Policy Snapshot: Career and Technical Education

State policymakers continue to seek ways their states can educate and train secondary students, so they graduate equipped to pursue postsecondary education or to meet the growing demand for a well-educated and skilled workforce. 

Throughout the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions, states enacted secondary CTE policy in one or more of the following areas:

• Awareness and Support: Increasing awareness and providing support and guidance for students to access CTE.

• Collaboration and Research: Fostering cross-agency collaboration and industry involvement in planning for, and the oversight of, CTE within a state.

• Graduation Requirements and Dual Credit: Ensuring students can pursue CTE courses and workbased learning experiences while earning high school and/or postsecondary credit.

• Work-Based Learning: Offering programs targeted at providing high school students with workbased experiences and paths to earning credentials.

• Funding: Providing financial support for a range of CTE programs, including work-based learning opportunities.

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2019
• Author(s): Tom Keily
• Organizational Author(s): Education Commission of the States
• Posted by: Robin Gwathney
• Posted in: Global