DRAFT—for discussion only
Perkins IV
State Plan Resource:
Articulation, Alignment & Integration
Articulation – Perkins IV identifies articulation as a formal agreement between agencies
that spells out conditions for transfer of credit.
The term `articulation agreement' means a written commitment that is agreed upon at the State level or approved
annually by the lead administrators of a secondary institution and a postsecondary educational institution; or a sub
baccalaureate degree granting postsecondary educational institution and a baccalaureate degree granting postsecondary
educational institution; and to a program that is designed to provide students with a nonduplicative sequence of
progressive achievement leading to technical skill proficiency, a credential, a certificate, or a degree.
Source:
Perkins Act of 2006
Alignment – Perkins IV requires alignment between instruction, curriculum, and
assessments.
Alignment of standards and instruction
The term `career and technical education' means organized educational activities that offer a sequence of courses that
provides individuals with coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant
technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current or emerging professions.
Alignment between secondary and postsecondary
Programs of study for career and technical content areas include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging
academic standards and relevant career and technical content in a coordinated, nonduplicative progression of courses
that align secondary education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare students to succeed in
postsecondary education.
Alignment between standards and assessments
Each eligible agency shall identify in the State plan core indicators of performance for career and technical education
students at the secondary level that are valid and reliable, and that include, at a minimum, measures of each of the
student attainment of career and technical skill proficiencies, including student achievement on technical assessments,
that are aligned with industry-recognized standards, if available and appropriate.
Source:
Perkins Act of 2006
KEY ASSUMPTIONS OF AN ALIGNED EDUCATION ENTERPRISE
 Core set of knowledge and skills representing a continuum of proficiency for post secondary education and work
force preparation.
 Clarity and transparency of learning systems and student options and opportunities.
 Multiple pathways that lead to student preparation to pursue further education, training, and entrance into the work
place.
 Common assessments and placement requirements across all PreK-16 institutions.
 Proficiency is agreed upon and accepted by all PreK-16 partners as an appropriate measure of student achievement.
 Multiple methods and pathways to demonstration of student proficiency are accepted by PreK-16 partners.
January 2007 – Program Design Handout #3
DRAFT—for discussion only
 A “Profile of Proficiency” that illustrates student learning and achievement is the basis of entrance and placement
decisions.
Source:
Senate Bill 342 Progress Report (November 2006)
Integration – Perkins IV requires integration of academic content with career and
technical education.
The State plan shall include information that describes the career and technical education activities to be assisted that are
designed to meet or exceed the State adjusted levels of performance, including a description of how the eligible agency
will report on the integration of coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards in career
and technical education programs in order to adequately evaluate the extent of such integration.
Source
Perkins Act of 2006
Executive Summary of Curriculum Integration in Context: An Exploration of How Structures and Circumstances Affect
Design and Implementation
 Curriculum integration appears to become more difficult in settings that are focused on multiple occupational areas,
as opposed to a single industry, theme, or pathway.
 Curriculum integration appears to be more effective when both academic and vocational instruction occur at the
same site. Practitioners seem to have considerable difficulty in supporting curriculum integration when students
receive regular academic instruction in one location and vocational instruction at another location.
 Curriculum integration is a particular challenge for vocational high schools, career programs, and regional tech
centers that offer career and technical education to students from multiple high schools or districts.
 The presence of leadership at all levels—district, building, and classroom—contributes to developing, implementing,
and sustaining successful curriculum integration efforts. In order for curriculum integration efforts to be effective,
individuals in leadership roles must be innovative, adaptable, and willing to take risks with instruction, the content of
curriculum, and classroom management.
 An investment of resources is needed to develop, support, sustain, and expand curriculum integration efforts.
Source:
The National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (January 2003)
January 2007 – Program Design Handout #3