Filling the ESSER Gap with Perkins Funding

Remember the bad old days when COVID was raging? Schools had to figure out how to operate while minimizing the chance an outbreak would occur. Experts debated how to insulate schools, but all were certain it would require increased funding.  

Thankfully, the pandemic has passed, but the funding challenges that K-12 schools face remain. To make up for funding shortages, school districts must consider other outside sources, such as the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Perkins  or Perkins V as it is known is currently the primary federal funding source for high school and postsecondary CTE programs. 

The End of ESSER 

Federal relief for school budgets during the pandemic came from ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief). There were three batches of ESSER funds, with the first (worth $13.5 billion) being part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security or CARES Act, which passed in March 2020. 

ESSER II, which allocated over $54.3 billion towards education, was part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. ESSER III, which arrived later that same year as part of the American Rescue Plan, poured in nearly $122 billion.

Add it up, and you have approximately $190 billion in extra federal dollars for K-12 school districts. 

Three years later, the money spigot is nearly closed. Funds from ESSER I and II have lapsed. Districts are required to obligate funds from ESSER III by September 30, 2024. If districts are granted an extension, the actual expenditure of the funds can occur through the end of December or through March 2026.

The Complex Impact of ESSER Funds 

While they were intended to help schools operate through the pandemic, the guidelines on how to use them were broad and challenging:

• Ensuring schools are safe and operationally viable to keep running after the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic.
• Helping students catch up on the learning loss and social and emotional development loss suffered during lockdowns in an effective and evidence-based manner.

Consider this breakdown of the expenditures: 

• Academic intervention/learning loss: 27.4%
• Staffing: 24.4%
• Facilities and operations: 23.9%
• Technology: 9.7%
• Mental and physical health: 7.2%
• Miscellaneous Financials: 5.6%

Some financial obligations continue even after ESSER funding runs out, which could put districts in a precarious position. How will they make up the difference without disrupting students’ education?

Tapping Other Sources – Perkins Funding 

First, a Little Background

Since 1984, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, or Perkins has been a major source of federal funding for high school and postsecondary CTE programs. The total funds allocated has exceeded $1.4 billion in 2023 and 2024. 

The money is delivered in the form of “… State formula grant funds under Title I (Basic State Grants) to develop more fully the academic knowledge and technical and employability skills of secondary and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs and programs of study.”

Perkins followed earlier federal programs related to CTE. The first federal investment in CTE was the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. The legislation we know today as Perkins originated as the Vocational Education Act of 1963. Perkins (named after Kentucky Rep. Carl Perkins) is periodically updated. 

The latest version of the Perkins Act passed Congress in July 2018 and is known as the Strengthening Career & Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, or Perkins V.

According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, Perkins V, “reauthorizes and updates the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) to ensure career and technical education (CTE) programs meet the demands of the twenty-first-century economy.” The changes are related to accountability, systems alignment, and professional development.

How are Perkins V Funds Distributed?

Perkins funds are distributed via state formula grants known as Perkins Title I grants. They are distributed  “… to States through a formula based on the States’ populations in certain age groups and per capita income.”

There are also National Programs. These funds remain at the federal level and allow the Department of Education to support research and other national priorities that help improve CTE programs. 

According to the National Immigration Forum’s Fact Sheet on the Perkins CTE, “these funds are currently used to support the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education and other activities assisting states with implementing key requirements of the Perkins Act.”

Perkins Funds: How to Access and Use Them

Perkins funds must be used to support CTE. However, there are wrinkles involved.  

States are “…required to distribute not less than 85 percent of its Perkins Title I funds by formula to local education agencies, area career and technical schools, community colleges, and other public or private nonprofit institutions that offer CTE programs.”

Each state outlines its priorities in a separate Perkins state plan and may have additional fiscal guidance available to local recipients. States may supplement federal requirements or add parameters to the list of required and permissive uses of funds in the federal law.  

Some things Perkins funds may be able to be used for include software licenses (wherein Perkins Grant funding can be used to support eLearning platforms), field trips (federal funds might be able to be utilized to fund staff members’ travel to CTE leadership activities), work-based learning programs, career guidance and placement programs and professional development and training for teachers. 

Check out your State’s Perkins Grant application by visiting the state website that oversees career and technical education (for example, the Department of Education or Community College System). Look for the career and technical education section and search for “Perkins Grant application.”

While the winding down of ESSER funds presents a financial challenge, Perkins funding offers a viable alternative for supporting CTE programs. By leveraging Perkins V funds, School districts can continue to enhance career and technical education, ensuring students have the tools and skills needed for the modern workforce. 

Here is information on Perkins funding for some states (click links below):
Arizona
California
Colorado
New York
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Minnesota
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Florida
Washington

Additional information & resources on Perkins funding
Allowable and Unallowable Uses of Perkins Funds
Perkins Allowable and Unallowable Expenditures
Perkins Career and Technical Education Primer
Perkins V FAQs
Perkins V Implementation: Understanding Federal Funding for CTE
Fact Sheet: What is the Perkins CTE
State Formula Grants
Perkins State Plans and Data Explorer

This federal support not only sustains essential programs but also empowers educators to innovate and adapt to changing educational needs. As schools transition from pandemic recovery to long-term planning, the strategic use of Perkins funds can play a crucial role in maintaining high-quality CCR education and preparing students for future success. 

One last note, we all know Perkins V funding availability can vary significantly from state to state. Xello is happy to connect you with other districts in your state who have taken advantage of Perkins V funding and can answer any questions you may have.  

Reach out if you are interested in being connected to discuss funding options and challenges.