The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV; P.L. 109-270) was intended to develop the academic and career and technical skills of secondary and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education (CTE) programs, particularly programs that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations in current or emerging professions. Two goals of the Act were to strengthen the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improve state and local accountability.
The 2013 legislature established a task force to examine issues related to better aligning secondary and postsecondary education and make recommendations to invigorate secondary CTE, build, improve, and sustain secondary/postsecondary connections, and make career pathways the central mechanism by which students plan, develop, and implement their education goals.
The Task Force held eight meetings beginning on August 12, 2013. Recommendations were finalized and adopted at the final meeting on February 10, 2014. The Task Force was set to expire the day after it reported to the legislature, or February 15, 2014, whichever was earlier.