Project Activities
Researchers at UCD collaborated with the CCCCO on analysis of system data aimed at improving programming and policies for CTE students and developing measures for CCCCO's accountability system. UCD researchers worked with the CCCCO to develop analytical models and data analysis procedures. Partnership members met monthly to discuss research progress and policy issues.
Structured Abstract
Setting
This study took place in the 114 California community colleges.
Sample
The enrollment of California community colleges was approximately 2.6 million annually from 2010 to 2016. This partnership focused on the subset of 87 thousand students with CTE goals and/or course-taking behaviors and 236 thousand students in the comparison group.
Although career technical education and workforce development is very commonly noted as a major mission of community colleges, very little is known about how effectively community colleges identify CTE students, their degree intentions, or their outcomes.
Initial research
This project team used quantitative analysis (both exploratory and quasi-experimental) with detailed individual-level longitudinal data derived from administrative sources: California Community College Chancellor's Office and employment and wage data from the State of California Employment Development Department.
Key measures
Key measures included CTE enrollment types, goals, degree completion, and earning return.
Data analytic strategy
Researchers conducted quantitative analyses (both exploratory and quasi-experimental) with detailed individual-level longitudinal data from the CCCCO as well as employment and wage data from the State of California Employment Development Department. To address returns to specific CTE credentials, researchers used individual fixed-effects models with covariates for student characteristics and prior work history. To identify non-degree seekers, researchers used regression with covariates including students' course-taking behaviors and stated objectives. To assess factors associated with degree completion, the research team used discrete-time survival analysis with covariates to explain students' persistence and completion trajectories.
Key outcomes
- Increase in a CTE program's flexibility was associated with increases in enrollment and completions, but not with changes in its completion rate (Grosz et al., 2022).
- CTE certificates and degrees were associated with increased in earning return. Stevens et al. (2019) estimated that returns to CTE certificate and degrees ranged from 14 to 45 percent on average. The researchers found that largest returns were for programs in the healthcare sector, estimated from 15 to 23 percent points of an increase.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Select Publications:
Grosz, M., Kurlaender, M., & Stevens, A. (2022). Capacity and flexibility in community college CTE programs: program offerings and student success. Research in Higher Education, 63(1), 140-188.
Stevens, A. H., Kurlaender, M., & Grosz, M. (2019). Career technical education and labor market outcomes: Evidence from California community colleges. Journal of Human Resources, 54(4), 986-1036.
Supplemental information
Co-Principal Investigators: van Ommeren, Alice; Stevens, Ann
Partnership Institutions: University of California, Davis; California Community College Chancellor's Office
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
