IES Grant
Title: | California Community Colleges and Career Technical Education: A Research-Practitioner Partnership | ||
Center: | NCER | Year: | 2015 |
Principal Investigator: | Kurlaender, Michal | Awardee: | University of California, Davis |
Program: | Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research [Program Details] | ||
Award Period: | 2 years (7/1/2015 – 6/30/2017) | Award Amount: | $399,871 |
Type: | Researcher-Practitioner Partnership | Award Number: | R305H150073 |
Description: | Co-Principal Investigators: van Ommeren, Alice; Stevens, Ann Partnership Institutions: University of California, Davis; California Community College Chancellor's Office Purpose: This project was a collaboration between researchers at the University of California at Davis (UCD) and the Chancellor's Office of the California Community College (CCCCO) system. The purpose was to investigate the outcomes of students enrolled in CTE courses and programs at the state's community colleges. Specifically, the project focused on:
Project Activities: Researchers at UCD collaborated with the CCCCO on analysis of system data aimed at improving programming and policies for CTE students and developing measures for CCCCO's accountability system. UCD researchers worked with the CCCCO to develop analytical models and data analysis procedures. Partnership members met monthly to discuss research progress and policy issues. Key Outcomes:
Structured Abstract Setting: This study took place in the 114 California community colleges. Sample: The enrollment of California community colleges was approximately 2.6 million annually from 2010 to 2016. This partnership focused on the subset of 87 thousand students with CTE goals and/or course-taking behaviors and 236 thousand students in the comparison group. Education Issue: Although career technical education and workforce development is very commonly noted as a major mission of community colleges, very little is known about how effectively community colleges identify CTE students, their degree intentions, or their outcomes. Research Design and Methods: This project team used quantitative analysis (both exploratory and quasi-experimental) with detailed individual-level longitudinal data derived from administrative sources: California Community College Chancellor's Office and employment and wage data from the State of California Employment Development Department. Key Measures: Key measures included CTE enrollment types, goals, degree completion, and earning return. Data Analytic Strategy: Researchers conducted quantitative analyses (both exploratory and quasi-experimental) with detailed individual-level longitudinal data from the CCCCO as well as employment and wage data from the State of California Employment Development Department. To address returns to specific CTE credentials, researchers used individual fixed-effects models with covariates for student characteristics and prior work history. To identify non-degree seekers, researchers used regression with covariates including students' course-taking behaviors and stated objectives. To assess factors associated with degree completion, the research team used discrete-time survival analysis with covariates to explain students' persistence and completion trajectories. Products and Publications ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here. Select Publications: Grosz, M., Kurlaender, M., & Stevens, A. (2022). Capacity and flexibility in community college CTE programs: program offerings and student success. Research in Higher Education, 63(1), 140–188. Stevens, A. H., Kurlaender, M., & Grosz, M. (2019). Career technical education and labor market outcomes: Evidence from California community colleges. Journal of Human Resources, 54(4), 986–1036. |
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