Perkins V Reporting for Culinary CTE Programs
By EduPlate Tech · Culinary CTE Resource Guide
The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) is the primary federal law governing CTE program funding and accountability. For Culinary CTE programs, Perkins V determines how districts receive funding, what data they must collect, and what student outcomes they must demonstrate to the state.
What Is Perkins V?
Perkins V (reauthorized in 2018) replaced the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. It provides formula-based federal grants to all 50 states, which then distribute funds to local school districts. In 2023–24, the total federal Perkins V appropriation exceeded $1.4 billion nationally.
- •Requires states to adopt a set of performance indicators covering graduation rates, academic achievement, credential attainment, and post-program placement
- •Mandates Annual Performance Reports (APRs) submitted by each LEA to the state
- •Requires a Local Application describing how each district will use funds and improve outcomes
- •Emphasizes industry-recognized credentials as the primary measure of CTE program quality
Perkins V Performance Indicators for Culinary CTE
| Indicator | What It Measures | Culinary CTE Relevance | EduPlate Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1P1 | Four-year graduation rate | Students completing culinary pathway | Enrollment & completion data |
| 2P1 | Reading/Language Arts proficiency | Academic achievement in CTE students | — |
| 3P1 | Math proficiency | Math skills in cost/measurement contexts | — |
| 4P1 | Technical skill attainment | ServSafe, ProStart, HACCP credentials | ✓ Certification tracking |
| 5P1 | Post-program placement | Jobs, college, military after graduation | Export-ready data |
| 6P1 | Non-traditional enrollment | Gender equity in culinary programs | Role-based enrollment data |
What Data Must Districts Collect for Culinary Programs?
Culinary CTE programs generate specific data points that districts must track for Perkins V compliance:
- •Student certifications — type of credential, issue date, expiration date, and approving body (ServSafe, ProStart, HACCP, state food handler cards)
- •Program enrollment — number of students enrolled in each course of the culinary sequence, by year and subgroup
- •Concentrator counts — students who complete two or more CTE credits in the culinary pathway
- •Work-based learning hours — kitchen lab time, industry internships, and catering event participation
- •Equipment expenditures — how Perkins V funds were spent on kitchen equipment and curriculum materials
How EduPlate Tech Simplifies Perkins V Reporting
- •Certification dashboard — district-wide view of all ServSafe, ProStart, HACCP, and other credential completions
- •Enrollment reports — student counts by class period, program type, and demographic group
- •Kitchen lab hour tracking — student check-in system logs lab participation for work-based learning documentation
- •Curriculum coverage audit — verifies which Perkins V-aligned competencies have been taught in each school's program
- •Exportable data — district admins can pull APR-ready reports by school year and program type
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Perkins V and how does it affect culinary CTE programs?
The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V, 2018) provides federal funding to states for CTE programs, including culinary arts. Under Perkins V, districts must track and report student performance indicators including credential attainment, program completion, post-program placement, and non-traditional enrollment.
What data must districts report for Perkins V culinary programs?
Perkins V requires districts to report: (1) Technical skill attainment — industry-recognized credentials like ServSafe or ProStart; (2) Program completion rates; (3) Post-secondary placement, employment, or military service rates; (4) Non-traditional student enrollment in culinary programs; (5) Quality indicator metrics such as work-based learning participation and dual enrollment.
How does EduPlate Tech help with Perkins V culinary reporting?
EduPlate Tech tracks student certification completions (ServSafe, ProStart, HACCP, and others), program enrollment, pathway completion rates, and kitchen lab hours. District administrators can view these metrics in real time and export data in formats compatible with state APR submission systems.
What are the Perkins V accountability measures for culinary CTE?
Perkins V establishes six core performance indicators for secondary CTE: 1P1 — Four-year graduation rate; 2P1 — Academic proficiency in reading/language arts; 3P1 — Academic proficiency in mathematics; 4P1 — Technical skill attainment; 5P1 — Postsecondary placement and dual enrollment; 6P1 — Non-traditional student participation.
What is a Perkins V Local Application for culinary programs?
A Perkins V Local Application is the plan submitted by a local education agency (LEA) to the state detailing how it will use Perkins V funds. For culinary programs, this includes descriptions of approved course sequences, plans for equipment and curriculum improvement, strategies for improving student performance indicators, and assurances of FERPA compliance.
About EduPlate Tech
EduPlate Tech is a culinary CTE program management platform designed for high schools and districts. It connects curriculum delivery, kitchen ordering, food waste tracking, student certification management, and federal compliance reporting into one secure, district-licensed system.