Date of Award

Spring 2026

Language

English

Embargo Period

4-30-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of Educational Policy and Leadership

Program

Educational Policy and Leadership

First Advisor

Teniell Trolian

Committee Members

Hannah Kistler, Ed Engelbride

Keywords

Career and Technical Education, CTE, Policy, Enrollment

Subject Categories

Curriculum and Instruction | Secondary Education | Vocational Education

Abstract

Across the United States, employers in construction, manufacturing, and healthcare report ongoing difficulty filling positions. These shortages have been driven by an aging workforce, increased demand, and high rates of retirement. Compounding these shortages, Federal investments such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act have further increased demand. Career and Technical Education programs are well positioned to support workforce development and help close workforce shortages, but access and participation remain limited. Supported by Federal Perkins funding, states have enacted CTE policies to increase access and enrollment in CTE programs aligned with high-demand industries such as construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. However, very little research has examined the relationship between state-level CTE policies and student enrollment in CTE programs.

This quantitative exploratory study examined the association between state-level Career and Technical Education program policies and student enrollment in secondary-level construction, manufacturing, and healthcare, with a focus on program intensity (participant vs. concentrator) and student demographics (female and non-white students). Using multiple regression analyses, the three research questions developed for this study explored the relationships between state-level CTE policies and student enrollment in CTE programs for the 2022-23 school year.

The findings of this study suggest that state-level CTE policies are not strongly associated with student enrollment in CTE programs. While some policy variables were statistically significant, most were not. Additionally, among the variables found to be statistically significant, they were most often associated with participant-level enrollment rather than concentrator-level enrollment. This indicates that while some state-level policies may increase the number of students exposed to CTE programming, they are not resulting in sustained student enrollment in these programs. Similarly, limited relationships between policy variables and female and non-white student enrollment were observed. As such, these findings suggest that other factors such as district capacity, student perceptions of CTE, and high-quality student advisement may have a greater impact on student enrollment in CTE programs.

License

This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.

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