Career and Technical Education Five-Year

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 22

POLICY CODE: IHAQ

TO: Superintendents of Schools, Principals, Adult Education Directors and Career and Technical Education Directors

FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner

DATE: September 28, 2007

RE: Career and Technical Education Five-Year Plan: Stakeholder Meeting

As you know, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) was passed by Congress in July 2006 and signed into law on August 12, 2006 (see Informational Letter #44 dated November 9, 2006). This Act builds upon the initiatives and accountability measures of the Perkins III Act. The four main themes of the new act are:

accountability and program improvement;
secondary and postsecondary connections;
rigor and academic links; and
stronger focus on business and industry connections.

The Department will be preparing a five-year plan for the 2009-2013 program years. The plan will align with the goals and objectives of the new Act and with the State’s initiatives with regard to high school redesign.

In preparation for the development of the five-year plan, a stakeholders’ meeting will be convened on October 15, 2007 to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to have input into the planning process. The federal law requires the stakeholder participation in the planning, coordination and collaboration prior to plan submission. Invitations to participate have been sent to representatives of the required stakeholders. If you feel there is a stakeholder group that has not been contacted and should be included on the required list, please let the contacts below know.

There are several changes in allowable expenditures and accountability provisions under Perkins IV. It is the responsibility of the eligible agency (in Maine, it is the State Board of Education) to establish the percentages by which the majority of the funds received under this Act are allocated. The funds are then distributed using the formula required in the Perkins IV Act, and in accordance with the federal law.

There will be opportunities for comment at a public hearing after the plan is written and prior to its finalization. The public hearing date(s) will be published in the State’s major newspapers as required by the APA process.

We look forward to working with you to develop a plan that will move Maine forward in career and technical education.

For further information, you may e-mail either Lora Downing at lora.downing@maine.gov or Meg Harvey at margaret.harvey@maine.gov or you can call them at (207) 624-6730.