Career academies have the potential to prepare students for successful transitions to postsecondary education and employment by combining academic and technical curricula around a theme. As such, they have become an increasingly popular strategy over the past several decades to ensure that students are equipped with the skills they need once they graduate.
This study from MDRC presents the results of a rigorous, randomized evaluation of the Career Academy approach. The study describes how Career Academies influenced students’ labor market prospects and postsecondary educational attainment in the eight years following their expected graduation. This study provides rich data on the effectiveness and value of Career Academies.
