Policymakers have responded to students’ and families’ interests in career and technical education (CTE) by creating strong workforce goals that align with pathways to these programs. But without data on the quality and outcomes of CTE programs, students and the adults who support them are left to make decisions about these opportunities in the dark. DQC’s resources show how policymakers can take the next step in supporting student success in CTE by creating the secure linkages necessary to collect and publicly report data that answers important questions about the pathways available.
Why Data Matters to Supporting Students Success in CTE
State Leaders Are Prioritizing Workforce Readiness but the Data to Get There Is Missing illustrates how, despite states’ interests in improving opportunities to CTE pathways, the lack of reliable data prevents students and families from making informed decisions about these programs.
Data is the Key to Making CTE Work for Students explores the value of publicly reported data on CTE programs in supporting students and families as they navigate these pathways in their states.
Grace’s Path to Success follows one student as she considers and navigates the different pathways available throughout her education journey, including CTE programs. This vision for ensuring that students and their families have the data necessary to make decisions about their futures can be made possible if policymakers securely, link, collect, and report data.
How Policymakers Can Make Robust CTE Data a Tool for All
Roadmap for K–12 and Workforce Data Linkages outlines how policymakers can ensure that quality data is securely linked across systems and over time so individuals at all levels can make better decisions about how to improve CTE program quality to meet state and student needs alike.
CTE Data Puts Meaningful Information about Student Pathways in the Hands of Policymakers details how states can leverage alignment across federal laws to equip policymakers and families with access to the outcomes data needed to answer crucial questions about CTE programs and the students served.
