Are you an educator? Do you have difficulty obtaining funds for your teaching and educational needs? The Perkins fund is an excellent solution. Learn how to receive additional funding for your classroom.
What Is The Perkins Fund?The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) purpose “is to provide individuals with the academic and technical skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-and skills-based economy. Perkins funding supports career and technical education that prepares its students both for post-secondary education and the careers of their choice (acteonline.org).”
Approximately $1.3 billion is allocated annually to support and maintain career and technical programs. The goal is to ensure that programs are not only rigorous, but also up-to-date with current business and industry standards. The funds pay for teachers’ salaries, operating expenses, career and technical education infrastructure, and innovation and program improvement.
Who Receives Perkins Funding?Perkins Basic State Grant funds are provided to states, which then allocate funds by formula to secondary school districts and postsecondary institutions. Grants are then distributed for different purposes including leadership/administrative activities and technology programs.
What Types of Activities Do They Support?Perkins funds can be used for a variety of purposes, ranging from professional growth to the development of new curriculum. It can be used to purchase eLearning software for example, SolidProfessor, and much more.
According to acteonline.org state and local funds generally are to be used for the following types of activities:
- Serving as a catalyst for change by driving program improvement
- Developing a strong accountability system that ensures quality and results
- Strengthening the integration of academic and career and technical education
- Ensuring access to career and technical education for special populations, including students with disabilities
- Developing and improving curricula
- Purchasing equipment to ensure that the classrooms have the latest technology
- Providing career guidance and academic counseling services
- Providing professional development and technical assistance for teachers, counselors and administrators
- Supporting career and technical education student organizations
Here are a few other examples of what others have done with their Perkins Funding:
- Tennessee: Implement new marketing program at FUSION Academy in Blackman High School that helps student’s transition from secondary to post-secondary school
- Maine: Provide teachers with professional development in literacy and mathematics within the Career and Technical Education context
- Maryland: Incentivize the state’s s community colleges to support career programs
How Do I Apply?
To apply for grants, educators can create an account through the Perkins Grant Management System. Claims are completed quarterly and here is a calendar of important deadlines you should be aware of:
|
Due Date |
Form / System |
Name of Application, Claim or Report |
|
July 31 |
Quarterly Claim for fourth quarter April 1 through June 30 and funds not previously claimed | |
|
October 15 |
CDE 20 |
Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROC/P) and Adult Education Submission of Economically Disadvantaged Adult Enrollment Report to Establish Eligibility for the Section 132 Funds |
|
October 15 (Data System opens July 1 and closes Oct. 15) |
CDE 101 E1 – Career Technical Education Enrollment and Program Completion Report | |
|
October 31 |
Quarterly Claim for first quarter July 1 through September 30 | |
|
January 31 (Mandatory) |
Mandatory Quarterly Claim for second quarter October 1 through December 31 | |
|
March 15 |
CDE 21 |
ROC/P and Adult Education Submission of Report on Fall-Term Enrollment in Career and Technical Education Courses |
|
March 15 (Data System opens Jan. 1 and closes March 15) |
CDE 101 E2 – Placement Report on the Career Technical Education Program Completers | |
|
April 30 |
Quarterly Claim for third quarter January 1 through March 31 | |
|
May 1 |
Annual Application for Funds |
As evident, the Perkins Fund has the ability to support and create opportunities for educators and students. The process is quiet simple, click here to apply via the Perkins Grant Management System.
ABOUT SOLIDPROFESSOR: SolidProfessor specializes in creating highly technical content, specifically multimedia learning resources for software applications used in engineering and design. Over the past decade, SolidProfessor has pursued its passion for learning by developing thousands of hours of online multimedia resources for its members. Sign up for free here!
