Dear Colleagues:

Authorization of Perkins V has introduced a new set of accountability indicators to assess program quality. These include the percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school who have: (1) attained a recognized postsecondary credential; (2) earned postsecondary credits through a dual or concurrent enrollment program; and/or (3) participated in work-based learning. These new indicators require that states refine or develop new approaches for collecting data from local education agencies receiving federal funds.

To inform this reporting, the U.S. Department of Education launched the Quality Indicator Project, a nationwide initiative to build states’ capacity to implement the Perkins V quality indicators. Three Quality Indicator Workgroups (QIWs) comprised of state and local-level CTE directors and staff at the secondary and postsecondary levels met between November 2020 and August 2021 to consider effective data collection and analysis protocols, as well as challenges and possible solutions to issues complicating indicator adoption.

Recommendations sourced from QIW members have supported development of the technical assistance materials included in this document.

The new quality indicators will have long-standing ramifications for CTE program design and the use of data for accountability and program improvement purposes at the state and local levels. We hope you will find these resources and tools of use.

Best –

Sharon Lee Miller

Director, Division of Academic and Technical Education