent toward each use. Each college that receives Perkins funds shall use the funds to improve career and technical education programs.

Administration

Colleges are not authorized funding for administrative expenses without prior approval from ACCS. As required by the Perkins Act section 135(d), a college may not use more than 5 percent of its sub-grant for administrative expenses. Administrative activities are those activities necessary for the effective and efficient performance of the eligible college’s duties under Perkins, including the supervision of such activities. Any cost that supports the management of the Perkins program is administrative in nature. Examples of allowable administrative costs include, but are not limited to, the salary costs associated with the development of the local application plan. Administrative costs must be tracked separately from program costs. Federal Perkins funds may be used for salaries only if supporting program improvement and have prior approval from ACCS. Colleges must follow 2 CFR Part 200.430 for Compensation-Personal Services (Time and Effort).

Program Activities

In accordance with the Perkins Act of 2006, Section 135, “Local Use of Funds”; these funds made available to eligible colleges under this part shall be used to support career and technical education programs. Colleges must address all required uses of funds before permissible uses. The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) policy is that while a recipient must demonstrate that they are complying with all mandatory uses, the recipient does not have to use federal Perkins funds to satisfy all required uses. See OCTAE Non-Regulatory Guidance, version 1.0, Question D.11 (Jan 9, 07) online at the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network at: http://cte.ed.gov/docs/nonregulatory/answers.pdf.

Required Uses of Funds

Colleges must use Perkins basic grant funds to: 

1. Strengthen the academic and career and technical skills of students participating in career and technical programs, by strengthening the academic and career and technical education components of such programs through the integration of academics with career and technical education programs through a coherent sequence of courses. 
   
• the core academic subjects; and 
• the career and technical education subjects; 
  
  
2. Link career and technical education at the secondary level and career and technical education at the NCCCS level, including by offering the relevant elements of not less than 1 career and technical program of study. 
   
   
3. Provide students with strong experience in and understanding of all aspects of an industry, which may include work-based learning experiences; 
   
   
4. Develop, improve, or expand the use of technology in career and technical education, which may include:
• training of career and technical education teachers, faculty, and administrators to use technology, which may include distance learning. 
• providing career and technical education students with the academic and career and technical skills (including the mathematics and science knowledge that provides a strong basis for such skills) that lead to entry into the technology fields; or provides a strong basis for such skills) that lead to entry into the technology fields; or 
• encouraging schools to collaborate with technology industries to offer voluntary internships and mentoring programs, including programs that improve the mathematics and science knowledge of students; 
  
  
5. Provide professional development programs for secondary and NCCCS teachers, faculty, administrators, and career guidance and academic counselors who are involved in integrated career and technical education programs, including: 
• in-service and preservice training on: 
• effective integration and use of challenging academic and career and technical education provided jointly with academic teachers to the extent practicable; 
• effective teaching skills based on research that includes promising practices; 
• effective practices to improve parental and community involvement; and 
• effective use of scientifically based research and data to improve instruction; 
• support of education programs for teachers of career and technical education in public schools and other public school personnel who are involved in the direct delivery of educational services to career and technical education students, to ensure that such teachers and personnel stay current with all aspects of an industry; 
• internship programs that provide relevant business experience;  
• programs designed to train teachers specifically in the effective use and application of technology to improve instruction; 
  
  
6. Develop and implement evaluations of career and technical education programs carried out with funds under this title, including an assessment of how the needs of special populations are being met; 
   
   
7. Initiate, improve, expand, and modernize quality career and technical education programs, including relevant technology; 
   
   
8. Provide services and activities that are of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective; and 
   
   
9. Provide activities to prepare special populations, including single parents and displaced homemakers who are enrolled in career and technical education programs for high skill, high wage, or high demand occupations that will lead to self-sufficiency.
   

Permissive - Colleges may use Perkins basic grant funds: 

1. To involve parents, businesses, and labor organizations as appropriate, in the design, implementation, and evaluation of career and technical education programs authorized under this title, including establishing effective programs and procedures to enable informed and effective participation in such programs; 
   
   
2. To provide career guidance and academic counseling, which may include information for students participating in career and technical education programs, that— (a) improves graduation rates and provides information on NCCCS and career options, including baccalaureate degree programs, for secondary students, which activities may include the use of graduation and career plans; and (b) provides assistance for NCCCS students, including for adult students who are changing careers or updating skills; 
   
   
3. For local education and business (including small business) partnerships, including for—
   • work-related experiences for students, such as internships, cooperative education, to career and technical education programs;
   • adjunct faculty arrangements for qualified industry professionals; and 
   • industry experience for teachers and faculty;
   
   
4. To provide programs for special populations;
   
   
5. To assist career and technical student organizations; 
   
   
6. For mentoring and support services; 
   
   
7. For leasing, purchasing, upgrading or adapting equipment, including instructional aids and publications (including support for library resources) designed to strengthen and support academic and technical skills achievement; 
   
   
8. for teacher preparation programs that address the integration of academic and career and technical education and that assist individuals who are interested in becoming career and technical education teachers and faculty, including individuals with experience in business and industry; 
   
   
9. To develop and expand NCCCS program offerings at times and in formats that are accessible for students, including working students, including through the use of distance education; 
   
   
10. To develop initiatives that facilitate the transition of subbaccalaureate career and technical education students into baccalaureate degree programs, including:
    • articulation agreements between sub-baccalaureate degree granting career and technical education NCCCS educational institutions and baccalaureate degree granting NCCCS educational institutions;
    • NCCCS dual and concurrent enrollment programs;
    • academic and financial aid counseling for sub-baccalaureate career and technical education students that informs the students of the opportunities for pursuing a baccalaureate degree and advises the students on how to meet any transfer requirements; and
    • other initiatives: 
    • to encourage the pursuit of a baccalaureate degree; and 
    • to overcome barriers to enrollment in completion of baccalaureate degree programs, including geographic and other barriers affecting rural students and special populations; 
      
      
11. To provide activities to support entrepreneurship education and training; 
    
    
12. For improving or developing new career and technical education courses, including the development of new proposed career and technical programs of study for consideration by the eligible agency and courses that prepare individuals academically and technically for high skill, high wage, or high demand occupations and dual or concurrent enrollment opportunities by which career and technical education students at the secondary level could obtain NCCCS credit to count towards an associate or baccalaureate degree;
    
 

13. To develop and support small, personalized career-themed learning communities; 
    
    
14. To provide support for family and consumer science programs; 
    
    
15. To provide career and technical education programs for adults and school dropouts to complete the secondary school education, or upgrade the technical skills, of the adults and school dropouts; 
    
    
16. To provide assistance to individuals who have participated in services and activities under this Act in continuing their education or training or finding an appropriate job, such as through referral to the system established under section 121 of Public Law 105-220 (29 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.); 
    
    
17. To support training and activities (such as mentoring and outreach) in non-traditional fields; 
    
    
18. To provide support for training programs in automotive technologies; 
    
    
19. To pool a portion of such funds with a portion of funds available to not less than 1 other eligible recipient for innovative initiatives, which may include:
• improving the initial preparation and professional development of career and technical education teachers, faculty, administrators, and counselors;
• establishing, enhancing, or supporting systems for:
• accountability data collection under this Act; or ii. reporting data under this Act;
• implementing career and technical programs of study described in section 122(c)(1)(A); or
• implementing technical assessments; and 
• To support other career and technical education activities that are consistent with the purpose of this Act.

Additional NCCCS Requirements

In addition to the statutory requirements outlined above, NCCCS has additional requirements that colleges must adhere to, as follows:

1. If a college did not meet 90 percent of the agreed upon performance levels for a performance indicator, the college must indicate in their Perkins budget how funds will be used to correct the performance in that category. NOTE: Colleges may use college funding sources in lieu of Perkins funds or combine Perkins funding with other college funding to address deficiencies, so long as the combination of funds do not violate federal, state, NCCCS funding rules.
   
   
2. As Perkins funds are intended to be used for the improvement of CTE programs, generally, a college should not use Perkins funds on the same activity for more than three years.
   
   
3. No more than 10% per fiscal year of Federal Perkins funds may be used for salaries by colleges for instructors for the first two years of starting a new CTE program. NOTE: Prior approval must be obtained from ACCS for salaries. When the new program begins its third year, it is considered established and therefore self-sustaining. Time and effort records must be maintained and copies forwarded with the monthly request for reimbursement. (Ref: CFR 200.430)