Below is an update from Independence Institute’s Pam Benigno, II’s Education Policy Center Director.

The concept of Career and Technical Education (CTE) corresponds to schools, programs, and institutions that provide students with specialized, career-oriented skills. CTE programs tend to combine career-driven education with elements of traditional high school academic curricula. CTE is not synonymous with vocational education, though the overlap may be considerable. Some studies indicate that students enrolled in CTE programs demonstrate graduation rates higher than their peers in more traditional educational tracks.

In 2020 the Education Policy Center will publish a paper that explores the field of Career and Technical Education in order to provide the public, school districts, and state legislators with information on the current state of CTE programs in Colorado; the policy landscape surrounding technical and career education; and the issues facing such programs. Broadly speaking, we wish to ascertain what makes Colorado CTE programs successful and alternately what barriers exist that may constrain further success or hinder it altogether.