Lowering the Cost of CTE: Evidence from a Graduation Requirement Reform in Florida

• In Event: Shaping CTE Pathways: Evidence on Policy Levers from High School to College

Abstract

States are increasingly investing in Career and Technical Education (CTE) as a strategy to strengthen the alignment between K–12 education and the labor market, and experimenting with policies to expand access and participation in this track. A growing literature examines how Career and Technical Education (CTE) policies shape student outcomes through expanded access and increased participation. Bonilla (2020) shows that expanding structured CTE pathways can reduce high school dropout, while Dougherty et al. (2023)  find that policies requiring or strongly encouraging CTE coursetaking can improve educational attainment and early labor market outcomes. At the same time, Ecton (2023) highlights that students face binding time and credit constraints, generating trade-offs in course allocation, and Ecton and Dougherty (2022) document substantial variation in CTE impacts across fields and student groups. Despite these advances, less is known about how the structure of graduation requirements influences access to CTE.
This study examines a recent policy change in Florida that directly targets this margin. In 2023, Florida allowed one CTE course to satisfy a graduation requirement previously reserved for arts courses. By permitting substitution within existing credit requirements, the policy reduces barriers to graduation for CTE-oriented students, and incentivizes all students to explore CTE courses, improving the likelihood of starting or completing a CTE concentration or earning a credential. This design provides a distinct contrast to policies that expand supply or mandate participation, instead altering the constraint set that governs students’ course-taking decisions.
Using administrative records for all high school students in a large Florida district (entry cohorts 2017–2024), linked to postsecondary outcomes from the National Student Clearinghouse, this study addresses four questions: (1) Does eligibility for the substitution increase total CTE credits earned? (2) Does it increase the probability of earning an industry certification? (3) Does it affect on-time high school graduation? and (4) Does it shift postsecondary enrollment toward vocational and technical programs, including two-year degrees and CTE-aligned fields? I estimate difference-in-differences models leveraging variation in cohort exposure to the policy, complemented by within-student specifications.
Preliminary results suggest that the reform increased CTE coursetaking, with more modest effects on graduation outcomes. Ongoing work examines impacts on certification attainment and postsecondary enrollment, including potential shifts toward vocational and technical pathways.
By focusing on graduation requirements rather than mandates or financial incentives, this study explores a high-impact, low upfront cost policy alternative through which states may influence student participation in CTE and their downstream educational and labor market outcomes.

Authors

• Nicolas Acevedo, University of Michigan
  Presenting Author

• Walter G Ecton, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Co-Author