What This Grant Funds

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) provides annual federal formula funding to every Virginia school division that offers CTE programs. Money flows from the U.S. Department of Education through VDOE and into local division budgets based on enrollment and other formula factors. Divisions use Perkins V local funds for equipment, curriculum, professional development, and program improvement in approved CTE pathways. Equipment purchases that modernize CTE labs -- including coding tools, robotics, and engineering design systems -- are one of the most common uses. The local plan, filed by your CTE director with VDOE each spring, determines what gets purchased.

Who Can Apply

Virginia school divisions and regional CTE centers that have filed an approved local plan with VDOE are eligible to receive and spend Perkins V local funds. The Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) is required every two years and drives what the local plan can include. There is no competitive application -- funds are allocated by formula. The CTE director at your division is the right contact; they are responsible for the local plan and determine which equipment purchases are included.

How to Apply

There is no grant application. Perkins V funds arrive automatically each year based on your division's formula allocation. To access the funds for specific equipment purchases, your division CTE director must include those purchases in the annual local plan submitted to VDOE. Local plans for the 2026-27 cycle were due April 30, 2026. Talk to your division CTE director in January or February to get STEM kit purchases into the plan before the submission deadline.

Funding Amount

Perkins V local allocations vary by division based on a formula that considers enrollment, poverty levels, and prior year data. Larger divisions may receive hundreds of thousands of dollars annually; smaller divisions receive less. There is no matching requirement for most uses, though the division must demonstrate that funds support approved CTE program areas. VDOE publishes annual allocation tables so divisions can see what they are slated to receive for the coming year.

How Forward Education Products Qualify

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for Perkins V Local Funds in Virginia?

All Virginia school divisions and regional CTE centers with approved local plans filed with VDOE are eligible. The CTE director manages access to these funds. Individual teachers cannot apply directly.

How much funding is available through Perkins V Local Funds?

Allocations vary by division and are calculated by formula based on enrollment and other factors. VDOE publishes annual allocation tables. There is no competitive cap -- every eligible division receives its formula share.

Can Perkins V Local Funds be used for STEM and coding tools?

Yes. Equipment purchases that modernize approved CTE program areas are explicitly allowable under Perkins V. Coding kits, robotics platforms, and engineering STEM tools are eligible if they align to an approved CTE pathway in the division's local plan.

How do Virginia schools access Perkins V Local Funds?

Talk to your division CTE director in January or February each year. Local plans for the following school year are due to VDOE in late April. If STEM equipment is included in the plan and approved, the division can purchase it using Perkins V local funds.

How can Forward Education help with Perkins V Local Funds?

Forward Education provides curriculum alignment documents, official pricing letters for grant budgets, and letters of support for Virginia schools. Our STEM kits are purpose-built to meet the learning outcomes Perkins V Local Funds support. Contact us before submitting your application.