Does Peer Gender Composition Shape Career and Technical Education Participation and Postsecondary Pathways?

Yerin Yoon, Shaun M. Dougherty

While a growing body of literature highlights the mixed role of peer gender environments in shaping students' educational and career pathways, existing studies primarily identify postsecondary STEM major choice as the key mechanism. However, such mechanisms may arise earlier at the secondary level, particularly in the U.S. context where Career and Technical Education (CTE) has become a central component of college and career readiness policy. This study examines the impact of peer gender environments on high school CTE participation across career clusters and how these patterns persist into postsecondary majors, occupations, and earnings.

Does Career and Technical Education Serve as a Safety Net at the Academic Threshold?

Yerin Yoon  |  Funded by Arnold Ventures

Ensuring that lower-achieving students remain engaged in school and connected to the labor market is critical for both individual mobility and broader social equity. With its recent expansion across comprehensive high schools, Career and Technical Education (CTE) has become an increasingly promising pathway to support these students. Leveraging the Massachusetts high school graduation exam threshold, this study investigates the effect of CTE program access on postsecondary outcomes for students at academic risk.

CTE Course-taking Alignment, Career Interests, and College Aspirations

Shaun M. Dougherty, Yerin Yoon, Mingyan Ma  |   Data partnership with Common App

Recent evidence shows that parents of high-achieving, college-intending students view CTE as a competitive portfolio asset. These changes reflect a broader paradigm shift where CTE is no longer viewed as a terminal track for those not bound for college, but as a strategic tool for professional exploration. This project will evaluate the college-going dimensions of CTE by leveraging a unique and extensive national dataset from the Common App—which captures the academic aspirations of millions of applicants alongside detailed senior-year course-taking records. We will build cumulative evidence about where, for whom, and under what conditions CTE most effectively supports college-going trajectories.

Exploring Pathways: The Impact of Early CTE Exploration on Participation and Postsecondary Outcomes

Yunee H. Yoon, Yerin Yoon, Shaun M. Dougherty  |  Funded by Arnold Ventures

In Massachusetts, Exploratory program provides 9th grade students with structured opportunities to engage with multiple CTE career clusters and programs of study and better understand the pathways available at their high schools. The program is designed to help students make informed choices that align with their interests and post-graduation goal. This study examines the impact of new access to the Exploratory program on students' subsequent CTE participation patterns and postsecondary college and labor market outcomes.