Research Syntheses: Key Findings from Evaluations of IES-Funded CTE Research Projects

In 2023, the Network Lead will produce syntheses of key findings from evaluations completed by network members as well as other relevant CTE research projects funded by IES. The Network Lead will complete both (1) a series of narrative research syntheses to be organized in multiple ways for accessibility by researcher, practitioner, and policymaker audiences and (2) a research synthesis using meta-analytic techniques. The narrative syntheses will distill lessons learned and programmatic effects from all research conducted by the network as well as other CTE-relevant IES-funded studies. The narrative syntheses will be organized by various lenses for maximum accessibility by a wide audience; for example by implementation context, key program components, or particular student outcomes.

Although the narrative syntheses will provide essential information distilled for various audiences, the meta-analysis will yield details and information beyond a simple narrative synthesis. This report will be produced for a researcher audience; specifically, meta-analysts and CTE researchers interested in the technical aspects of the analysis as well as the discovery of what types of CTE programs work well (or not). This report will describe in detail the research studies included in the report, identify persisting gaps in the literature, and discuss policy and practice implications based on the findings.

Study period: 2022–2023

This project is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305N180005 to the American Institutes for Research (AIR).