Why the Perkins V Nontraditional Indicator Matters More Than Ever

My hope is that … we can come to a shared recognition that many of our boys and men are in real trouble, not of their own making, and need help.” — Richard V. Reeves, p. 184 

Richard V. Reeves’ book Of Boys and Men* presents a sobering, data-driven analysis of how boys and men are increasingly falling behind girls and women across education, workforce participation, and social mobility. Reeves argues that structural and culturl shifts in education systems and labor markets—rather than individual failure—have left many boys, particularly those in low-income and rural communities, disengaged from school and disconnected from viable career pathways.

These findings carry urgent implications for federal education policy, especially Career and Technical Education (CTE). In this context, the Perkins V nontraditional indicator—often misunderstood or treated as a compliance requirement—emerges as one of the most important policy tools available for addressing today’s challenges. More than ever, the nontraditional indicator brings renewed focus to sex-disaggregated CTE data, ensuring that access to high-value career pathways remains visible, examined, and addressed for every student.

The Crisis Reeves Names—and What CTE Reveals

Reeves documents trends that are widely acknowledged across national data sets: boys lag behind girls in K–12 achievement, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment; men’s labor force participation has declined; and traditional pathways into stable, middle-skill careers have eroded—especially in rural and economically distressed communities. Education systems were not redesigned to account for these shifts. Many boys disengage early because schooling often fails to provide relevance, application, and purpose. High-quality CTE addresses this gap by connecting learning to real-world problem solving and future careers.

Perkins V Nontraditional Indicators: More Than Gender Balance

The Perkins V nontraditional indicator is often narrowly defined as increasing female participation in male-dominated fields. While important, this framing overlooks its broader purpose: ensuring systemic access to all high-value career pathways. In this context, the nontraditional indicator serves as a mechanism for re-engaging disengaged learners, validating applied and technical strengths, and preventing long-term workforce detachment.

Reeves cautions against incremental fixes to our education system. Similarly, treating the nontraditional indicator as a compliance exercise limits its impact. When used strategically, it drives innovation, improves program relevance, and aligns education with labor market demand.

The STEM Educator Initiative: Putting Reeves’ Premise into Practice

Richard Reeves argues that boys’ disengagement from education and the workforce reflects a failure of systems that have not adapted to changing social and economic realities. He calls for structural solutions that reconnect learners to relevance, purpose, and opportunity—particularly through applied learning and clear pathways to meaningful work.

The STEM Educator Initiative (SEI) operates at this intersection by supporting high-quality STEM and CTE learning environments designed to engage learners who are often disconnected from traditional systems. Through practitioner-led professional development, engineering design–based learning, and community-driven projects, SEI helps translate policy goals—like the Perkins V nontraditional indicator—into practice.

By building educator capacity and redesigning pathways rather than expanding enrollment alone, SEI demonstrates how systemic innovation can move education beyond what is failing and toward what works for today’s learners and workforce.

Reeves tells us why change is necessary. Perkins V provides the policy framework. The STEM Educator Initiative demonstrates how system change can happen in practice.

Conclusion

More than ever, the Perkins V nontraditional indicator is not about checking a box—it is about redesigning pathways so all learners can thrive in a changing economy.

For more information and to learn about SEI’s upcoming webinar with Dr. Richard Reeves, contact: info@stemeducatorinitiative.org

 *Reeves, R. V. (2022). Of boys and men: Why the modern male is struggling, why it matters, and what to do about it. Brookings Institution Press.