SILVER SPRING, MD (November 12, 2020) – Today, Advance CTE announces that four states and the District of Columbia have been selected to participate in a cohort focused on improving postsecondary Career Technical Education (CTE) data quality. This cohort is part of an initiative announced in June 2020 and generously funded by ECMC Foundation.
Advance CTE has found that access to quality data in state-level decision making for postsecondary CTE programming is a priority for 86 percent of State CTE Directors, yet many states lack access to data and data collection infrastructure. Alabama, Delaware, Florida,Oregon and Washington, D.C. were selected to form a cohort focused on improving the quality of data collected on postsecondary CTE programs and using data to improve CTE program offerings, strengthen outcomes equitably across learner groups and special populations, and align the interests of learners with industry and programmatic needs.
As part of the cohort, the five grantees will receive planning and implementation grants, technical assistance and a peer support network to improve the quality and use of postsecondary CTE data. The resources will support each site’s efforts to develop and implement two-year action plans to build and improve structures for postsecondary CTE data collection, analysis and sharing. The grants will be executed by the following education partners in each state: Alabama Community College System, Delaware Department of Education, University of the District of Columbia – Community College, Florida Department of Education, and Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission.
Each state will focus on different aspects of data quality, from the creation of new data systems to improving accuracy and collection procedures to advance existing priorities for postsecondary CTE programs.
Alabama aims to improve the accuracy of postsecondary CTE enrollment data through the use of its new P20W data system. Delaware strives to implement a new performance accountability model to enhance data linkages and expand access to postsecondary career pathways statewide. Florida is focusing on developing new data models and collection procedures for postsecondary work-based learning programs. The District of Columbia will maximize peer and specialist support to advance its postsecondary CTE data system, which is in its early stages. Oregon will focus on improving data collection and sharing to monitor outcomes for learners in short-term credentialing programs, particularly groups severely impacted by COVID-19.
“Quality data is critical for states to develop relevant, equitable, and effective CTE programs that meet the unique and dynamic needs of postsecondary learners”, said Kimberly Green, Executive Director, Advance CTE. “The five grantees represent a snapshot of the diverse challenges facing data quality, and we are excited about the potential of this cohort to foster innovation and develop foundational systems for quality data that can be scaled nationally in the years to come.”
“ECMC Foundation is proud to support such a geographically diverse cohort committed to improving postsecondary CTE data quality,” said Patrick Bourke, career readiness program officer, ECMC Foundation. “With CTE likely to take on renewed importance in the economic recovery from COVID-19, Advance CTE’s leadership in this area will help these sites harness their data to achieve more equitable outcomes for students in postsecondary CTE programs.”
Learn more about this initiative and the states here.
“We are excited to have been selected to play an integral part in Advance CTE’s Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative. It is an honor to be given an opportunity to serve as a change agent for how data is collected, analyzed and disseminated in postsecondary career and technical education,” said Natalie English, Director of Career and Technical Education, Alabama Community College System
“Through our Combined Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Perkins State Plan, Delaware has made tremendous strides in creating a career pathways system that is predicated on stackable industry credentials and connected degree programs,” said Dr. Susan Bunting, Secretary of Education. “We are excited to participate in the Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality initiative, and we applaud Advance CTE and ECMC Foundation for recognizing the importance of data quality in improving student equity and in linking education to employment outcomes.”
“The quality of Career and Technical Education programs dramatically improve when there’s a clear connection between secondary, postsecondary, and workforce programs within the region. We are proud to partner with the University of the District of Columbia Community College and Advance CTE as we implement and improve our program quality initiatives at the Community College, providing a data-driven way to make these connections a reality,” said Richard Kincaid, State Director, Career and Technical Education, Office of the State Superintendent of Education
“Florida strives to support its citizens by providing valuable postsecondary workforce education opportunities that align with current and future economic demands, and has placed an emphasis on reenergizing interest in CTE by way of the GetThereFL.com campaign. The Initiative led by Advance CTE and ECMC foundation is an invaluable opportunity for Florida to enhance the data we collect on our CTE offerings to ensure for meaningful opportunities that lead to sustainable family wages and upward social mobility,” said Keith Richard, Statewide Director of Career and Technical Education Quality, Florida Department of Education, Division of Career and Adult Education
“We’re delighted for the opportunity to join other states in this innovative collaborative initiative to improve the data systems that help us steer and improve CTE initiatives and investments. Quality CTE data is important in order to help us understand what CTE strategies work best and for whom, so that ultimately we can scale up the most promising student success strategies, better serve adult learners seeking short term credentials, and improve equitable CTE educational opportunity for Oregon’s most underserved and underrepresented communities,” said Ben Cannon, Executive Director, Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
Advance CTE is the longest-standing national non-profit that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Established in 1920, Advance CTE supports visionary state leadership, cultivates best practices and speaks with a collective voice to advance high-quality CTE policies, programs and pathways that ensure career success for each learner.
About ECMC Foundation
ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation whose mission is to inspire and to facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes—especially among underserved populations—through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments in two focus areas: College Success and Career Readiness; and uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation’s vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.org and ECMC Group by visiting www.ecmcgroup.org.
Media Contacts:
Katie Fitzgerald, Advance CTE
kfitzgerald@careertech.org
Cielestia Calbay, ECMC Foundation
ccalbay@ecmc.org
