This study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) tracks the 2013 high school cohort through 2021 to examine CTE participation and postsecondary outcomes. By 2019, 85% of graduates had taken a CTE course, with highest participation in IT, human services, and business. Male and rural students participated more; Asian students the least. By 2021, 80% of CTE concentrators had enrolled in postsecondary education, slightly below nonconcentrators. They were more likely to earn associate’s degrees, but less likely to earn bachelor’s. Alignment between high school and college fields varied—strongest in healthcare and public services, weaker in computer science—highlighting diverse outcomes by field.
Credentials and Assessments
Over the last decade, non-degree credentials have become a key focus in Career Technical Education (CTE) and workforce development,…
