The Federal Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (Perkins III/VTEA) provides funds to postsecondary institutions, preparing students to be more competitive in the world economy. These funds improve the academic performance of students, especially special population students, who are enrolled in career and technical education programs. Funds are used to provide the supplementary services that students may need to succeed in career and technical programs through Basic Grants and Tech Prep Grants. Basic Grant funding includes the initiative to improve gender participation and completion in nontraditional programs that prepare individuals for underrepresented occupations.

• Postsecondary Basic Grants

• Tech Prep Grants

Postsecondary Basic Grants

Purpose:

… to develop more fully the academic, career and technical skills of postsecondary students who elect to enroll in vocational and technical programs, by challenging institutions to improve programs designed to prepare individuals to work in a technologically advanced society and by offering funding to achieve this goal.

Eligibility:

Postsecondary institutions that offer at least five career education programs and have a sufficient proportion of the statewide economically disadvantaged postsecondary career and technical education students enrolled to generate a minimum of $50,000 in formula funding.

Activities:

There are eight mandated activities. Under Section 135 (b) of Perkins III,  postsecondary institutions shall use Basic Grant funds to support one or more of the following activities:

• Strengthen the academic, vocational and technical skills of students
• Provide students with strong experience in and understanding of all aspects of an industry
• Develop, improve or expand the use of technology in career and technical education
• Provide professional development programs to teachers, counselors, and administrators
• Develop and implement evaluations of career education programs
• Initiate, improve, expand, modernize quality career and technical education programs
• Provide services and activities that are of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be effective
• Link secondary career education and postsecondary career and technical education

Allowable Services and Programs:

Types of allowable services and programming include:

• Counseling and Resource Centers
• Assessment Services
• Expanded Programming and Supplemental Instruction
• Staff Development
• Instructional Equipment and Supplies

Please refer to the guidelines for a complete listing.

Workforce Partnership:

As required by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act and the Workforce Investment Act, all Perkins postsecondary eligible agencies are partners in the designated Local Workforce Investment Areas across New York State. Perkins partners must enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), discussing their support of the One-Stop delivery system within the Local Workforce Investment Area.

LEADERSHIP AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

As part of the assurance that postsecondary students receive high quality career and technical education programs, and to ensure that postsecondary educators are appropriately prepared to deliver these high quality programs, the New York State Education department focuses its efforts on continuing the Project for  Nontraditional   Employment and Training, which is supported with State Leadership funds. 

STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY

Perkins core performance indicators focus on improving student academic and workforce success.  Data collected across diverse special population categories assist postsecondary educators to identify and to target student performance needs.  As data is reported under the Perkins performance categories, a better picture of student attainment is realized.  State and local grant administrators can direct the application of Perkins funds into efforts that are more likely to improve the performance of targeted students.  State guidelines, which are distributed to local postsecondary institutions, emphasize the importance of directing funds to achieve both short-term and long-term student performance.

Annual review of actual student performance data addresses the continuing need for both improved data quality and the realignment of the State’s performance goals.  This approach is of particular importance as State and local postsecondary education partners begin to align Perkins performance measures with the Federal No Child Left Behind www.ed.gov/nclb legislation.

Purpose:

…. to prepare students for careers in today’s high tech economy.

Eligibility:

Postsecondary institutions must form consortia with at least one secondary school and a BOCES and work with employers in business and industry to form programs for students of at least two years in length at the secondary level followed by either two years of higher education or an apprenticeship program of at least two years.

Currently Funded Programs:

There are currently thirty-three programs funded for $200,000. Applications for funding are due in the spring of each year. A bidders conference is held for those institutions desiring to apply for planning grants only.

More Information:

For further information concerning the definition of Tech Prep students, abstracts of current projects, the Tech Prep law, and other resources please refer to www.emsc.nysed.gov/workforce/techprep/tech.html