This brief addresses the importance of a unifying vision for education and workforce that draws upon and regularly uses postsecondary CTE data to measure progress and guide state policy and practice. It is the first in Advance CTE's Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative (PDI) series highlighting five states participating in a…

Youth apprenticeship programs can give students access to valuable work-based learning experiences that provide insights into how their interest can connect to education and the workforce. Although these programs are often beneficial for participants, there is little data to show the programmatic landscape and impact. There are many challenges…

Career advising and development is an increasingly prevalent topic in policy conversations, but too often only focuses on high school-level strategies. Learners should see a clear line through their education from career awareness to exploration to planning, and this can only occur if strategies and initiatives are aligned across grade levels and…

This brief, the second in the series, advances a theory of change that centers the learner experience in strategies to improve institutional data collection and use and strengthen college information management systems. It is the second in the Advance CTE's Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative (PDI) series highlighting five states…

In 2014, RTI International, with the support of Advance CTE, conducted research on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, which established how states allocated categorical funds for CTE during the academic year 2011-12 and the amounts of those allocations. By returning to this topic 10 years later, Advance CTE seeks to understand how CTE is…

A strong, well-aligned data system allows State CTE [Career Technical Education] Directors and other state leaders to answer critical questions about the quality of their CTE programs and whether learners are participating and succeeding equitably. But today's state data systems are not meeting the need for data-informed decision making.…

Effective recruitment into Career Technical Education (CTE) programs requires framing CTE to meet the needs and aspirations of each learner and their parent/guardian. This Advance CTE report provides insights on what families value in their education; elevates what aspects and messages about CTE that most resonate as well as the go-to messengers…

When employers and learners achieve a shared understanding of what skills are needed for the jobs of the future and how those skills are counted and valued in the hiring process, learners make more informed decisions about a path to success in the career of their choice, and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs are more responsive to industry…

Today's learners are looking to explore career options that allow them to change their communities and often the language used to communicate careers and skill-building falls short of connecting a career path with a learner's passion. Similarly, while employers are searching for ways to increase dedication and retention among employees while also…

In a rapidly changing world, it is more important than ever for learners of all ages to develop the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in high-wage, high-skilled and high-demand careers of their choosing. Career Technical Education (CTE) is working with every state to help learners succeed, while also providing employers with skilled and…

College enrollment has increased over the past 10 years and is projected to continue growing over the next 10 for both full- and part-time students. At the same time, institutions face low retention and graduation rates. One policy that shows promise in increasing completion rates, especially for adult learners and those who served in the…

Career Technical Education (CTE) has come a long way in the last decade. CTE programs not only teach students real-world knowledge and skills, but increasingly provide opportunities for dual enrollment, industry-recognized credentials and meaningful work-based learning experiences. Yet, despite the many benefits of CTE -- including a graduation…

One unique and critical element of Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways is that they offer learners exposure and access to authentic experiences inside and outside the classroom. For these opportunities to be guaranteed, industry must play a key role in the design, development and delivery of CTE pathways, including in rural communities. This…