Maximizing Access and Success for Special Populations in Career Technical Education

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) focuses on enhancing access and success for nine special populations within Career Technical Education (CTE). These groups are:

  1. Individuals with disabilities 
  2. Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults
  3. Individuals preparing for nontraditional fields
  4. Single parents, including single pregnant women 
  5. Out-of-workforce individuals
  6. English learners 
  7. Homeless individuals 
  8. Youth who are in, or who have aged out of, the foster care system
  9. Youth with a parent who is on active duty in the military

While Perkins V outlines provisions to support these populations, there are also strategies to assist additional groups like:

who may need extra support despite not being explicitly listed in the legislation. 

Perkins V mandates that data on CTE participants and their performance be disaggregated to track the success of these special populations. States are required to use a portion of their Perkins funding to support these groups. Local CTE programs have the flexibility to use funds for professional development, enhancing program quality, and reducing financial barriers for special populations. Perkins V emphasizes the importance of recruiting and retaining these learners through targeted strategies, with ongoing evaluations to ensure the effectiveness of these supports. Future briefs in this series will explore additional strategies for underserved groups and provide further guidance on maximizing access and success in CTE programs.