A majority of students in career and technical education teacher academies indicate that they do not want to be educators. Recognizing this, Skyline High School propelled its teacher academy program in a new direction and redesigned it in a way that is mutually beneficial to the teacher academy students, preK-12 learners, and the education…

Federal legislation has attempted to move career and technical education (CTE) from a narrow focus on low-wage job attainment for non-college bound youth to programs of study that prepare students for college and career readiness. However, few studies have demonstrated CTEs potential to prepare students for college. Using propensity score…

Policy makers have taken more interest in career and technical education (CTE) in recent years, but evidence regarding what kinds of programs produce the most important outcomes is still emerging. Shaun M. Dougherty summarizes what recent research tells us about the impact of these programs. Evidence has shown that CTE-dedicated schools, career…

Career academies are specialized educational programs that offer graduates a pathway to acquire the skills, knowledge, and credentials needed to enter the workforce or pursue further education in a specific career field. These programs are designed to improve student engagement, reduce dropout rates, and enhance post-graduation outcomes. The…

While Perkins V legislation and newer career and technical education programs were designed to prepare students for success in both college and career pathways and modern career and technical education programs are supposed to expand college and career readiness outcomes for students, there is a lack of research examining supports that promote the…

The purpose of this study was to explore how a career academy featuring an information technology (IT) theme approached the adoption of the model and the particular curricular focus. We used a case study design to explore the experiences of school personnel and community partners associated with the implementation of the career academy. We found…

Jobs for the Future (JFF) is developing this state policy framework to outline the steps states can take toward fully adopting each of the Big Blur's four key components and creating a more effective system for grades 11-14. The Big Blur argues for the need to erase the arbitrary boundaries between high school, college, and careers and create one…

The current U.S. secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce training systems are failing to serve the needs of many of today's students. Securing a good job with a family-sustaining wage increasingly requires workers to possess industry certifications, degrees, and credentials, but U.S. education systems are not set up to help…

The past decade has seen a resurgence of interest in career and technical education (CTE) as a way to engage students, help people build the skills necessary to succeed in a technologically advanced economy, and meet employer demand for workers. MDRC--which has a three-decade history of developing and evaluating CTE programs, including a landmark…

To support efforts to improve students' college readiness and success, leaders at the Palau Ministry of Education and Palau Community College want to understand the experiences and background of Palau High School graduates who are better prepared for Palau Community College. This study identified the Palau High School academic preparation…

As career and technical education (CTE) has evolved, many school districts that offer high-quality CTE programs such as career academies have found that these programs attract disproportionate numbers of students from historically advantaged populations. Drawing on data from a study of career academies in a large California school district, this…

Educators Rising, which is part of the PDK International Family of Associations, developed a set of seven standards to define what high school students exploring teaching need to know and be able to do to take their first steps on the path to accomplished teaching. The standards represent a new, shared vision from the field; the teaching…

COVID-19 caused students across the country to postpone or change their plans for college while simultaneously dampening job prospects. Hardest hit are families in poverty and students of color, both educationally and economically. Career pathways that include college and career preparation in high school can benefit students, but for that to…

In support of the national push for promoting career readiness, school-business partnerships have been noted as an Important support strategy. However, there is limited research in the context of career academies. Thus, we sought to explore the nature of a partnership between an information technology (IT) career academy and local business…

The Palau Ministry of Education and Palau Community College are aligning their education systems to better prepare students for college. Research on the high school academic preparation variables that predict college success is limited for students in Palau. Using data from Palau's Ministry of Education and Palau Community College, this study…