Career and Technical Education: A Primer. CRS Report R47166, Version 5. Updated

Overview & Synopsis

To better align both secondary and postsecondary education with the nation's economic and workforce needs, the federal government provides funding to states, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and local educational agencies (LEAs) to support career and technical education (CTE). CTE, sometimes referred to as vocational education, provides occupational preparation at the secondary and postsecondary levels. A CTE program of study is often designed to have an immediate practical application in the workforce while also developing broadly applicable skills such as writing and effective communication. This report provides an overview of CTE, beginning with a discussion of the history of federal support, CTE as defined at the secondary and postsecondary levels, and the most recent enrollment and completion data. The second half of the report discusses challenges with CTE program implementation and access, strategies and resources that have been used to address these challenges, and outcomes associated with participating in and completing CTE programs of study. The Appendix provides additional information on the specifics of career clusters and programs of study referenced throughout the report.