Career and technical education (CTE) prepares students with academic, technical, and employability skills for success in the workplace and in further education. Most high school students take at least one CTE course, and postsecondary students commonly pursue credentials in CTE. However, more research is needed to understand its effects on student outcomes. The CTE Research Network—led by AIR and its partners, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), Jobs for the Future (JFF), and Vanderbilt University—seeks to meet this need by increasing the number of impact studies and strengthening the capacity of the field to conduct and use rigorous research.

The CTE Network focuses on four areas:

• Research: Increase the number of studies examining the impact of CTE policies, programs, and practices on student outcomes
• Training: Strengthen the capacity of researchers and practitioners to conduct, use, and share rigorous and causal CTE research
• Coordination: Improve coherence among CTE research projects, identify new research priorities, and share strategies to address research challenges
• Dissemination: Engage stakeholders in network activities and share findings to inform efforts to improve CTE programs and student outcomes