College and Career Readiness: Can Career and Technical Education in High School Do Both?

• In Event: Student Success Outcomes in Career and Technical Education

Abstract

Expanding career and technical education (CTE) is a part of many state workforce development policies for filling employment gaps in key industries. High school CTE programs, which tend to disproportionately serve low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities, have been linked positively to some student outcomes; however, more work is needed to understand the effect of CTE on postsecondary attainment especially given the rising importance of postsecondary education on economic mobility. This analysis uses an instrumental variables approach on student-level longitudinal data to isolate a causal impact on CTE concentration on college and career outcomes 7-years post-graduation. I find that CTE concentration in high school causes reduced postsecondary attainment but an increased earnings premium.

Author

• Sophie E. McGuinness, Vanderbilt University