Perkins in 5th grade
Under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), federal funds can now be used for students as young as fifth grade.
This represents a significant change from the previous version of the law (Perkins IV), which generally limited funding to students in the "middle grades" (defined as starting in seventh grade) and above.
Key Details on Grade-Level Usage
State Flexibility: While federal law allows funding to start in the 5th grade, individual states have the flexibility to decide exactly which grade levels they will support within their own plans.
Adoption Rates: Approximately 90% of states formally allow Perkins V funds to support middle grades (typically grades 5-8) for career exploration and technical education initiatives.
Common Grade Ranges: About half of all states (49%) specifically report allowing the use of these funds starting in grade 5.
Focus Areas: For these lower grade levels, funds are primarily used for career exploration and introducing students to various career pathways before they reach high school.
The primary national clearinghouse for this information is the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN), managed by the U.S. Department of Education.
You can use their Perkins State Plans and Data Explorer to access the specific plans for every state and territory.
