Data collection is a key mandate of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 as a means to hold state and local grantees accountable for achieving positive student outcomes, but grantees often face difficulty meeting these requirements due to a variety of external factors.
This report, a joint effort between Advance CTE and the Center for Career & Adult Education and Workforce Development at RTI International, argues that additional guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and future legislation from Congress can help grantees generate valid, reliable and comparable state data. The paper walks through the various data sources and tools available, such as the National Clearinghouse of Data, state unemployment insurance data, the Wage Record Interchange System and the Federal Employment Data Exchange System.
The report then offers five recommendations for improving outcomes reporting:
- Integrate CTE into state longitudinal data systems.
- Promote state use of national data repositories.
- Identify indicators of transition that promote federal policies.
- Establish regulations governing placement.
- Provide states with reporting alternatives.
