• Originally funded in 1990 in Title III of the Perkins Act (Perkins II)
• 1990 funding was for $125 million
• 1998 Perkins Act (Perkins III) reauthorized Tech Prep at such sums "as may be necessary for fiscal years 1999 - 2003."

Details

The 1990 Perkins Act (Perkins II) funded Tech Prep under Section III - Special Programs.  The purpose of the Tech Prep Program is to provide planning and demonstration grants to consortia of local education agencies and postsecondary education institutions for the development and operation of four-year programs designed to provide a tech-prep education program leading to a two-year associate degree or two-year certificate.  Emphasis is placed on providing equal access to special populations, including offering preparatory programs as needed.

The 1998 Perkins Act (Perkins III) made a few significant changes to the tech prep program.  The program content requirements are rewritten to include work-based and work-site learning in conjunction with business, and uses of technology and distance learning, as appropriate, to involve all consortium partners in the program.  Most significantly, tech prep is expanded to allow "at least" two years of secondary and two years of postsecondary education.  In other words, tech prep programs may start in the ninth grade or extend to a four-year college program, if appropriate.  The new provisions also allow students to enroll concurrently in secondary and postsecondary coursework. 

Perkins III provided a very specific definition of Tech Prep.  The term Tech Prep program means a program of study that combines a minimum of 2 years of secondary education with a minimum of 2 years of postsecondary education in a non duplicative sequential course of study; integrates academic and vocational and technical instruction and utilizes work based and worksite learning where appropriate and available; provides technical preparation in a career field; builds student competence in mathematics, science, reading, writing, communications, economics, and workplaces skills, through applied, contextual academics and integrated instruction in a coherent sequence of courses; leads to an associate or baccalaureate degree or postsecondary certificate in a specific career field; and leads to placement in appropriate employment or to further education.

Tech Prep is a nationwide career development system. Although specific programs can vary from state to state and college to college, the Perkins III Law requires that all Tech Prep programs included the following seven elements:

• An articulation agreementbetween high school and community college participants.
• An articulated sequence of courses that can begin as early as ninth grade, but must include at least the last two years of high school and two years of college. These courses must also have a common core of proficiency in math, science, communication and technology.
• A specifically developed Tech Prep curriculum.
• Both high school and college instructors need to be trained jointly to implement the Tech Prep curriculum effectively.
• Counselors need to be properly trained to recruit students and to ensure that they follow through with the program and find appropriate employment.
• Equal access of special populations to the full range of the Tech Prep programs
• Preparatory services such as recruitment, career and personal counseling, and occupational assessment.