P R E S E N T E D B Y

THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH NETWORK: CONNECTING TO THE FIELD

Gregg Seaton, Associate Director

Lisa Soricone, Senior Research Director

Pathways to Prosperity Network Fall Institute

October 29, 2019

3,2,1 EXERCISE

If you had to explain CTE to someone who had “no clue”

about CTE, what three noteworthy things about CTE

you would highlight?

These items can address the context(s), process, and

outcomes of CTE.

1.What are 3 CTE highlights? (10 mins)

2.Define CTE (5 mins)

3.Career and Technical Education Research Network (CTERN) Overview (15 mins)

4.Share 2 noteworthy CTE research findings (10 mins)

5.CTERN and Research (10 mins)

6.CTERN Workgroups (10 mins)

7.Give 1 recommendation for CTERN (5 mins)

WHAT IS CTE?

Career and technical education (CTE) is an educational strategy for providing

young people with the academic, technical, and employability skills and

knowledge to pursue postsecondary training or higher education and enter a

career field prepared for ongoing learning.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Association for Career and Technical Education, & National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium, 2010

CTE PARTICIPATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH:

• Lower high school dropout rates

• Higher school attendance

• Higher earnings and labor market participation rates

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?

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Network Lead

AIR – Kathy HughesACTE – Steve DeWittJFF – Lisa SoriconeVanderbilt – Shaun Dougherty

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CTE Research Network Goals

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CTE Research Network Structure

3,2,1 EXERCISE

Share two noteworthy research findings or studies regarding the impact of CTE

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CTERN Studies

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PTECH 9-14 Schools: An Impact, Implementation, and Cost Study

Research Team PI: Crystal Byndloss, MDRCCo-PI: Rachel Rosen, MDRC

Research Overviewhttps://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=2028

In this project, researchers will assess the implementation, impact and cost of the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) 9-14 school model in New York City. The evaluation will provide long-term evidence for P-TECH and policymakers about a model that has been rapidly expanded and scaled nationally, now operating in more than 60 schools – 7 in NYC.

https://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=2028

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Assessing the Implementation, Impact, and Variation of CTE Innovation: NYC as a Lab for Rigorous CTE Research

Research Team PI: James Kemple, NYUCo-PIs:

Sean Corcoran, VanderbiltRebecca Unterman, MDRCShaun Dougherty, Vanderbilt

Research Overviewhttps://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=2032

In this project, researchers will estimate the causal impact of New York City's Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs on students' career and work-related learning experiences, social and behavioral competencies, high school diploma receipt, and transitions to college and the labor market. The study will examine variation across more than 200 of NYC's CTE programs to identify malleable factors that are associated with impacts.

https://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=2032

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The Evaluation of College and Career Promise

Research Team PI: Julie Edmunds, University of North CarolinaCo-PI: Fatih Unlu, RAND Corporation

Research Overviewhttps://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=3255

In this project, researchers will examine the implementation, impact, and cost of all components of Career and College Promise (CCP), a set of three structured dual enrollment pathways in North Carolina (College Transfer, Career and Technical Education, and Cooperative Innovative High Schools, which includes early colleges).

https://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=3255

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The Causal Impact of Attending a Career-Technical High School on Student Achievement, High School Graduation, and College EnrollmentResearch Team PI: Shaun Dougherty, VanderbiltCo-PIs:

Eric Brunner, University of ConnecticutStephen Ross, University of Connecticut

Research Overviewhttps://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=1874

In this project, researchers will use admissions criteria and longitudinal data to estimate the causal effect of being admitted to and attending one of 16 oversubscribed high schools in the Connecticut Technical High School System (CTHSS), where all students participate in some form of CTE, relative to attending a traditional comprehensive high school with fewer opportunities to access CTE.

https://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=1874

§ Studied effect of admission to 16 CTE high schools§ Used Regression Discontinuity Design (in or out based on score)

§ CTHSS males - 10 percentage points more likely to graduate from high school- 8 percentage points less likely to attend college (fades over time)- 31% higher quarterly earnings

§ No effect on females’ education or labor market outcomes

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Bruner et al., 2019: https://cteresearchnetwork.org/resources/effects-career-and-technical-education-evidence-connecticut-technical-high-school-system

Connecticut Technical High School System Study Findings

https://cteresearchnetwork.org/resources/effects-career-and-technical-education-evidence-connecticut-technical-high-school-system

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Evaluability Assessment§ Goal: identify two to six promising CTE

models/programs at the secondary and/or the postsecondary level that show readiness for an impact evaluation

§ Process: broad outreach/nomination, questionnaire, interviews, site visits

§ Product: Public report detailing the process and the final candidates for evaluation

CTE Research Network Work Groups

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Explore issues related to measurement in CTE that have implications for the conducting of rigorous research (e.g., measures of fidelity of implementation, effectively determining counterfactuals)

Examine and report out on data sources available for studying CTE

Eric Brunner – Research LeadLisa Soricone – CTERN Lead Facilitator

Work Group: Defining & Measuring CTE

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Current Activities: • Two working papers in

development- Measuring CTE- Counterfactuals in CTE

• CTE Data Catalog

Examine issues of equity – including tracking and under-representation – as they relate to CTE students/faculty/ researchers and programs/policies

Explore the findings of research on CTE: - the examination of subgroups- what works for different groups

Crystal Byndloss – Research LeadGregg Seaton – CTERN Lead Facilitator

Work Group: Equity and Student Subgroups

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Current Activities:• Equity in CTE Research Blog

Series• Equity in CTE Research Podcast

Series

Generate ideas for pursuing supplemental activities to be carried out jointly by Network members

§ Address pressing CTE challenges

§ Influence CTE policy/practice§ Build on research/policy/practice

James Kemple – Research LeadKathy Hughes – CTERN Lead Facilitator

Work Group: Supplemental Activity Planning

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Current Activities: • Identifying potential supplemental

activities• Developing rubric/process for

supplemental activity proposal consideration

CLOSING ACTIVITY

What ideas do you have?

• research questions/topics that would add value to the field

• things researchers should know

• good ways to disseminate what we are learning

Now that you know more…

§ Visit our website! https://cteresearchnetwork.org/

§ Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for news and updates

§ Sign up for our mailing list on the website – newsletter coming soon!

§ Contact Gregg or Lisagseaton@jff.orglsoricone@jff.org

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Stay Connected to the Network!

https://cteresearchnetwork.org/mailto:gseaton@jff.orgmailto:lsoricone@jff.org

Thank you!

WHAT IS CTE?

Career and technical education (CTE) prepares students with academic, technical, and employability skills for success in the workplace and in further education. Most high school students take at least one CTE course, and postsecondary students commonly pursue credentials in CTE. However, more research is needed to understand the effects of CTE on student outcomes. The CTE Research Network seeks to meet this need by increasing the number of CTE impact studies and strengthening the capacity of the field to conduct and use rigorous CTE research.