SCSC administers the South Central Perkins Consortium, which is comprised of 25 school districts. In 2008, Minnesota school districts and Minnesota State Colleges self-formed into 26 Perkins consortia (view map) to promote collaborative planning and implementation of career and technical education programs within each region.
South Central Perkins Consortia support and programming is made available through the Strengthening Career & Technical Education for the 21st Century Act of 2018 (also known as Perkins V).
Membership and Purpose
Within each consortium, a group of secondary schools pairs with a post-secondary institution. In the South Central consortium, South Central College serves as the post-secondary partner (both North Mankato and Faribault campuses).
SCSC serves as the secondary administrator for these member districts:
- Alden
- Blue Earth
- Butterfield
- Cleveland
- Faribault
- Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton
- Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial
- Le Sueur-Henderson
- Madelia
- Mankato
- Maple River
- Medford
- Minnesota Valley Education District
- New Ulm
- Nicollet
- New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva
- River Bend Ed District
- Sleepy Eye
- St. Clair
- St. James
- St. Peter
- Tri-City United
- United South Central
- Waseca
- Waterville-Elysian-Morristown
The South Central Perkins Consortium establishes a structure and governance for shaping its plan to:
- Align regional education and workforce plans
- Align strategies to cultivate awareness for need for academic and technical skills to ensure college and career success
- Pilot strategies for career awareness, exploration and advisement for all students
- Provide professional development that help teachers connect learning to college and careers
- Further develop regional programs of study and guided pathway programs
Local Application Goals:
- Goal 1: Designing programs of study
- Goal 2: Effectively utilize employer, community and education partnerships
- Goal 3: Improve services to special populations
- Goal 4: Provide a continuum of service provision for enabling student transitions
- Goal 5: Sustain the consortium structure of secondary and postsecondary institutions
What is Perkins?
The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) was signed into law on July 31, 2018. This bipartisan measure reauthorized the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) and continued Congress’ commitment in providing nearly $1.4 billion annually for career and technical education programs for youth and adults.
In Minnesota, Perkins funds are distributed by Minnesota State on the basis of state-approved career and technical education programs and appropriate teacher licensure.
