Techniques Feb 2013 - 19

At-risk Students

welding career ladder program that incorporates team teaching in English and
the technical skills necessary for welding
certification.

Fostering Positive Connections
CTE can put students who lack role
models for education and career success
on track toward a rewarding future by
connecting them to adult leaders in the
education and business communities.
CTE teachers and program mentors
are repeatedly able to reach students in
ways that other adults in schools cannot.
And they are often relied on by students
to provide education and career advice,
either informally or through formal programs like teacher-as-adviser initiatives.
Another way that CTE fosters positive
connections is by shrinking the educational environment. Many urban areas
have begun to employ the career academy
model, which provides smaller, more
personalized learning environments for
students, to accomplish this goal. As specialized programs within comprehensive
high schools, career academies provide
more direct interaction with teachers and
counselors, making them an effective
engagement strategy for large and often
impersonal urban high schools.
CTE is also at the forefront of workbased learning opportunities that engage
students in the career fields of their choice
and provide early connections to employers. Working directly with those in their
desired career field allows students to not
only learn through application but also
develop important relationships with
business leaders and mentors.

Establishing Clear
Pathways to Careers
Career pathways and programs of study
that form a coherent sequence of relevant, career-focused courses are a central
element of CTE’s success and address
many of the needs of urban students.
These CTE strategies clearly delineate
the sequence of courses students need to
www.acteonline.org

connect secondary and postsecondary
education with their chosen career fields,
and they show students the means by
which they can achieve their goals.
This can be critical for urban students
who perceive limited educational and
career options.
Career pathways are often developed
and strengthened through partnerships
between CTE programs and local business and industry, particularly in urban
settings. For example, in Philadelphia,
a Sunoco oil refinery partners with the
Process Control Technology Academy at
Bok High School to develop curriculum,
as well as provide job opportunities and
scholarships for students.
In addition to providing opportunities
for students, local business and industry
can also fill a critical resource gap and
ensure courses are appropriately aligned
to workforce needs by donating time,
expertise and funds for such projects as
facility improvement or the purchasing
of new equipment. These investments are
essential to ensuring that students receive
high-quality instruction connected to
careers and that business and industry
receive a return on their investment in
the form of a well-trained workforce.

Conclusion
Students in CTE programs have a clearer
perspective of how their coursework
relates to their career aspirations, and
CTE’s instructional approach helps students learn academic and technical content not by rote, but in an in-depth and
meaningful way. The nature of instruction also creates an environment in which
students can develop strong relationships
with teachers and mentors in the business
world, and better connect to their schools,
communities and employers.
CTE strategies of engagement through
rigorous and relevant coursework,
positive relationships and clear pathways
for education and careers can make a
difference for urban students who often
struggle against economic and social

disadvantages. The net effect of CTE programs in urban school districts is higher
graduation rates and improved academic
performance, leading to well-educated
and trained individuals ready to succeed
in both postsecondary education and
their careers. Policymakers and education
leaders in urban areas will be well served,
and will serve their students well, by
considering widespread adoption of CTE
programs and strategies.
Alisha Hyslop is the assistant director of
public policy at ACTE. She can be reached
at ahyslop@acteonline.org
Catherine Imperatore is the research
manager at ACTE. She can be reached at
cimperatore@acteonline.org

Endnotes
1. Swanson, C., Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing
the Graduation Gap (Bethesda, MD: Editorial
Projects in Education Research Center, April
2009); and National Center for Education
Statistics, “Urban Education in America,”
www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/urbaned.
2. Attewell, P., et al., “New Evidence on College
Remediation,” The Journal of Higher Education
77, no. 5 (September/October 2006): 886-924.
3. Snipes, J., Doolittle, F., & Herlihy, C., Foundations
for Success: Case Studies of How Urban
School Systems Improve Student Achievement
(Washington, DC: MDRC for the Council of
the Great City Schools, September 2002); and
National Center for Education Statistics, “School
Characteristics and Climate, Table A-13-2”
(Washington, DC: 2010).
4. Reardon, S., “The Widening Academic
Achievement Gap Between the Rich and the
Poor: New Evidence and Possible Explanations,”
Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality, Schools,
and Children’s Life Chances (New York, NY:
Russell Sage Foundation, 2011); National Center
for Education Statistics; and Muraskin, L. & Lee,
J., Raising the Graduation Rates of Low-Income
College Students (Washington, DC: The Pell
Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher
Education, December 2004).
5. Certo, J. L., Cauley, K. M., & Chafin, C.,
“Students’ Perspectives on Their High School
Experience,” Adolescence 38, no. 152 (2003):
705-724.

Learn more
about CTE’s
crucial role in
urban education by visiting www.
acteonline.org/issuebriefs.

February 2013 Techniques
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Techniques Feb 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Techniques Feb 2013