Career and Technical Education Has Positive
 
Impact on High School  Drop-out Rates

    
Career and Technical Education (CTE) helps students remain in high school, according to research from the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE).

Supporting what many community members have suspected all along, CTE positively impacts the high school dropout rate, especially for students who are under performing academically. James Stone, Director of NRCCTE, released an analysis of data collected by NRCCTE during the National Policy Seminar held in March 2003.  Stone reported that contrary to findings of the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) report released in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education, it appeared that students, especially those who were underperforming, who took more career and technical education courses were less likely to leave school early.  For those students, results were most successful when they took half of their secondary coursework in CTE and the other half in their core academic subjects.  The research also showed that casual CTE exploration was not sufficient; major concentration in CTE was necessary for optimal student retention.

Sufficient evidence exists that maintaining secondary vocational education has value and maintaining state, federal and local investment in CTE is crucial to that continued success.  The study showed that students who are not performing well academically are being thrown into CTE because of poor counseling.  This area has been identified for improvement.  However, it is equally true that not every student wants to pursue an academic high school trajectory, and many students choose to pursue CTE because it aligns with their interests, abilities and their goal for the future.

Newer data is available that indicates that even grater strides are being made by CTE.  Results of student interviews and other information trickling in to NRCCTE support the contribution of CTE to academic achievement.  Students who take a balance of courses in CTE and academics (dual concentrators) are increasingly taking more and higher level math than students in the general track (students with low 8th grade GPA's who take fewer science courses), when traditionally they had performed about the same.  This research indicates that reform requirements of Federal Legislation's (Perkins I and III and school-to-work) are finally having an impact.

Students who take CTE during their secondary school years experience a definite economic payoff.  CTE students, who complete four courses or more in a career area and enter the workforce after secondary school, are likely to be employed and earn a higher wage.
 

James I. Maley Career and Technical Center 9601 Westlake  Taylor, Michigan 48180 Phone (313) 295-5757 Fax     (313) 291-1090 Get Map For Taylor Career and Technical Center

 

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