The mission of the School District of Philadelphia’s (SDP) Career and Technical Education (CTE) office is to deliver high quality CTE programs that provide students with the opportunity to acquire the appropriate academic and technical skills to be prepared for the high-skill, high-wage, and high priority occupations of a competitive 21st century global economy. Through its CTE office, SDP offers 111 CTE programs in 37 occupational areas. The School District of Philadelphia’s state-approved CTE programs are typically three-year programs of study that provide 1,080 hours of instruction and afford students the opportunity to earn recognized industry certifications. Programs typically begin in grade 10 and continue through grade 12, with an end-of-program assessment (NOCTI) that is administered in grade 12.

This evaluation report examines the District’s 2010-11 first time 9th-grade cohort and compares high school progression and four-year graduation outcomes for CTE and non-CTE students. Important findings include:

• CTE students graduated at a significantly higher rate than non-CTE students.
• CTE students left the District at a significantly lower rate than non-CTE students.
• There is little-to-no “achievement gap” among CTE students in terms of graduation rates.

Use the button to download the 27-page report.