Credit Accumulation and Graduation Rates in the School District of Philadelphia: Protective Effects of Career and Technical Education

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Graduation Rates and Professional Development in Career and Technical Education

Abstract

Like many large urban districts, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) faces complex challenges with respect to the timely promotion and graduation of its students. Grade retention and credit recovery are important elements of this picture. This study uses longitudinal administrative data from three cohorts to evaluate the role of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in facilitating promotion. CTE participation is associated with improved recovery of credits and, ultimately, on-time graduation. Additional school level analyses using high-stakes test data establish that positive effects of CTE are not attributable to grade inflation at CTE schools. These findings suggest that CTE programming may be an effective and economically viable means of increasing on-time graduation rates in large, urban districts.

Authors

• Theodore W. Wills, School Distrcit of Philadelphia

• Kelsey Weir