Journal of Academic Development and Education JADE Issue 10 | Page 38

38 | JADE
ARTICLE #2 | 39
RONA WALKER & AAREK FARMER
Loschert (2016) noted that students from low-income high schools,
where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price
lunch (FRPL) are less likely to enroll in postsecondary education,
continue, and earn a degree than their more affluent peers. In fact,
The High School Benchmarks Report: National College Progression
Rates, an annual report from the National Student Clearinghouse®
Research Center™ (NSCRC) stated that the school poverty level is
one of the strongest predictors of whether students will continue
their education after high school. Among the subgroup of low-
income schools considered as “high-poverty” high schools, where at
least three-quarters of students qualify for FRPL, 51% of graduates
enrolled in college immediately after high school. Students from low-
income public high schools also continue and complete college at
lower rates than those from higher-income schools.
Effective CTE programs allow students to earn dual enrollment
credits, industry-endorsed certificates, and technical endorsements
while earning high school diplomas (Plank, DeLuca, & Estacion,
2005). Dual enrollment is a core component of many CTE programs,
ensuring students can advance along a career pathway that
concludes in a postsecondary degree or credential (ACTE, 2014).
Moreover, an apprenticeship is a CTE program that allows students
to transition from high school to college and from college to the
workplace (Bradley, 2016). CTE career pathways, bridging grades
9 through 14 from high school to college (Visher, 2015) have the
potential to engage more students and increase high school
graduation rates and postsecondary success (College and Career
Readiness and Success Center, 2013).
Historically, children within high poverty environments were often
targeted for the then, vocational programs (Lewis & Cheng, 2006;
Stone, 2014; Symonds, Schwartz, & Ferguson, 2011). Also, many low-
performing students were placed in low-level vocational education
courses that did not prepare them for success in postsecondary
education. CTE continues to be viewed by some as a low-level
vocational education (College and Career Readiness and Success
Center, 2013). Nevertheless, currently most Career and Technical
Education programs are designed to hold all students to more
rigorous standards to prepare them for postsecondary education
and beyond.
Careers and technical education programs offer students an
alternative to college prep programs. Although there have been
discussions about career and technical education and academic
“tracking,” or the sorting of students into tiered courses based on
past academic performance or perceived ability, CTE may offer
another path for high school completion for non-college bound
students. Depending on its structure, academic requirements,
and student demographics, a career and technical program can
THE IMPACT OF A CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ON
THE GRADUATION RATES AND COLLEGE ENROLLMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
resemble an academic track in that certain types of students or
certain educational outcomes may predominate (Edglossary, 2014).
However, schools may be hurting student motivation by encouraging
all students to go to college. Not every student wants to go to
college; resembling college students, high school students should
be allowed to change their mind as to the educational or career path
that interest them (Richmond, 2012).
Research shows disadvantaged students have greater success
when enrolled in CTE programs. CTE can benefit students directly
by allowing them to earn money, both before and after graduation,
increasing student engagement, retention, and persistence and
directing them to postsecondary education and the pursuit of
lifelong learning (Brown, 2003). Many factors contribute to these
outcomes. Career and technical education programs motivate
students to get involved in their learning by engaging them in
problem-solving activities that lead to the construction of knowledge
and by providing them with hands-on activities that enable them to
apply knowledge.
Over the past few decades, learning expectations for career and
technical education have risen significantly, largely in response to
the increasing sophistication of modern careers that are demanding
higher levels of education, training, and skill from the workforce
(Edglossary, 2014). To directly address the college- and career-
readiness needs of all students, including disadvantaged or at-risk
students, decrease the dropout rate, increase student engagement
and address the nationwide skills gap, schools should consider
expanding opportunities for students to gain knowledge directly
related to their career interests and strengths. It is important to
place more emphasis on the preparation of high school students for
college and careers because both options will require some form of
advanced education or skills training if students are to compete in
today’s labor market.
Bradley (2016) stated that South Carolina has created a pipeline for
students to transition from high school to college and from college
to the workplace through their Apprenticeship Carolina program.
While adding value to the local economy, Apprenticeship Carolina
is a program that does not have apprentices; it is an intermediary
and an extension of the technical college system in South Carolina.
Through this program, youth apprentices who are registered with
the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship, work, and
earn a wage, have the option to dual enroll in the South Carolina
Technical College System (Bradley, 2016). Finally, Chambers (2017)
suggested that most CTE high school programs offer early college
credit opportunities to provide a seamless transition to post-
secondary education.