Student engagement is one of the strongest predictors of academic success. When students are actively involved in their learning, they are more likely to stay in school, complete their programs, and graduate on time. Yet, many districts struggle to keep students engaged, particularly at the high school level, where traditional academic pathways may not resonate with all learners.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers a unique solution to this challenge. CTE pathways bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world experience, providing students with practical skills that lead directly to career opportunities. By engaging students in hands-on, meaningful learning, CTE can play a pivotal role in increasing student engagement and improving overall school outcomes.
Table of Contents
How CTE Pathways Foster Student Engagement
CTE's Impact on Attendance and Graduation Rates
Why Districts Should Prioritize CTE
Boosting CTE Success With Panorama Pathways
What Are CTE Pathways?
CTE pathways are structured, multi-year programs that blend academic learning with career-oriented training. These pathways equip students with both the academic knowledge and technical skills they need to succeed in specific industries. From healthcare to information technology, CTE pathways cover a wide range of fields and offer students the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials, certifications, and sometimes college credit.
Examples of CTE pathways include:
- Healthcare: Programs like nursing, medical assisting, and health informatics.
- Information Technology: Cybersecurity, coding, and network management.
- Trades and Construction: Electrical engineering, carpentry, and plumbing.
- Creative Arts and Design: Digital media, graphic design, and animation.
Students in CTE pathways benefit from a more relevant and engaging curriculum, which often leads to higher levels of engagement and academic success. These programs prepare students for both college and careers, making them attractive to a broad range of learners who may not find the same motivation in traditional academic paths.
How CTE Pathways Foster Student Engagement
A new report from Panorama’s Data Science and Applied Research team underscores the critical link between student engagement and attendance. Engaged students are more likely to attend school regularly, stay motivated, and ultimately graduate. Conversely, disengaged students are at higher risk of absenteeism, which can negatively affect graduation rates.
One powerful way to strengthen students’ connection to school is through CTE programs. CTE programs foster deep engagement by offering hands-on, practical learning experiences that make education more relevant and applicable to real-life situations. By giving students autonomy and a sense of purpose, CTE enhances their connection to school.
Additionally, CTE pathways provide a practical, career-focused curriculum that aligns with students’ interests and future goals. For students who may not see the value in traditional subjects, CTE offers a clear connection between what they are learning and how it applies to their future careers, which increases motivation and engagement.
In CTE pathways, students have the freedom to choose a program aligned with their career interests, whether that’s healthcare, information technology, or creative design. This sense of ownership and purpose over their education keeps them motivated to succeed.
Inclusive of a wide range of learning styles and preferences, CTE programs can help meet the needs of more students. CTE pathways emphasize experiential learning through internships, apprenticeships, lab work, and industry projects. This active, often project-based learning style engages students on a deeper level than passive classroom instruction, keeping them interested and involved—and coming to school.
CTE's Impact on Attendance and Graduation Rates
There is a clear link between engagement in CTE programs and improved attendance rates. When students feel engaged in their learning, they are more likely to attend school consistently. This increased attendance, in turn, leads to higher graduation rates as students stay on track to complete their educational pathways.
In fact, studies have shown that students enrolled in CTE programs are not only more likely to attend school but also more likely to graduate on time. One study found that CTE concentrators (students who complete a sequence of CTE courses aligned to a specific career field such as manufacturing or education and training) were 7 percentage points more likely than non-CTE concentrators to graduate from high school on time.
Improved attendance and graduation rates are crucial success metrics for districts. CTE boosts student engagement, leading to better outcomes, which can also impact funding. Stronger graduation rates can secure more resources, creating a positive cycle for district programs.
Why Districts Should Prioritize CTE
Districts that focus on CTE pathways stand to gain significant funding advantages. Many states provide per-student funding based on attendance and graduation rates, meaning districts can secure more resources as more students successfully complete CTE pathways. Additionally, by tracking student progress and intervening early when students are at risk of not completing their pathways, districts can maximize funding and student success.
State Funding and CTE
Many states offer incentives to boost participation in CTE programs, often providing districts with funding for each student who completes a CTE pathway. So, ensuring that students not only start but also finish these pathways is a valuable effort for districts. In this way, CTE pathways create a "win-win" by fostering student success and engagement while also securing much-needed funding, especially as districts face financial challenges or navigate the expiration of ESSER funds.
States offer funding in various ways, such as:
- When a student becomes a CTE pathway completer or concentrator (which also impacts career readiness metrics for high schools in most states)
- When a student completes a higher-level CTE course
- When a student attends any CTE course
Panorama Pathways is the ideal tool to support these efforts. It helps ensure students are enrolled in the right classes, whether that means finishing a pathway they’ve already started or identifying students with potential for CTE who aren’t yet enrolled. Additionally, Pathways can assist in placing students in higher-level CTE courses when needed.
Did you know? Pathways is aligned to a range of federal and competitive funding options— including Perkins V, which provides nearly $1.4 billion annually for CTE programs. Learn more about funding opportunities for Pathways and Panorama tools.
Partnerships With Local Industries
Additionally, CTE programs help prepare students for the workforce, and districts that produce career-ready graduates are more likely to attract partnerships from local industries. These partnerships can bring additional resources and investments to the district, further strengthening its CTE programs.
Boosting CTE Success With Panorama Pathways
Panorama Pathways offers a comprehensive system for tracking student engagement, progress, and success in CTE programs.
By leveraging data to identify students at risk of falling behind and providing targeted interventions, districts can ensure that more students successfully complete CTE pathways, ultimately improving attendance, graduation rates, and funding. Panorama Pathways supports districts on their journey to encourage students to stay engaged, complete their CTE pathways, and succeed beyond the classroom.
Want to see Pathways in action? Click here to view an on-demand demo and learn how partnering with Panorama can help your district pave the way to graduation and beyond.
