This publication provides an explanation of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, or Perkins V, which is the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (2006), and the benefits it provides to students with intellectual disabilities. There are many implications for students…

The non-traditional gender occupational divide weakens state economies by decreasing economic productivity and reducing diversity in decision-making. By creating gender parity in which "women participate in the labor force at the same rate as men, work the same number of hours as men, and are employed at the same levels as men across…

We examined how an agricultural literacy professional development enhanced equity in seven secondary agriculture classrooms in a southeastern state. Utilizing the Equity Framework in Career and Technical Education and exploratory case study methodology, we examined the equitable barriers that seven secondary agriculture education teachers faced in…

Career and technical education (also known as vocational education) has been in existence since at least the 19th century as a means of preparing students for employment. However, for much of the 20th century, it also has served to segregate students, even after such segregation was deemed illegal. Robert Kim describes the legal history of career…

The 2023 Illinois Career and Technical Education Report is submitted in compliance with Illinois School Code 105 ILCS 435/2e, which requires a written career and technical education (CTE) report to be issued to the governor annually. This report describes the establishment of and delivery of CTE in Illinois, the existing condition of Illinois CTE…

This supplementary document supports the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) Secondary Transition Position Statement by providing definitions of terms for students and youth with disabilities, as well as definitions related to: (1) Career Development; (2) Employment; (3) Collaborative Systems; (4) Student Skills; and (5) Policy. [For…

This article provides a historical review of the FCS profession beginning with the Progressive Era and founder Ellen Swallows Richards. The review includes a summary of significant historical events and legislation, that reveal how the FCS profession addressed the needs of individuals, families, and communities from inception to the present. From…

The contemporary reconceptualization of Career and Technical Education (CTE) often emphasizes the need for more post-secondary opportunities for racially marginalized students. Yet CTE typically functions as a mode of social control for the racial capitalist project, and increased exposure and more CTE for students of color, particularly Black…

With research as a guide, designing CTE programs that promote equity and help close the opportunity gap is achievable. This is the fifth in a series of six practitioner training modules developed as part of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Research Network Lead. Designed for CTE practitioners and state agency staff, these modules are…

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs represent an effective way to provide young adults with an educational experience that prepares them for both college and career success. But not all CTE programs provide accessible pathways to a bounty of educational options without dead ends. To address the false dichotomy--college…

Recent iterations of the Program Review manual to guide the five-year program review process for Illinois community colleges asks institutions to disaggregate data toward identifying equity gaps, the process provides Illinois community colleges with an opportunity to utilize the review as a vehicle to implement anti-racist change. Within the…

This paper presents a review of legislation and court cases that have resulted in the present guidelines and criteria for transition services for students with special education needs. These include effective transition to post-secondary learning, career, and/or independent living. Transition planning is viewed from the lens of the Shapiro and…

The Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA) was an exciting and innovative change under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). The CLNA was identified to support data-driven decision-making and more closely align planning, spending and accountability activities under Perkins V. After the…

In an economy recovering from the pandemic, record unemployment is not solely due to a lack of jobs, instead, U.S. employers are in the midst of dealing with a so-called "skills gap." While most economists report that there is a large pool of potential workers to fill the estimated more than 7.2 million job openings, employers have found…

This report presents Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examination participation and performance results in Texas public schools for the 2021-22 school year. Data are provided by student characteristics, including race/ethnicity; gender; and economic, at-risk, dyslexia, Emergent bilingual student/English learner, foster…