CTE Funding in Uncertain Times: Strategies for Securing and Sustaining IT Programs

Key Takeaways

CTE’s Importance Is Growing: Career and Technical Education has become a key driver of workforce readiness, especially in IT fields.
Funding Is Evolving and Complex: While federal support like Perkins V continues, changes in oversight and policy may impact how funds are distributed and used.
Multiple Funding Sources Exist: Educators can pursue federal, state, local, and private resources—but success depends on program quality and measurable outcomes.
IT Programs Must Be Nimble: Due to rapid changes in technology, IT educators need agile curriculum solutions that keep pace with workforce demands.
Funders Expect Accountability: Programs that align with certifications, offer hands-on experiences, and deliver trackable results are more likely to secure sustainable funding.
ACI Learning Can Help: With turnkey curriculum, Skill Labs, and integrated reporting, ACI Learning supports institutions in building compliant, future-ready IT programs.

Career and Technical Education in Transition

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is experiencing a transformation. Once viewed as a supplemental track, it now plays a leading role in preparing students for high-demand careers. But even as support for CTE grows, the funding environment has never been more complex—or uncertain.

Federal leadership changes, shifting policy proposals, and pressure to align programs with fast-moving workforce demands have left many CTE leaders asking: How do we plan ahead when the rules might change?

This blog offers guidance for navigating that uncertainty—especially for IT educators. You'll find a clear picture of how CTE funding works today, what's changing, and where the opportunities lie for building resilient, sustainable programs.

The Current Landscape: Momentum Meets Uncertainty

CTE has moved into the educational mainstream. According to EdSurge, 97% of high school graduates have taken at least one CTE course, and 83% of CTE teachers expect their budgets to stay steady or increase. States are building CTE-focused schools, expanding career clusters, and helping students find purpose through real-world learning.

At the same time, a cloud of uncertainty is forming. As reported by Inside Higher Ed, a proposal to shift federal oversight of CTE funding from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor—though paused for now—has sparked concern among educators and policymakers. Critics worry this change could reduce program quality, narrow the focus to short-term job training, and complicate funding processes for schools.

Funding Sources: Where CTE Support Comes From

Understanding today’s CTE funding model is the first step to navigating it.

Federal: Perkins V and Beyond

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) remains the primary federal investment in CTE, allocating $1.38 billion to states in FY2022. Funds are distributed through state agencies and require detailed five-year plans, outcome tracking, and alignment with workforce goals.

Schools may also tap into supplemental federal programs like ESSER or Titles I–IV, depending on eligibility.

State and Local: A Patchwork of Models

States use different formulas to allocate funding—some based on CTE enrollment, others on program costs or priority industry sectors. Local funding typically comes from property taxes, school budgets, and in some cases, student fees or fundraising.

Private and Alternative Sources

Districts are increasingly combining public and private funding to support CTE. Examples include:

Oregon’s CTE Revitalization Grant (up to $500,000)
Wisconsin and Hawaii offering per-certification funding bonuses
Local business partnerships funding equipment or internships
School-based enterprises (like student-run cafés or IT support desks)

These resources create opportunity—but only for programs that can show real alignment to workforce needs and measurable outcomes.

Why IT Programs Must Stay Agile

Tech-focused CTE programs face a unique challenge: rapid change. Cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity threats, and AI automation are evolving faster than traditional curriculum cycles can keep up.

Yet many IT educators still build from scratch—spending hours stitching together outdated textbooks, homegrown labs, and piecemeal assessments. It's unsustainable.

As one educator shared in EdSurge, she taught 12 different CTE courses but had usable curriculum for only two. The rest required improvisation—an all-too-common scenario.

What Funders Want to See

Whether you’re applying for Perkins funding, state grants, or private support, funders increasingly expect programs to demonstrate:

Alignment to industry certifications and workforce priorities
Use of hands-on learning tools that build real-world skills
Strong assessment and reporting capabilities
Flexibility to serve diverse student populations and delivery models (in-person, hybrid, remote)

That’s where smarter curriculum strategies come into play.

Building Sustainability Through Smarter Curriculum

One of the most effective ways to future-proof an IT program is by adopting curriculum tools that are:

Agile – Capable of adapting to changing technology trends
Aligned – Mapped to in-demand certifications like CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+
Integrated – Compatible with LMS platforms for efficient instruction
Assessment-Ready – With analytics to track outcomes and support grant compliance

These tools don’t just improve instruction—they make it easier to secure and retain funding.

ACI Learning’s Role: A Partner in Sustainability

At ACI Learning, we work with academic institutions to help them deliver tech education that is both career-aligned and funding-ready. Our solutions support the goals of Perkins V and other grant programs by helping institutions:

Deliver turnkey curriculum mapped to certification pathways
Embed Skill Labs for hands-on browser-based practice
Track student progress and engagement with auto-graded assessments
Customize course paths to align with local industry demands

These tools reduce the burden on instructors, improve student outcomes, and help institutions tell a clearer story of impact to stakeholders and funders alike.

Checklist: 5 Ways to Secure and Sustain CTE IT Program Funding

Monitor your state’s Perkins V plan and application cycles
Use labor market data to demonstrate local demand for IT skills
Adopt curriculum platforms that support certifications and provide built-in reporting
Explore alternative grants such as WIOA, Title programs, or state-based CTE revitalization funding
Build partnerships with local employers who can offer support, equipment, or advisory input

Conclusion: Funding Favors the Agile

CTE is no longer a fringe benefit—it’s central to how we prepare students for real careers. But funding it requires more than good intentions. It requires strategy.

IT educators and administrators must adapt to today’s funding landscape with programs that are responsive, accountable, and aligned with workforce realities. By rethinking how curriculum is built and delivered, you can meet both instructional and institutional goals—and secure the support needed to sustain your impact.