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A centralized hub for North Carolina's Postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) community. This page offers essential resources and guidance to support the effective implementation of Perkins grant programs while providing comprehensive information on funding, best practices, and instructional materials.

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2026-2027 Perkins Handbook

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<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Perkins-Team-Contacts.pdf">Perkins Team Contacts</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/about-us/state-board/state-board-meeting-materials/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2026-27 Initial Allocation State Board Item</a>
Carry Forward Allocation State Board Item
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-27-Timeline-and-Due-Dates.pdf">2026-2027 Timeline and Due Dates</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-27-Local-Plan-and-Budget-Template.xlsm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2026-2027 Local Plan and Budget Template</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Instructions-for-Completing-the-Perkins-Local-Plan-and-Budget.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instructions for Completing the Perkins Local Plan and Budget</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CLNA-Summary-Report-Accessible.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLNA Summary Template (July 2026)</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Split-Time-and-Effort.xlsx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Split Time and Effort Form</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Time-and-Effort-Form-100-percent-CTE.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Semi Annual Certification (100% Perkins-funded) Form</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Time-and-Effort-Form-100-percent-CTE-but-not-all-Perkins.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Semi Annual Certification (Split Time) Form</a>
Mid-Year Summary
End-of-Year Summary

<h3>Regulatory Guidance</h3>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-3096/pdf/COMPS-3096.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perkins V Act</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://octae.ed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OCTAE Perkins Collaborative Resource Network</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/manage-your-grant/education-department-general-administrative-regulations-edgar-and-other-applicable-grant-regulations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDGAR/ Universal Grant Guidance</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.federalregister.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Federal Register</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://bruman.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bruman Group, PLLC</a>
<h3>Specific Guidance</h3>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Allowable-vs-Unallowable.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Allowable vs Unallowable Cost Guidance</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Direct-vs-Indirect.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Direct and Indirect Costs Explanation</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Individual-Student-Support-Request-Form-Template.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Direct Support for Individual Students Form</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Perkisn-Basic-Grant-Eligibility.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perkins Grant Eligibility</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Supplement-vs-Supplant.docx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supplementing vs Supplanting Guidance</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/advisories" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USDOL Employment and Training Guidance Letters (TEGLs)</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/11/2025-12925/clarification-of-federal-public-benefits-under-the-personal-responsibility-and-work-opportunity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Federal Benefits under PRWORA (July 11, 2025)</a>

<h3>Overall Guidance</h3>
Section 134(c) outlines conducting a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) every two years as an eligibility requirement for the Perkins Basics Grant. The CLNA must be assess all Career and Technical Education curriculum Programs of Study at a college to identify and address needs or gaps.
CLNA Due Dates
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CLNA-Summary-Report-Accessible.docx">CLNA Summary Template (July 2026)</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Example-CLNA-Gap-Statements.pdf">Example CLNA Gap Statements</a>

Per Section 134(a), the Local Application must be submitted for a college or consortium to be eligible for Perkins V funding. The Local Application shall cover the same period as the State Plan; currently July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027. All 58 North Carolina Community Colleges have approved Local Applications through June 30, 2027; however, the Local Application may be updated based on the most recent approved CLNA. The Local Application must include at a minimum:
1. A summary of the process of how the CLNA was conducted.
2. How the college, with the local workforce board, workforce agencies, and other partners, will provide a series of career exploration and career guidance activities.
3. How the college will improve the academic and technical skills of students in CTE programs by strengthening the integration of academic and CTE components.
4. How colleges will provide activities to prepare CTE students and those identified as special populations for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations that will lead to self-sufficiency, prepare students for non-traditional fields, provide equal access for special populations to CTE courses, programs, and programs of study, to ensure that members of special populations are not discriminated against on the base of their status as members of special populations.
5. A description of the work-based learning opportunities that the college will provide to students participating in the CTE program and how the recipient will collaborate with employer representatives to develop or expand work-based learning opportunities for CTE students.
6. A description of how the college will provide students participating in CTE with the opportunity to gain postsecondary credit while still attending high school.
7. A description of how the college will work to support the recruitment, preparation, retention, and training including professional development of teachers, faculty, administrators, and specialized instructional support personnel.
8. A plan for continuous improvement that addresses disparities or gaps in student performance between plan years.

The Local Plan and Budget is developed annually to describe both required Perkins V activities and any optional activities supported with Perkins Basic Grant funds or other allowable funding sources. All activities funded with Perkins V must be directly aligned to an identified gap or need documented in the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA).
Completing the Local Plan and Budget Video Tutorial
Local Plan and Budget Modification Video Tutorial
Budget Report from XDBR Video Tutorial
<h3>Career Exploration</h3>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://nccareers.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC Careers</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://nccareers.org/printables-tools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC Career Cluster Guides</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">O*NET Interest Profiler</a>
<h3>Professional Development</h3>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nc-net.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC-NET</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://nactei.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NACTEi</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.ncpn.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCPN</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.acteonline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACTE</a>
<h3>Skill Attainment</h3>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Skill-Attainment-Resources.xlsx">Skill Attainment Resources</a>
<h3>Academic Integration</h3>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://wordpress.nccommunitycolleges.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Academic-Integration-Resources.xlsx">Academic Integration Resources</a>

The North Carolina approved CTE Programs of Study are defined in the <a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/academic-programs/curriculum-standards">NCCCS Curriculum Standards</a>. The Perkins Basic Grant must be used to improve and boost CTE 9–14 Programs of Study. 
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://careertech.org/career-clusters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Career Clusters Information</a>
State HS to CC Articulation Agreement
Creating Local Articulation Agreements
Process to Document and Award Credit
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/credit-for-prior-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC Credit for Prior Learning</a> (CPL)
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/students/enrollment-and-registration/university-transfer/articulation-agreements/comprehensive-articulation-agreement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC CC to UNC system Articulation Agreement</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/businesses/apprenticeships/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apprenticeships NC</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/college-faculty-staff/success-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC Student Success Center</a>

The following professional organizations support CTE programs and faculty with implementing high-quality programming and instruction.
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.ncacte.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education (NCACTE)</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.acteonline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://careertech.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Advance CTE</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://napequity.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Alliance for Partners in Equity (NAPE)</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.ncacte.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina Association of Colleges for Teacher Education</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.ncwbla.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC Work-based Learning Association</a>

Section 135(b)(5)(O) states funds may be used to support student preparation for and participation in technical skills competitions through Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) aligned with curriculum CTE program.
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.ctsos.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Defining CTSO Guidance</a>
CTSO Websites
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://ncdeca.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC DECA</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://ncfblacollegiate.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC FBLA</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="http://www.northcarolinafccla.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC FCCLA</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://ncffa.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC FFA</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://nchosa.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC HOSA</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.skillsusanc.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC SkillsUSA</a>
<a style="color: #0645ad;text-decoration: underline" href="https://www.nctsa.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NC TSA</a>

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