Passage of the “Strengthening Career & Technical Education for the 21st Century Act” (Perkins V), which reauthorizes federal legislation funding career and technical education (CTE), brings the opportunity to improve the quality and accessibility of CTE for adults with low incomes; English learner adults; out-of-school youth; and adults with barriers to obtaining family-sustaining jobs.

If implemented well, high-quality CTE programs of study that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, in-demand careers can serve as an equity lever and pathway to economic and social mobility. This brief by Mimi Lufkin outlines factors states should consider to advance equity as they embark on the development of their Perkins V state plans.