Perkins V, the first reauthorization of the Federal CTE statute in more than a decade, thus offers states a new opportunity to rethink and redefine their CTE programs, in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders. In particular, state education agencies (SEAs), other state agencies that administer CTE programs, and their partners can take a serious look at whether their current CTE programs are effective, at whether they are preparing students for the jobs that are available in the state (and will be available in the coming years), and at what level of performance the state should require from CTE programs administered by local educational agencies (LEAs), community colleges, and other providers.
Perkins V will go into effect in school year 2019-2020. In the meantime, in the winter and spring of 2019, states will develop either a five-year state plan or a one-year transitional plan, with the latter to be followed up with four-year plan a year later. (Under either option, the state will need to submit certain additional or revised information in 2020 and in subsequent years.) The law calls for extensive stakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of states’ plans.
- First, states must hold public hearings, after appropriate and sufficient notice, that give all segments of the public, and interested organizations and groups the opportunity to present their views and make recommendations on the plan. The state must include those recommendations, and its responses to them, in the actual plan.
- Second, the law requires that the state develop its plan in consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders, such as representatives of secondary and postsecondary CTE, community organizations, representatives of special populations, and the business community.
- Third, the state must consult with a wide range of stakeholders in developing its “state-determined levels of performance,” the specific performance levels, under each of the state’s performance measures, that local recipients of Perkins funds will be expected to meet. Further, at least 60 days before submitting its plan to the U.S. Department of Education (USED), the state must provide those stakeholders the opportunity to comment on those levels of performance, and the state plan must include a written response to those comments in its plan.
- Fourth, the state must make its draft plan publicly available (by electronic means and in an easily accessible format) at least 30 days prior to submission to USED and must take into account public comments generated through that process in its final plan.
- Additional provisions of the Act call for continued stakeholder consultation in ongoing implementation of the plan.
The Perkins V planning and implementation process is thus an important opportunity for SEAs not only to connect with current education advocates, but to seek out those who feel disconnected or who have not been historically engaged in a public education dialogue.
This guide contains specific strategies on how best to connect with, speak to and learn from stakeholders with a unique perspective. This tool builds on CCSSO’s publication Let's Get This Conversation Started: Strategies, Tools, Examples and Resources to Help States Engage with Stakeholders to Develop and Implement their ESSA Plans and provides:
- Detailed guidance on stakeholder engagement strategies;
- State examples of potential strategies;
- Stakeholder-specific tactics;
- Planning templates and tools;
- A breakdown of stakeholders with whom states are required to engage under different provisions of Perkins V; and
- Lists of additional stakeholder engagement resources.
