Project Activities
This project will consist of two phases. In phase 1, the researchers will conduct an exploratory analysis of CDOs available to DCPS middle and high school students. These opportunities include career academies, formal coursework, internships, apprenticeships, career coaching, student organizations, and general career exploration activities. The researchers will describe the components of each program, its location(s), participants, cost and management structure, and goals. They will also explore the outcomes of each opportunity and draw conclusions about whether resources are allocated equitably throughout the district. Based on the findings from phase 1, the research team will collaborate with IES and the lead for the Extending the Reach of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research Network to identify the most suitable CDO as the focus of the impact study in phase 2.
Structured Abstract
In this project, the researchers will explore career development opportunities (CDOs) for middle and high school students in Washington, D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), with the goal of informing decisions that support schools' ability to prepare students equitably and effectively for entry into the workforce. Attaining a stable, family-sustaining, fulfilling career requires individuals have technical skills, professional competencies, education or certifications, social and emotional aptitudes, and knowledge of and access to pathways to enter jobs of their choice. To help ensure this, DCPS offers all middle and high school students access to some form of career exploration, with 20 percent of the district's 12,900 high schoolers participating in academies and programs of study focused on development of skills for specific careers. This research team will provide insights into who is taking which CTE programs and which programs or components of programs are associated with promising student outcomes.
Setting
This project will take place in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) in Washington, D.C.
Sample
This study includes approximately 21,000 students at 22 middle schools and 18 high schools in DCPS. In the 2021-22 school year, the largest student groups in grades 9 through 12 by race and ethnicity were Black students (65 percent), Hispanic students (21 percent), and White students (10 percent). Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and students of 2 or more races together comprised 5 percent of all DCPS students. DCPS's total enrollment has 15 percent students with disabilities, 16 percent English learners, and 45 percent students designated "at-risk".
CDOs in DCPS include career academies (located at every comprehensive high school), focused and elective coursework (available at all high schools and seven middle schools), summer and school year internships, apprenticeships, career and technical student organizations, general job exploration, career counseling, and dual enrollment.
Research design and methods
In phase 1, the researchers will use a mixed-methods exploratory analysis to describe the components and locations of CDOs available to and used by DCPS middle and high school students. They will also explore the components and structure of each program as well as the numbers and characteristics of program participants. Using this information, they will assess whether opportunities and access are equitable and whether some CDOs are associated with better learner outcomes. In the phase 1 exploratory study, the researchers will use qualitative methods that include interviews with principals, program leaders, and program staff and a questionnaire to gather structured information on the implementation of programs. They will use quantitative methods of administrative data to conduct regression-based analyses of the association between participation and outcomes. In phase 2, the researchers will examine program implementation, cost, and impact of one CDO, using a mixed-methods approach that includes rigorous quantitative experimental or quasi-experimental methodologies and in-depth observations, focus groups, and interviews. They will determine the specific focus of and methods for the impact study in phase 2 in consultation with IES and the CTE network. Outcomes for the impact study may include, depending on the program selected, achievement of professional certifications or industry recognized credentials, entry into postsecondary education, employment, and wages. In both phase 1 and 2, the researchers will conduct student subgroup analyses to assess equity and access to opportunity.
Key measures
The researchers will measure learning outcomes via standardized math and English language arts assessments and course grades. Career-development-specific outcomes include program-of-study completion, scores on assessments of job skills and competencies, or student achievement of a credential or certification. The researchers will also include behavioral measures such as attendance, discipline, and student satisfaction and will track employment and wages through a newly developed, longitudinal pre-kindergarten to grade 20 and workforce database.
Data analytic strategy
In phase 1, the researchers will employ descriptive quantitative analyses and regression methods to analyze correlations. They will transcribe and code qualitative data for themes using a qualitative analysis software. The analyses for the impact study in phase 2 are to be determined.
Key outcomes
The researchers will measure learning outcomes via standardized math and English language arts assessments and course grades. Career-development-specific outcomes include program-of-study completion, scores on assessments of job skills and competencies, or student achievement of a credential or certification. The researchers will also include behavioral measures such as attendance, discipline, and student satisfaction and will track employment and wages through a newly developed, longitudinal pre-kindergarten to grade 20 and workforce database.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Partner institutions
District of Columbia Public Schools
Products and publications
Researchers will produce both preliminary evidence of how students in DCPS engage in and benefit from CDOs and evidence of the impact of one or more to-be-determined CDOs on student outcomes. The project team will also produce information about the cost of the evaluated CDO(s), a final dataset to be shared, peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and additional dissemination products that reach stakeholders such as practitioners and policymakers.
Publications:
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Additional project information
This project serves as a network research team for the Extending the Reach of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research Network, which conducts research, training, and dissemination to support CTE.
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Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
