Washington, DC – Today, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and SEARAC released a policy brief on improving student data systems for greater equity in Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. Titled “Equity at the Center: How Federal Policymakers Can Support Diverse Student Populations in CTE Pathways Through High-Quality Data,” the brief includes policy recommendations that support the career development of underrepresented students, including Afro Latino, Southeast Asian American (SEAA), and immigrant students.
Today’s CTE pathways combine high school or postsecondary education with work-based training to prepare students for careers in a variety of high-wage, high-skill, or high-demand industries. CTE pathways include government and state agencies, K-12 school systems, colleges and other postsecondary institutions, employers, and workforce programs; consequently, data on student access and outcomes in CTE programs are disjointed and insufficiently disaggregated to support equity, particularly for underserved students.
“Students of color, including Southeast Asian American students, must have equitable access to the full spectrum of education options,” said Natalie Truong, former associate director of Education Policy at SEARAC and policy brief co-author. “But to add to the unjust history of school systems tracking students of color into programs that prevent them from obtaining higher wage jobs, emerging research from SEARAC shows that high-quality CTE pathways are inaccessible to SEAA communities, denying our students important opportunities for specialized training and life-changing careers. To start, our communities must be seen in the data. SEARAC is proud to have partnered with the Joint Center to develop our recommendations for improving the collection and use of CTE data. Education agencies, school systems, and postsecondary institutions should take immediate action to ensure that all students can enter and succeed in CTE pathways.”
“High-quality data is key to building a cohesive federal CTE pathways system. These data must be accurate, complete, comprehensive, disaggregated, and timely,” said Dr. Kayla Elliott, director of Workforce Policy at the Joint Center and policy brief co-author. “Quality data can allow stakeholders and policymakers to see which programs are equitably serving, supporting, and retaining students, and which programs aren’t. Improving how data is collected will assist in identifying communities of color who are lost or inaccessible in the current data collection climate, especially Afro Latino, Southeast Asian American, and immigrant students.”
This report discusses the limitations of how current CTE program data is used and offers recommendations to better disaggregate and align student data across K-12, CTE, and workforce programs to promote equity, transparency, and targeted resources. It is organized into two main sections: centering equity in data systems’ interoperability and supporting student populations.
To read the report, click here.
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About Southeast Asia Research Action Center (SEARAC)
SEARAC is a national civil rights organization that builds power with diverse communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to create a socially just and equitable society. As representatives of the largest refugee community ever resettled in the United States, SEARAC stands together with other refugee communities, communities of color, and social justice movements in pursuit of social equity.
About the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank, provides compelling and actionable policy solutions to eradicate persistent and evolving barriers to the full freedom of Black people in America. We are the trusted forum for leading experts and scholars to participate in major public policy debates and promote ideas that advance Black communities. We use evidence-based research, analysis, convenings, and strategic communications to support Black communities and a network of allies.
