In a recent study, The Evolution of Career and Technical Education: 1982-2013, researcher Nat Malkus observes trends in 30 years of secondary CTE coursetaking and describes differing student outcomes between “New Era” and “Traditional Vocational” CTE concentrators. Malkus defines “New Era” CTE as courses in engineering, computer science, communications, health care and hospitality, and “Traditional Vocational” CTE as courses in manufacturing, public service, construction, agriculture, human services and transportation.
In order to observe these trends, Malkus examined data from the National Center for Education Statistics, which included 30 years of transcripts, math assessment results throughout this time period and student outcomes for 2013 high school graduates. His findings were:
- Much of the decline in CTE credits earned can be attributed to the phasing out of business courses in keyboarding and word processing. “New Era” CTE coursetaking increased by 238 percent, particularly in computer science, health care and hospitality.
- An imbalance between genders is apparent in “Traditional Vocational” CTE courses, and is also present in “New Era” CTE courses, although the gap is narrower.
- CTE concentrator test scores in mathematics have risen substantially, mostly owing to the performance of “New Era” CTE concentrators. Their test scores are indistinguishable from students who do not concentrate in CTE.
- Differences are also apparent in postsecondary transition between “New Era” and “Traditional Vocational” CTE concentrators who graduated high school in 2013. The likelihood of “New Era” CTE concentrators attending college was almost indistinguishable from non-concentrators, while “Traditional Vocational” CTE concentrators were less likely to pursue postsecondary education, and when they did, were more likely to attend two-year institutions.
Malkus concludes that “New Era” CTE students are driving changes in educational outcomes, and urges advocates and state leaders to not let those successes overshadow the needs of CTE students concentrating in the “Traditional Vocational” CTE program areas.
His concerns serve as a reminder of CTE’s mission to develop college AND career readiness, for the benefit of students who go on to college as well as students who enter the workforce, participate in other types of postsecondary learning (such as apprenticeships), or do both.
Public interest in CTE and the efforts of groups like the Institute of Education Sciences’ CTE Research Network (ACTE is a partner) are growing the research base in CTE. We anticipate that future research will dig even deeper into the experiences and outcomes of students in different CTE program areas, examining credentials earned, employment outcomes, the impact of various program delivery models and the effects of Perkins V.
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