JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Leaders with the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) are seeking stakeholder feedback via a questionnaire regarding development of a one-year Perkins V State plan for the 2024-25 school year.

The plan would increase access to high-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs in secondary schools and community colleges that meet the needs of students and employers.

MDE’s Office of Career and Technical Education is seeking feedback from business and industry leaders, community colleges, educators, workforce developers and communities at-large. Officials said responses to the questionnaire will help formulate revisions to the current Mississippi Perkins V State Plan.

The questionnaire must be filled out by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 1, 2023.

Mississippians will get the opportunity to share public comments on the updated Perkins V plan in spring 2024. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) must receive the final plan in May 2024.

During the 2023 legislative session, the state legislature appropriated $94.1 million to support CTE programs, including a $1.4 million increase for new CTE programs and $1.6 million for additional industry certifications. The DOE has appropriated nearly $16 million to go to secondary districts and local community colleges to provide CTE and training.