CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

Research Round-up: Digital and Remote Learning Edition

• Analysis of Distance Learning for the 2020-21 School Year: New America released a report examining distance learning successes and challenges in higher education during the 2020–21 school year. The report describes five pillars of quality digital learning, including: 

• Implement an organized class structure and clear communication. 
• Delineate clear and aligned learning objectives. 
• Provide regular feedback. 
• Build on supportive technology. 
• Support student connection and community. 

Additionally, the findings tie into federal policy recommendations to improve quality and equity for all students. The report’s authors suggest that policymakers should boost broadband access, improve the collection of data on distance education programs, establish and fund a federal research agenda, and create a federal grant program to support professional development. 

 

• What Worked and What Did Not for Remote Learning and Reopenings: The Center for American Progress (CAP) analyzed what did and did not work for students, schools, parents and others during the COVID-impacted 2020-2021 school year. The findings revealed intense stress among educators, examples of open and successful communication and struggles with engaging communities in the reopening process. Additional findings sought to identify barriers to student success. 

 

• Summary of Research on the Impact of Online Education: A collection of research studies and other resources compiled by Maryville University examines the impact of online education on families, as well as how they contended with the sudden transition to remote learning. The article includes information on the benefits of online learning, the negative impacts of school disruptions and the nature of parents’ concerns about their children's learning outcomes as a result of the pandemic. 

 

• Internships and Apprenticeships in a Virtual Workplace: A podcast episode from MDRC covers work-based learning opportunities and their importance to CTE programs. With the abrupt shift to remote learning, these programs struggled - MDRC also authored a report describing how employers and trainers have adapted to a new virtual workplace. 

 

• Adapting to a Post-Pandemic World: A new report from Quality Matters and Eduventures® Research looks at how postsecondary institutions are adapting to the future of online learning, as well as how they are shifting their focus to professional, faculty and technology development. 

Findings include: 

• An elevated commitment to online learning quality assurance goals, including having courses meet quality standards, supported by a commitment to faculty professional development. 
• On average, a 10-15% increase across institutions in online professional development and student orientation to online study. 
• The largest yearly increases ever in education technology investments during 2020 and 2021, across all sectors of higher education.

Research Round-up: Aligned Advising, Community College Enrollment, Postsecondary CTE Investment Priorities

Supporting Transition Through Aligned Advising: Education Strategy Group recently released a new microsite – Making the Connection: Aligning Advising to Improve Postsecondary Access and Success – that makes the case for prioritizing alignment of advising across K-12 and postsecondary education. It shares action steps and resources for different stakeholders, including secondary education, postsecondary education, state government, federal government, nonprofits and college access organizations, and philanthropies.   

Interventions Encourage Summer Enrollment: The What Works Clearinghouse has announced a new batch of research studies that meet its standards for showing a causal link between education programs and outcomes. One recent study from MDRC found positive impacts from two interventions designed to increase community college enrollment in summer courses. The research included three groups:

• Students in the control group received messages the college was already sending to promote summer enrollment and its standard financial aid.
• Students in the informational campaign group received personalized funding information about how the student could pay for the courses; testimonials from other students about summer courses; plan-making prompts about how to register and choose courses; and reminders about deadlines.
• Students in the “last dollar” group were offered a similar informational campaign plus tuition that covered the difference between their summer tuition and fees and their financial aid.

Both interventions effectively increased summer enrollment; however, adding the last-dollar grant doubled the magnitude of the impact.

Investing to Support Postsecondary CTE: The Community College Research Center has developed several briefs and fact sheets on topics including guided pathways, Federal Work-Study, transfer between community colleges and four-year colleges, and advising and student supports. The brief on community college CTE summarizes the existing data on the benefits of postsecondary CTE programs and credentials and recommends that the federal government invest in the following:

• Competitive grants to community colleges to help institutions conduct outreach and better serve unemployed, underemployed, and low-income adults most affected by the pandemic.
• Grants to state agencies or intermediaries such as Student Success Centers to help community colleges, employers, public workforce training systems, nonprofit groups, and other entities collaborate in the design and delivery of workforce education.
• Improved data systems to collect data on CTE and workforce training participants as they advance through college and into the labor market.

Key Strategies from Generation Work: A new report from the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program describes workforce development practices used by partner sites in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Generation Work^TM program. Generation Work sites are striving to align education, employment and support services to help young people develop the skills required to succeed in the working world; link them with employers; and increase advancement and earning opportunities. Key strategies include hosting opportunities for employers to engage with young adults; helping employers to promote race, equity and inclusion in their workforce; and walking away from an employer partner who doesn’t demonstrate commitment to its workforce.

Updated: Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Sector Sheet

Recently, ACTE updated its Sector Sheet on CTE’s role in developing the workforce for transportation, distribution and logistics (TDL) with the latest details on occupational demand, the role CTE plays in preparing the workforce for this sector, and descriptions of exemplary programs in TDL.  

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of transportation, warehousing and related sectors, which employ nearly 15 million people – 9.8% of the labor force. Almost 500,000 jobs will be created within transportation and material moving this decade, with strong growth for flight attendants, recreational vehicle service technicians and motorcycle mechanics. Demand will also be high through 2028 for jobs driving and operating vehicles. Many of these occupations pay family-sustaining wages for those with a high school diploma as well as middle-skill workers with credentials below the bachelor’s degree level.

CTE programs are at the forefront of preparing individuals for careers in TDL. The School of Aviation at Irving High School in Irving, Texas, offers pathways in aviation science, aviation technology and drone engineering. More than 77 industry partners help ensure curriculum is up to date with the latest industry trends and create work-based learning experiences for students. In addition, students can earn college credits and industry-recognized credentials. On the postsecondary level, the Diesel Equipment Technology program at Copiah Lincoln’s Wesson Campus, part of the Copiah Lincoln Community College District, prepares students for a career in inspecting and repairing a variety of industrial equipment. Employer partners help to ensure that individuals are career ready through internships and scholarships as well as employment opportunities after graduation. Students in the Diesel Equipment Technology program are excelling with a 100% student completion rate and a 98% job placement rate.

ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously supported by Pearson.  

Research Round-up: June Postsecondary Edition

College Students Are Optimistic, But Concerned About Economic Prospects: A follow-up survey of college students from Third Way and New America found that students believe the worst of the pandemic is over, but 65% of respondents said that they felt higher education is no longer worth the cost, particularly for online instruction. This percentage is higher than the percentages reported in December 2020 (57%) and August 2020 (49%). Additional findings provide an insightful look at students’ primary financial concerns, as well as challenges for institutions as students and faculty return to colleges and universities this fall. 

Reconnecting Recent High School Graduates with Career Aspirations: Among students who delayed their postsecondary education due to the pandemic, stress and anxiety, followed by financial pressures, were the most cited reasons in a recent report by Strada. The Class of 2021 faced more disruption than the Class of 2020 did, as students graduating in 2020 were further along in the college search and entrance process than 2021 graduates. To help disrupted students return to their educational plans, the report suggests that guidance, affordability and stronger connections to careers would all be helpful for the students, but the mentorship of an advisor would be the most beneficial support. Within the population of disrupted students, Black students are most likely to have been forced to change their educational paths, raising equity concerns that need particular focus. 

Admissions Policies That Hurt Minority Applicants: According to a report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy, colleges and universities should focus more on recruiting students who may not be the institutions’ “prime targets,” such as students from underrepresented backgrounds and poor students. The report also suggests that institutions rethink "demonstrated interest" policies, eliminate early-decision programs, end the practice of legacy admissions, eliminate the use of standardized tests, eliminate questions about experience with the criminal justice system, create strong transfer pathways and invest in need-based financial aid. 

Nontraditional and Low-Income Students Face Barriers: A report from the Council for Opportunity in Education reveals gaps in resources in the higher education system, as well as inequities in degree completion and educational attainment across state, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines. White high school graduates were three times more likely to attend a selective four-year institution compared to Black high school graduates, and Black student loan borrowers had $28,107 more in debt on average than white student loan borrowers in 2019. One statistic noted that the more selective the university, the lower the percentage of Pell Grant recipients found in the student body of that university. 

National Postsecondary Student Data Released for 2019-20: The 2019-20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study revealed that 87% of students experienced a disruption or change in their enrollment during the year, with 84% having some or all classes moved to fully-online instruction. The report also found challenges for students who identified as genderqueer, gender nonconforming or a different identity. These students had more difficulty finding stable housing than students who identified as male or female, while Black students, Hispanic or Latino students, American Indian or Alaska Native students and students of two or more races struggled with food insecurity more than either White or Asian students. 

Updated: Advanced Manufacturing Sector Sheet

ACTE recently updated its Sector Sheet on CTE’s role in developing the workforce in advanced manufacturing with the latest information on labor market demand, the role CTE plays in preparing the workforce for this sector, and profiles of exemplary programs. 

Currently, manufacturing is facing a growing skills gap as employers report needing more workers with technical skills who are interested in learning new technologies. About 4 million manufacturing jobs will be open through 2030; however, more than 2 million of these jobs are expected to go unfilled. The advanced manufacturing sectors with strong growth prospects include pharmaceuticals, electronics and aerospace.

CTE programs are taking the lead in developing the advanced manufacturing workforce. For instance, at Kaukauna High School in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, manufacturing students prepare for high-quality, in-demand careers in the area’s chemical manufacturing facilities through hands-on experiences in machine programming, welding and fabrication, 3D programming and more; rigorous academic coursework; and early postsecondary credit opportunities. On the postsecondary level, the Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative is a collaboration between a group of multi-state community and technical colleges and industry partners to better prepare highly skilled mechatronics technicians to work in advanced manufacturing sectors. Postsecondary learners can choose between many career pathways such as Mechanical Engineering Technician, Robotics Automation Technologist and Fluid Power Mechanic.

ACTE’s Sector Sheet series is generously supported by Pearson. 

Research Round-up: Advocacy Resource for Recruiting CTE Learners, Inequitable Impacts of COVID-19, Positive Outcomes for Massachusetts Community College Students

Racial/Ethnic Inequities Persist in the Engineering Workforce: Of the nearly 1.7 million engineers working in the U.S. in 2019, only 3% were Black women or Latinas, compared to 81% of workers who were White or Asian and 84% of workers who were men, according to a new report from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Though the number of Black and Latinx students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering significantly increased between 1990 and 2019, the pace is not fast enough to make significant gains until well into the future, according to the authors. The researchers recommend closing these opportunity gaps by improving recruitment for Black and Latinx students into engineering majors, providing wraparound supports to enable these students to finish their degrees, and addressing the pay inequities between White and Asian engineers and Black and Latinx engineers in the workforce.  

Positive Outcomes for Massachusetts Community College Students: Findings from a new report on labor market returns for students who attended a Massachusetts' community college show graduates who earned a two-year degree had 31% higher earnings than those who only graduated from high school. The findings also showed that students who obtained a community college certificate had earnings that were 26% higher than those who only graduated high school. Other positive findings demonstrate that women who complete an associate degree are 18% more likely to be employed compared to those who didn’t attend community college, and men are 12% more likely to be employed, and these employment gains are similar for those obtaining certificates.  

Advocacy Resource for Recruiting CTE Learners: Advance CTE recently published a report on how to effectively frame CTE to prospective learners and their parents/guardians. The frameworks provided in the report are based on focus groups and online surveys from middle school and high school families. The researchers provide insights on the value families place on education, identify the aspects of CTE that resonate the most, and describe how to tailor the message to each learner to help close equity gaps.   

Findings from Ohio’s Stackable Credentialing Offerings: A report from researchers at the RAND Corporation and the Ohio Department of Education examines the success of stackable credential offerings in Ohio between 2005 and 2019. The study investigated stackable credentials in health care, manufacturing and engineering technology, and information technology. Some of the researchers' key findings include: 

• The number of individuals earning certificates increased over time. 
• Most learners who earned stackable credentials also earned degrees. 
• The majority of stackable credentials were earned in community colleges. 
• Earnings increased for learners who stacked credentials, especially for those in health care. 

Inequitable Impacts of COVID-19: The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights recently released a report on the inequitable impacts of COVID-19 on underserved communities in both secondary and postsecondary education. The report highlights how the pandemic deepened the disparities between students, especially for students of color, multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students, and how the pandemic had a significant negative impact on learning. 

Research Round-up: Annual Survey on U.S. Perceptions of Higher Education, Informing Policymakers About Quality Credentials, Student Outcomes in Indiana and Minnesota CTE Programs

Annual State Higher Education Finance Report: The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association recently released their annual State Higher Education Finance report. It includes policy decisions affecting higher education funding levels and funding distribution levels both statewide and nationally. Between 2019 and 2020, some of the key findings of the researchers include: 

• There was a 0.6% decline in full-time student enrollment, with the declines concentrated in community colleges (even before the impact of COVID) 
• Appropriations to higher education institutions increased in 41 states and DC, however the increases have not been large enough to make up for the decline in appropriations during the last two recessions.  
• Student financial aid increased by 7%, with 33 states awarding more aid to students attending four-year institutions. 

Annual Survey on U.S. Perceptions of Higher Education: New America published their fifth annual survey on American’s perceptions of the value of higher education. Some of the relevant findings include: 

• Approximately 80% of respondents believe education after high school offers a good return on investment. 
• Over half of the respondents believe the quality of online classes is as good as in-person classes, and the majority of respondents believe online classes should be cheaper. 
• 96% of all respondents believe it is important for higher education institutions to provide public data on student outcomes. 
• 41% of respondents believe some form of tuition-free college option should be a priority. 

New Advocacy Resource for Dual/Concurrent Enrollment and Early College: The first in a series of fact sheets, published by the College in High School Alliance, provides talking points for advocates to use when working with policymakers to highlight the benefits of dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment and early college high school for students, high schools, colleges, the workforce and states. The fact sheet is accompanied by a plain text document that can be adapted or modified to match the purpose of your meeting when advocating. 

Informing Policymakers about Quality Credentials: Credential Engine released a new policy brief on actionable steps for state leaders to take to make information about quality credentials more accessible and valuable to policymakers, legislators and/or education leaders. In order to increase the value of credentials and communicate the effectiveness of credentials to policymakers, researchers describe five key components that are needed, including: 

• Common definitions of educational outcomes and ways to measure them.  
• Consistent language describing the outcomes data that learners, employers and policymakers use to judge the quality of programs.  
• Frameworks that provide the tools, resources and measures to gauge quality.  
• Platforms and policies that can incentivize programs that provide quality credentials.  
• State leaders to align the pieces of this work to serve learners and employers.  

A Global Perspective on Microcredentials: Microcredentials are becoming more popular globally and will likely be a large component of postsecondary education world-wide, according to a report from the Nondegree Credential Research Network. The researchers found that the credentials that are particularly in-demand are those in IT, business, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and health care programs. The researchers also identify key successes as well as challenges associated with these microcredentialing programs around the world.   

Analyzing Student Outcomes in Indiana and Minnesota CTE Programs: The Regional Education Laboratory Midwest, part of the Institute of Education Sciences, examined the education and workforce outcomes of high school graduates in Indiana and Minnesota to determine the outcomes CTE concentrators compared to graduates that did not take these courses. The researchers found: 

• Rural students were more likely to be concentrators compared to urban and suburban students. 
• Concentrators were more likely to enroll in two-year colleges compared to non-concentrators. 
• In the first five years after high school, concentrators were employed at higher rates and had higher earnings compared to students who took fewer CTE courses or non-concentrator students. 

Research Round-up: 2021 Condition of Education Report, Positive Impacts from Accelerated College Credit Programs, Transfer Enrollment Trends in Postsecondary Education

2021 Condition of Education Report Released: The Institute of Education Sciences recently released the 2021 Condition of Education. This annual report contains key indicators for all levels of education, labor market outcomes and international comparisons. The biggest changes in the report this year include two spotlight indicators to examine the preliminary educational impacts of COVID-19 on online learning and on secondary and postsecondary education. Key findings from the report include: 

• Two-thirds of K-12 students used online resources in a distance learning environment in September 2020. 
• In 2018-19, the average cohort graduation rate for high school students was 86%, the highest rate since first measured in 2011. 
• 66% of 2019 high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary education. 

Report on Inequalities in Access to Technology: A new report from the Institute of Higher Education Policy examined polling data from New America and Third Way to highlight the inequalities different student populations face regarding technological challenges. The disparities in access to technology, such as lack of reliable internet access and sharing devices with others in the same household, disproportionately affect students of color, students from low-income backgrounds and students who are caretakers, which limits the learners’ ability to participate in higher education opportunities. To overcome these barriers so all students have access to high-quality education, the researchers provide recommendations for higher education intuitions and the U.S. Department of Education. The recommendations are: 

• Including technology costs in financial aid and cost of attendance 
• Collecting and publishing disaggregated data on student access to reliable internet and technology 
• Strengthening broadband and technology supports for students 

Positive Impacts from Accelerated College Credit Programs: Accelerated college credit programs have positive effects on student outcomes in Rhode Island, according to a new study from the Institute of Education Sciences' Regional Educational Laboratory Program. To understand the effect of these programs on high school completion rates and postsecondary outcomes, the researchers analyzed participation in dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment and AP testing programs using data from the 2013-14 9th grade student cohort in the state. They found that almost half of all students participated in at least one accelerated college credit program, however, students of color, male and lower income students were underrepresented in these programs. Another finding showed overall statistically significant, positive effects of participating in accelerated college credit options on students’ graduation rates, enrollment in postsecondary institutions and avoiding enrollment in developmental education courses during the first year of postsecondary education.  

New Transfer Enrollment Trends in Postsecondary Education: Transfer enrollment in postsecondary institutions declined during COVID-19, according to a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Researchers found that overall enrollment of postsecondary transfer students declined by 10% in spring 2021 compared to a year ago. These transfer declines were largely concentrated in community colleges, which saw a 16.3% decline in transfer enrollment. Four-year institutions only saw a 1.5% decline in enrollment transfers. Upward transfers from community colleges to four-year institutions increased by 1.5%.  

Webinars on Implementation of Practices from Designing and Delivering Career Pathways at Community Colleges: In March of this year, the Institute of Educational Sciences’ What Works Clearinghouse released a practice guide, Designing and Delivering Career Pathways at Community Colleges, that provides community colleges with recommendations for supporting postsecondary occupational skills through career pathways. Since the release of the guide, the Clearinghouse has hosted three of six webinars on the implementation of practices from the guide. The first webinar covered recommendations and strategies from the guide and included the experts who contributed to the guide. The subsequent webinars each cover a practice guide recommendation and feature practitioners sharing their experiences implementing the recommendation. The first recommendation is to intentionally design and structure career pathways to enable students to further their education, secure a job, and advance in employment. The second recommendation is to deliver contextualized or integrated basic skills instruction to accelerate students’ entry into and successful completion of career pathways. Webinars on the third, fourth and fifth recommendations will be released later this year. 

Research Round-up: Equity in Dual Enrollment Programs, Understanding Inequities in CTE and STEM, Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Employment Rates

Creating Equity in Dual Enrollment Programs: Many CTE programs that offer dual credit opportunities face gaps in alignment between secondary and postsecondary learner levels that lead to quality and equity inconsistencies in these programs, according to new research from Advance CTE. This policy brief is the second in a series designed to offer strategies to help CTE programs overcome the barriers to participation in early postsecondary opportunities and credit transfer so learners can have access to high-skill, high-wage and in-demand careers. The policy brief offers four key strategies for states to use to overcome these barriers, and provides best practice examples from Ohio, Tennessee and Utah.  

Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Employment Rates: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated youth unemployment rates and youth have experienced unique challenges in employment during the pandemic, according to a new report from the Center for Promise at America’s Promise Alliance. The researchers surveyed 16–24-year-olds about their professional journeys over the past year and wrote about five key findings: 

• Young workers are facing challenges with finances and mental health, and are facing significant barriers to employment 
• The pandemic has increased concern about the future workforce 
• Young people are experiencing pervasive race- and gender-based discrimination in the workforce 
• Professional connections and support networks help these youth reach their work goals 
• Only half of the youth have hope about the future workforce  

Promoting Economic Mobility in Postsecondary Institutions: Following earlier work on analyzing ways to measure economic outcomes, a new report continues exploring these topics to promote economic mobility and social justice in postsecondary institutions. The researchers call on postsecondary institutions to provide more information to help students make more informed decisions about going to a postsecondary institution, eliminate completion gaps and remove affordability as an indicator of institutional value. The report also addresses the inequities students face based on race, socioeconomic and gender status, as well as the gaps in completion rates, retention rates and income later in life. 

Exploring the Root Causes for Inequities in CTE and STEM: The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) released a new resource exploring the root causes of inequities in CTE and STEM programs and providing strategies on how to overcome these barriers. Included in the resource is a literature summary and infographic framework of a system of equity in CTE and STEM. The framework provides four different interdependent elements to examine how individual learners are affected by the dynamics within education, careers and community.  The researchers also provide theories and strategies aimed at identifying and addressing the elements that perpetuate inequities to promote sustainable and equitable change.   

Research on Equitable Education Practices to Improve Student Outcomes: A new research report investigates educational technology practices that are positively influencing the educational outcomes of specific racial and ethnic groups. By identifying institutional, instructional and educational practices, the researchers want more programs to better understand how equitable and inclusive learning experiences can be implemented across postsecondary institutions. The researchers analyzed peer-reviewed studies and came up with recommendations for different postsecondary populations, such as administrators and staff, faculty and instructors, and students. 

Economic Impact of Racial and Socioeconomic Inequities in Postsecondary Institutions: The U.S. economy loses hundreds of billions of dollars every year due to racial and socioeconomic inequities in postsecondary education, according to a report from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. The report hypothesizes what would happen if the bottom 40 percent of earners received postsecondary degrees at the same rate as the top 60 percent and if postsecondary attainment was the same across all racial groups. Testing this theory, the researchers found that over half the population would have postsecondary degrees, and postsecondary attainment would significantly increase for low-income, Black, Latino and Asian American populations. The authors argue that more people earning more degrees would increase tax revenue because there would be more spending. The authors also argue that postsecondary attainment correlates with lower incarceration rates and better health outcomes, leading to less annual spending on the criminal justice system, public health benefits and public assistance programs. 

Analyzing CTE's Impact on Postsecondary Outcomes

CTE concentrators are seven percent more likely to graduate from high school on time and 10 percent more likely to enroll in postsecondary education within two years of graduating compared to non-CTE concentrators, according to a new report from the Institute of Education Sciences’ Regional Education Laboratory Central (REL). REL worked together with education leaders in Nebraska and South Dakota to examine the impact of secondary CTE on graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment and completion within two to four years.  The researchers sought to answer two research questions throughout their analysis:  

1. What is the impact of being a CTE concentrator on high school graduation, two-year and five-year postsecondary enrollment and completion, and type of postsecondary award attained?  
2. How do high school graduation and two-year and five-year postsecondary outcomes vary by career cluster? 

For the first question, overall, the data showed positive impacts of a learner being a CTE concentrator. Not only did the data show that CTE concentrators were more likely to graduate from high school on time and enroll in postsecondary education, but these learners were also more likely to earn a postsecondary award within two and five years of graduation. Findings from the second research question focused on learner outcomes of concentrators in each career cluster. The researchers found that regardless of the career cluster, high school graduation rates were consistently higher than those learners who were non-CTE concentrators. Regarding specific career clusters, learners in finance, marketing, health sciences, and government and public administration had the highest two- and five-year postsecondary enrollment rates. Learners in transportation, distribution and logistics, had the highest two-year postsecondary award attainment rates, yet the third lowest for five-year postsecondary award attainment rates. 

The researchers conclude that the findings provide evidence that state and local education agency leaders can use when determining whether to fund, strengthen or expand CTE programs. These findings also suggest that CTE concentrators might have a greater likelihood of completing a certificate, diploma or associate degree, and almost as high a chance of completing a bachelor’s degree, as other students—challenging misperceptions that CTE is not academically rigorous. The researchers encourage students and families to use these findings when deciding whether and how to participate in CTE programs. They also encourage education leaders to look at the postsecondary enrollment and attainment rates across career clusters to better align CTE programs with local, regional and state workforce needs.