Carl D. Perkins Basic Grant


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The Perkins Basic Grant, as outlined in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 and the Texas State Plan for Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), is a federal grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education that is committed to providing support for Workforce/Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, improving the academic and technical achievement of CTE students, strengthening the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improving accountability. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) serves as the pass-through agency of these federal funds. Perkins funding helps to advance the following three measurable, data-driven goals of the THECB'S Building a Talent Strong Texas: a strategic plan for higher education:

1. Attainment of Postsecondary Credentials

Building a Talent Strong Texas expands attainment to include all working-age Texans. In doing so, we can increase employment opportunities and income for individuals, create a deeper talent pool for employers, and align students' skills with workforce demands.

TARGETS

  • 60% of Texans ages 25-64 will receive a degree, certificate, or other postsecondary credential of value by 2030. Whereas 60x30TX focused on 25-34-year olds, we are expanding our commitment to serve all working-age Texans.

2. Postsecondary Credentials of Value

Credentials from Texas institutions of higher education must propel graduates into lasting, successful careers. These careers must equip them for continued learning and greater earning potential, with low or manageable debt.

TARGETS

  • 550,000 students will complete postsecondary credentials of value each year.
  • 95% of students will graduate with no undergraduate student debt or manageable levels of debt in relation to their potential earnings.

3. Research, Development, and Innovation

Texas must be a leading state in generating knowledge through basic and applied research, and translating that research to innovations, discoveries, and economic development. This requires close partnership among key stakeholders to drive Texas' economy.

TARGETS

  • $1 billion in annual private and federal research and development expenditures by 2030.
  • 7,500 research doctorates awarded annually by Texas institutions of higher education.

Perkins at McLennan Community College

All grant activity is guided by the annual Request for Application (RFA), provided each year by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Perkins funds at McLennan Community College support the goals of the THECB and Perkins Act by providing approved equipment items, supplies, professional development, travel, and special populations support to Workforce/CTE programs and students, following the guidance in the RFA. Funds are allocated in an effort to supplement, not supplant, non-federal funds for CTE activities. Annual funding for each CTE program is determined by the College's Deans based upon needs identified through various data points, including, in particular, the impact upon special populations.

Contact

Tom Proctor
Project Director, Perkins Basic Grant
Director, Program Review, Planning & Assessment
254-299-8619
tproctor@mclennan.edu

Matthew Porter
Senior Institutional Effectiveness Analyst
254-299-8459
mporter@mclennan.edu