1. Program Quality
  2. Program Quality

Program Quality

Resources on topics such as program approval, accreditation, standards, programs of study, evaluation, personalized learning and academic-technical integration

Policy Benchmark Tool: CTE Program of Study Approval

  • Guide/Tool
September 2017 —

This tool from Advance CTE lays out the non-negotiable elements of an effective policy for approving and evaluating CTE programs of study and offers an assessment rubric that state leaders can use to identify gaps in their current state policy and prioritize areas for improvement.

Ensuring Career Pathway Quality: A Guide to Pathway Intervention

  • Guide/Tool
July 2018 —

This report from Advance CTE outlines the steps that state leaders can take when making decisions to transform or phase out pathways that do not have market relevance.

Raising the Bar: State Strategies for Developing and Approving High-quality Career Pathways

  • Case Study
April 2017 —

This report from Advance CTE examines successes in Tennessee, New Jersey and Delaware to demonstrate how states can use the career pathways approval process to raise the level of quality across the board. The report examines common approaches and unpacks key policy levers available to states.

The State of Career Technical Education: An Analysis of State CTE Standards

  • Research/ Report
October 2013 —

This report from Advance CTE provides a national view on how states adopt, organize and implement CTE standards at both the secondary and postsecondary levels, comparing all state standards to a common benchmark, the Common Career Technical Core.

Driving Quality in Postsecondary CTE: Approval and Evaluation Policies

  • Case Study
  • Research/ Report
August 2018 —

This report from Advance CTE explores how states can leverage program approval and program evaluation policies and processes to ensure postsecondary CTE program quality. The report examines state examples from California, Florida and Wisconsin.

Career Academies: Investing in Students, the Workforce and Career Technical Education

  • Case Study
  • Guide/Tool
May 2013 —

This Advance CTE brief defines career academies, describes their history and outlines research supporting these dynamic institutions. National, state and local career academy-related efforts are highlighted.

Pathways Tennessee Site Observation Tool

  • Guide/Tool
December 2016 —

This tool, developed by the Tennessee Department of Education, can be used to evaluate the quality of career pathways. It includes quality criteria and examples of sample evidence.

Pathways Tennessee Documentation Tool

  • Guide/Tool
December 2016 —

This tool, developed by the Tennessee Department of Education during Phase One of the New Skills for Youth initiative, is designed to map the scope and quality of career pathways programs.

The Learning that Works Resource Center was developed through the New Skills for Youth initiative, a partnership of the Council of Chief State School Officers, Advance CTE and the Education Strategy Group, generously funded by JPMorgan Chase & Co