Subbaccalaureate CTE Attainment for Special Populations: An article by Cameron Sublett and Jay Plasman in the January 2025 edition of the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success examines how certificate and associate degree attainment has changed over time and across special population groups. The researchers used National Center for Education Statistics data to examine credential attainment across several CTE fields of study. They compared data from two groups of students, one who began postsecondary education in 2003 and the other in 2011, each tracked over a six-year time period:
- Only 2% of the 2011 cohort were not enrolled in a degree program, compared to 13% of the 2003 cohort.
- The 2011 cohort was much more likely to earn certificates and associate degrees in business and marketing and less likely to earn associate degrees in health sciences.
- Female students were less likely to earn applied STEM credentials in both cohorts, with the gap increasing from the 2003 to 2011 cohort. Female students were much more likely to earn associate degrees in public service in the 2011 cohort.
- Underrepresented minority (URM) students in the 2011 cohort were more likely to earn a public service associate degree than non-minority students in the same cohort and URM students in the 2003 cohort.
- Students with disabilities (SWDs) in the 2011 cohort were less likely to earn an associate degree in health sciences and more likely to earn a certificate in the trades than SWDs in the 2003 cohort.
The authors encourage other researchers to conduct similar analyses in local and regional contexts and to consider the impact of more recent innovations in federal and state CTE policy.
Eight-year Findings from the ASAP Ohio Demonstration: A brief from MDRC evaluates the effectiveness of ASAP Ohio programs designed to increase community college graduation rates by offering tutoring, financial assistance and career advising to low-income students. Researchers randomly assigned interested students either into the ASAP program or a control group and compared the two to analyze the impact of the programs on student outcomes.
The researchers found that students in the program earned an associate degree at a much higher rate than control group students: 15 percentage points higher. Women and students with developmental education needs attained a degree at higher rates compared to men and students without special needs, respectively. Notably, program students also went on to attain bachelor’s degrees at a higher rate even though the programs do not provide additional assistance once a student transfers. Program students also earned 14% more in income than control group students by the eighth year of tracking.
Advancing STARs in the American Workforce: A report from Opportunity@Work (O@W) describes the current workforce landscape for individuals skilled through alternative routes (STARs): i.e., skilled workers without a bachelor’s degree. The researchers found that 92% of all employers are interested in hiring people without a degree but skilled through other means, and job postings are increasingly open to STARs now compared to the early 2000s. The report also documents the benefits that participation in the O@W Network has had for STARs and employer partners.
Modernizing Federal Work-study to Support Work-based Learning: A report from the Bipartisan Policy Center discusses how states have utilized the Federal Work-study (FWS) Program to expand work-based learning opportunities for students. The researchers identified several stakeholders challenges:
- Underrepresented minorities, as well as community college and low-income students, are less likely to participate in work-based learning programs for a variety of reasons, posing challenges for schools wanting to offer these programs.
- FWS programs often have limited staffing and face difficulties in creating and maintaining partnerships with outside employers while also addressing the regulatory uncertainty surrounding the authorized uses of FWS funding.
- Demand far exceeds the supply of work-based learning opportunities, and employers cite several factors, such as costs, that prevent them from providing additional opportunities.
The researchers end with strategies to guide policymakers in updating FWS, including providing flexibility in how FWS funding can be used, improving the collection of data on outcomes, and basing the allocation of FWS funding on Pell recipients in an institution.
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