In order to strengthen the ability of career and technical education (CTE) to help students navigate the complex transition from school to work, systematic and rigorous research is needed to identify promising middle and high school career development opportunities (CDOs) and evaluate their impact on student outcomes. This project studies CDOs in the Wilmington, Delaware, metropolitan area, a racially and ethnically diverse locality in a state that has been a leader in developing high-quality CTE programs for its high school students. An exploratory study in year 1 of the grant will systematically document available CDOs, their implementation, and their association with student outcomes in three districts within New Castle County, Delaware. The exploratory study involves collection of original data through a student survey, site-based focus groups, and interviews, as well as administrative data from the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) and other sources, to comprehensively catalogue a set of five types of CDOs: CTE pathway participation, career advising, work-based learning, CTE credentials, and dual enrollment. Results from the exploratory study, as well as consultation with the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) CTE Research Network Lead, will inform development of an impact study to be conducted in years 2 through 4 of the grant. The impact study will assess the causal effects of a specific CDO on student outcomes and include implementation and cost components.
Study period: 4 years (9/1/2024–8/31/2028)
This project is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305N240035 to RTI International.
RTI and its partner at the University of Delaware are excited to begin work on career development opportunities (CDOs) for middle and high school students as part of the IES CTE Research Network. Findings from our study will inform policy, practice, and future research on CDOs and career and technical education.
Benjamin Dalton, PhDThe research team is led by RTI International with the support of the University of Delaware. Dr. Benjamin Dalton serves as Principal Investigator, with Co-Principal Investigators Dr. Sandra Staklis (RTI) and Dr. Kenneth Shores (University of Delaware). The research team combines research experience in Delaware with CTE and methodological expertise.
