Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
The Workforce Board is designated by the Governor and Legislature to oversee funds received through the federal Carl D. Perkins Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act of 2018 (Perkins V) –a multi-million dollar federal grant that helps educators better prepare students for the workplace through hands-on, career focused teaching and other strategies.
Two CTE students participate in a 2024 SkillsUSA competition at Clover Park Technical College.
Get more information about the Perkins Act and how it helps fund career and technical education in Washington’s public schools and community and technical colleges. Read the most recent Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) for 2022-2023. Learn more about Washington state’s most recent Perkins grant allocation.
Career and technical education (CTE) connects students in an experiential way to what they are learning, whether it’s witnessing the complex chemistry behind the internal combustion engine or writing a detailed quarterly business plan. Academics and job skills, when taught together, can focus a student’s attention on career goals and provide the tools to reach those goals.
Employer demand for students with this blend of academics and job skill training continues to grow especially in high-demand fields such as healthcare and construction.
Return on Investment for students and taxpayers
Workforce Board studies show high school CTE students and professional/technical students in the state’s community and technical colleges pay back the public’s investment in their career-focused education and training by earning more and, therefore, paying more in taxes. For example, in the 2017 study, participants who completed a high school CTE program were expected to earn almost $47,000 more by the time they reach 65 than those who did not participate in CTE. For participants of a professional/technical program at a community or technical college, projected net benefits to age 65 totaled $116,000 in earnings, and $46,000 in employee benefits.
Get more information on these and other workforce programs at Workforce Training Results report.
Washington's Perkins Plan
Learn more about Washington’s Perkins plan.
Perkins Reauthorization
The Perkins Act was reauthorized in July 2018. Learn about the changes here.
Youth Employment Outlook
The Legislature has tasked the Workforce Board to report on the state of youth employment every two years. This report explores the current challenges and opportunities related to youth employment in Washington. The agency’s work on this issue is guided by our vision: Every Washington community is thriving, inclusive, and economically resilient. Learn more.
Career Bridge
Find your pathway with Career Bridge
CareerBridge.wa.gov is an award-winning website created and managed by the Workforce Board, featuring more than 6,500 Washington education programs all in one place. CareerBridge includes detailed program costs and schedules, what graduates earn, how to pay for school and which fields are expanding in the coming years. Learn more!
WAVE scholarship
WAVE is a merit scholarship that honors the achievements of Washington’s top career and technical education (CTE) students. There are up to 147 winners each year — three from each state legislative district.
SkillsUSA Photo Essay
Washington’s top career and technical education students competed in the SkillsUSA competition at Clover Park Technical College in March 2024. See these competitors in action in this photo essay.
More About Perkins and CTE
Washington state and federal career and technical education resources
Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE): This site offers tools, insights, and resources for career and technical education pathways, including state formula grants and discretionary grants.
Policy Resources for Career, Technical, and Adult Education: This site includes laws, regulations, and guidance related to career and technical education, such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Washington OSPI CTE – This page includes information on course and program approval, Carl D. Perkins Act, graduation pathways, programs of study and Career Clusters, resources and essentials and Skills Centers.
Washington OSPI Resources and Essentials – This page offers information about Career Connect Washington, CIP Codes, approved course equivalencies and work-based learning.
CTE Industry Recognized Credentials
The 2025–26 IRC List has been released with 14 NEW IRCs added!
SBCTC CTE Dual Credit – This page includes background information on CTE dual credit as well as programs/course articulations, pathways and programs of study, data collection/reporting, credit transcription and transfer, recruitment and advising, webinar series.
WA-ACTE – this page provides information and resources mostly for CTE teachers. WA-ACTE provides the following for their members:
- Quality professional development
- Advocacy and promotion of career and technical education
- Advancement of policy and legislation
- Networking and communication
- Continuous quality association improvement
WACTA – The primary purpose of the WACTA is to provide general direction to the administrators of the state by conveying current, pertinent, information on, or related to, career and technical education. This page contains information regarding upcoming conferences, best practices and frequently asked questions.
Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board – This page provides resources for districts planning to meet OSPI’s CTE/CIE requirements. However, any teacher, district, college, or community partner interested in forming a high school teacher academy may use all or parts of the resources.
Washington Advance CTE – Advance CTE is the national association of State CTE Directors and related professionals, equipping those leaders with knowledge and inspiration to move education forward. Across the country, their members are creating a way for each learner by expanding access to and succeed in a connected and supportive career preparation ecosystem. This particular page links to Washington specific information and resources. The webpage includes fast facts, concentrator data, enrollment data and Perkins data all related to Washington CTE.
OER Commons – Career and technical education programs in Washington are aligned with rigorous industry and academic standards. Teachers participate in meaningful professional development on curricula and instruction, standards and assessment, and academic integration. This group’s webpage contains resources curated by CTE program specialists at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Perkins V details
To view Perkins V in its entirety go HERE. The new act took effect July 1, 2019.
The Workforce Board’s role includes preparing and adopting a state plan, tracking state-level expenditures, establishing and tracking performance targets and submitting annual reports to the U.S. Department of Education.
For 2022-2023, Washington received approximately $26 million in Perkins funds. This funding is divided among the Workforce Board, the state’s community and technical colleges (State Board for Community and Technical Colleges), and the state’s K-12 system (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction).
CTE video project
Workforce Board awarded grant to promote CTE
The Workforce Board was awarded a $20,000 grant from Advance CTE in 2017 to promote high quality Career and Technical Education to Washington students and their parents. We were the only state to launch a student-driven video project, asking students to shoot their own videos about the value of CTE. Watch videos from the winning teams. Funding helped pay to administer the project, create two sample videos, and a step-by-step toolkit for students.