Definition and Measurement Issues in Career and Technical Education

Does high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) work as intended to prepare students for both college and careers? In recent years, researchers have used richer data and improved methods to understand the impact of CTE for students and early career professionals. The evidence to date is broadly positive, suggesting that students who complete CTE programs in high school are more likely to graduate, have increased employment rates, and earn more in the short- to medium-term. Yet, many studies draw their conclusions based on analyses of data from a single state, often benefiting from the use of the type of comprehensive administrative data lacking in national surveys. Because states have been given significant latitude in establishing measures of CTE and setting performance levels, comparisons of indicators across states, or even over time within one state, can pose a challenge.