Assessing the education and employment outcomes of career and technical education students

Abstract

Recipients of funding through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) must report on the outcomes of students participating in career and technical education (CTE). This requirement includes the expectation that local grantees report on the subsequent employment or enrollment in postsecondary education or advanced training of CTE participants. Many states have difficulty collecting longitudinal data, compromising the accuracy and completeness of these accountability data. This paper reviews data collection options and offers recommendations for expanding state reporting capacity.