Does Applied-STEM Career and Technical Education Strengthen the STEM Pipeline for Low-Income High School Students?

• In Event: Secondary Career and Technical Education: Success and Impacts

Abstract

Strengthening the STEM pipeline for new populations of students is critical to the future of our economy as STEM jobs will surpass STEM professionals. Applied-STEM career and technical education (AS-CTE) courses represent a sequence of courses with the potential to reengage students with the STEM pipeline, which has traditionally left low-income students behind. In this study, we use a linear probability model and instrumental variable analysis to predict high school graduation, college enrollment, and choosing a STEM major based on AS-CTE coursetaking. Our results indicate the potential benefits of AS-CTE courses associated with our outcomes of interest. Specifically, for each additional AS-CTE course, a student is roughly 5% more likely to choose a STEM major, conditional on enrolling in college.

Authors

• Daniel Klasik, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• William Zahran, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Michael A. Gottfried, University of Pennsylvania

• Jay Plasman, The Ohio State University