Ensuring Equitable Success through CTE. Making Good on the Promise

Overview & Synopsis

For 21st century workers, success is rapidly being redefined. A high school education is no longer sufficient for high-wage employment, and the path to a postsecondary credential of value can be a convoluted one. Each transition -- from secondary to postsecondary education, from postsecondary education to the workforce, or from adult basic education to postsecondary education -- carries new frictions that can prevent a learner from achieving success. It is incumbent upon state Career Technical Education (CTE) leaders to identify and remove systemic barriers to success and make sure resources, information and training are available to support learner success. This brief, the fifth and final publication in the "Making Good on the Promise" series, examines some of the barriers that limit learner success at all education levels and ways that states can support each learner to complete a program of study and transition successfully along their chosen career pathway. It explores three state strategies: (1) Using data-driven support systems to meet learners' needs; (2) Providing integrated support services to secure wellness, academic preparation and financial stability; and (3) Creating the enabling conditions for successful transitions. This brief was developed through the New Skills for Youth initiative, a partnership of the Council of Chief State School Officers, Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group, generously funded by JPMorgan Chase & Co.