Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States
Active
- Assistance listing
- 84.048
- Agency
-
Office of Career Technical and Adult Education
Department of Education
- Grant awards
- 1,443 $24,785,900,334 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Formula Grant
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 91-0400-0-1-501
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Education Office of Career Technical and Adult Education distributes formula grants under CFDA 84.048 to develop academic knowledge and technical employability skills in secondary and postsecondary students enrolled in career and technical education programs, with the most recent awards issued July 1, 2025.
The program funds State boards for career and technical education to support CTE programs in high schools, technical schools, and community colleges. Eligible secondary recipients include local educational agencies, area career and technical education schools, educational service agencies, Indian Tribes, and consortia. For postsecondary, eligible recipients are consortia of two or more entities such as public or nonprofit institutions of higher education offering CTE courses leading to technical skill proficiency or recognized credentials, local educational agencies, area CTE schools, Indian Tribes, and tribally controlled colleges or universities. States set aside funds for administration and state leadership activities, then make subgrants to eligible recipients according to their approved state plans under Perkins V.
This is an active, high-volume program. Award activity doubled from 2023 to 2024 (53 awards to 107 annually), and the pattern held through 2025. The Department of Education Office of Career Technical and Adult Education issued 1,315 of 1,443 total awards, accounting for $22.22 billion of $24.79 billion in combined federal dollars obligated. The Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration funded 108 awards worth $2.09 billion. The portfolio is composed entirely of Formula Grants. Recent awards show wide variation: state allocations to large recipient states reached $166.3 million and $129 million, while smaller allocations ran in the hundreds of thousands or less.
Grant funds are awarded annually on July 1 and October 1, remaining available for obligation through September 30 of the following year with carryover available for an additional fiscal year under GEPA section 421(b). Recipients must retain records for three years from submission of final expenditure reports.
A recent program opportunity, OCTAE-PM-2026-PERKINS, posted April 24, 2026 with due date May 26, 2026, advises states of estimated FY 2026 allocations under Perkins V. The Department of Labor contact for formula funding questions is Anu Mathew (octae-formula@dol.gov).
Objective and description
- Objective
To develop more fully the academic knowledge and technical and employability skills of secondary education students and postsecondary education students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs and programs of study.
- Description
the Career and Technical Education State Grants program assists States and Outlying Areas in expanding and improving career and technical education in high schools, technical schools, and community colleges. Each State uses program fun ds to support a variety of career and technical education programs developed in accordance with its State plan.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
The Department of Education makes formula grants to State boards for career and technical education or the agency responsible for overseeing career and technical education in States. Eligible recipients for formula subgrants to carry out secondary career and technical education programs include local educational agencies, area career and technical education schools, educational service agencies, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or Tribal educational agencies or a consortia, eligible to receive assistance under section 131 of Perkins V. Eligible recipients for formula subgrants to carry out postsecondary career and technical education programs consortia of 2 or more of the following: (1) a public or nonprofit private institution of higher education that offers and will use program funds to support of career and technical education courses that lead to technical skill proficiency or a recognized postsecondary credential, including an industry-recognized credential, a certificate, or an associate degree; (2) a local educational agency providing education at the postsecondary level; (3) and area career and technical education school providing education at the postsecondary level; (4) an Indian Tribe, Tribal organizations, or Tribal education agency that operates a school or may be present in the State;(5) a postsecondary educational institution controlled by the Bureau of Indian Education or operated by or on behalf of any Indian Tribe; (6) a tribally controlled college or university; or (7) an educational service agency.
- Beneficiary eligibility
A wide range of individuals pursuing career and technical education will benefit.
- Uses of assistance
Funds are used by eligible agencies and their eligible recipients (local subgrantees), in accordance with Perkins V, to provide career and technical education. Each State must distribute at least 85 percent of its award to eligible recipients to fund secondary and postsecondary institutions that provide career and technical education services, of which the State may choose to award an amount equivalent to not more than 15 percent of the 85 percent to make awards to eligible recipients in rural areas, areas with high percentages or high numbers of career and technical education concentrators or participants, or areas with performance gaps, or to foster innovative and promising CTE programs or promote programs of study and career pathways that are aligned with State-identified high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations or industries. Each State may keep up to 5 percent (or $250,000, whichever is greater) of its award for State administration and up to 10 percent of its award to fund leadership activities (and from that amount, it must reserve an amount equivalent to 2 percent of its award to assist individuals in State institutions and between $60,000, $150,000 to fund services to prepare individuals for non-traditional fields; and the lesser of .1 percent or $50,000 to recruit special populations for CTE programs). This program is subject to non-supplanting requirements and must use a restricted indirect cost rate, pursuant to 34 CFR 76-564-76.569. For assistance call the Office of the Chief Financial Officer/Indirect Cost Group on (202) 708-7770 .-
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Generally, annual grants to eligible agencies are made on July 1 and October of the same year and funds are available for obligation until September 30 of the following year. In addition, funds remain available to the eligible agencies for an additional fiscal year for obligation and expenditure under section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended (GEPA).
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Eligible agencies qualify for funding based upon their State plans and annual revisions approved under Perkins V, section 122.
- Award procedure
Once the Secretary approves an eligible agency's 4-year State plan or annual revisions, the Department forwards the grant award to the State official designated by the eligible agency and notifies the State director for CTE. States make subgrants to eligible recipients from their grant awards after setting aside funds for State administration and State leadership activities.
- Time to approval or disapproval
The submission date for the State plan or annual revisions is generally late March or early April is set in guidance issued annually by the Department. Within 120 days.
- Appeals
The Secretary shall not finally disapprove a State plan, except determining that the plan does not meet requirements of the Act and after giving the eligible agency notice and opportunity for a hearing.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year 2026 State Allocations under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins V) | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 1,443 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department Of Education California | $2,230,945,191 | 9% |
| 2 | TX Education Agency | $1,837,750,878 | 7% |
| 3 | Florida Department Of Education | $1,292,709,944 | 5% |
| 4 | New York State Education Department | $1,004,874,895 | 4% |
| 5 | Ohio Department Of Education | $814,181,980 | 3% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania Dept Of Education | $787,673,116 | 3% |
| 7 | Illinois State Board Of Education | $783,222,394 | 3% |
| 8 | Georgia Dept Of Education | $752,860,108 | 3% |
| 9 | North Carolina Department Of Public Instruction | $705,654,322 | 3% |
| 10 | Michigan Department Of Education | $678,448,024 | 3% |
10 of 63 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $869,310,328 |
| FY2025 | $1,500,213,204 |
| FY2024 | $1,380,386,100 |
| FY2023 | $1,389,199,540 |
| FY2022 | $1,354,614,449 |
| FY2021 | $1,312,040,757 |
| FY2020 | $1,260,841,022 |
| FY2019 | $1,241,399,368 |
| FY2018 | $1,169,347,824 |
| FY2017 | $1,094,361,134 |
| FY2016 | $1,098,898,976 |
| FY2015 | $1,098,985,195 |
| FY2014 | $1,099,995,641 |
| FY2013 | $266,295,844 |
| FY2012 | $1,103,601,371 |
| FY2011 | $331,193,062 |
| FY2010 | $369,022,166 |
| FY2009 | $1,142,196,784 |
| FY2008 | $1,142,188,578 |
| FY2007 | $1,164,898,137 |
| FY2006 | $578,878,534 |
| FY2005 | $605,413,872 |
| FY2004 | $576,654,085 |
| FY2003 | $520,793,298 |
| FY2002 | $614,859,857 |
| FY2001 | $500,311,230 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 84.048?
Assistance Listing 84.048 is Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States, a federal grant program run by Office of Career Technical and Adult Education (Department of Education).
What is the CFDA number for Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States?
Its CFDA number is 84.048: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 84.048 awarded?
1,443 grant awards under 84.048 have obligated $24,785,900,334 in federal funds to 63 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 84.048?
The recipients obligated the most under Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States are Department Of Education California ($2,230,945,191), TX Education Agency ($1,837,750,878) and Florida Department Of Education ($1,292,709,944).
How much did 84.048 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 84.048 obligated $1,500,213,204 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 84.048?
No opportunity listed under 84.048 is open now. The latest, Fiscal Year 2026 State Allocations under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins V), was posted on April 24, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this program