American businesses and industries have long identified shortages in key career and technical areas--some of these areas require two- or four-year college degrees, whereas others simply require industry certifications. Career and technical education (CTE) has the potential to play a central role in filling these gaps. The current Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins IV), reauthorized in 2006, seeks to prepare individuals for both college and careers. Programs of Study (POS) are a central component of Perkins IV. Developed to provide a systematic means of connecting secondary and postsecondary programs, POS include rigorous academic content aligned with standards, lead to industry-recognized credentials, and provide options for dual credit or concurrent enrollment. This article is the first of five articles that will focus on work done by the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) to evaluate the impact of POS. This article identifies key factors contributing to highly implemented POS.