​​  Career Pathway Rationale


  •  According to the United States Department of Labor, approximately 75% of existing and future jobs require less than a four-year degree.      http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_summary.htm
  • CTE reduces dropout and increases on-time graduation, particularly CTE courses taken in 11th and 12th grades. (Gottfried and Plasman, "Linking the Timing of CTE Coursetaking With High School Dropout and College-going Behavior," American Educational Research Journal, 2017)
  • Many Arizona high school graduates lack the skills needed to obtain jobs providing a living wage to support their families.
  • The average high school graduation rate in 2012 for CTE concentrators was 93 percent, compared to the national adjusted cohort graduation rate of 80 percent. (Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education data; Civic Enterprises et al., Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic: Annual Update, 2014)
  • Arizona students that complete two or more CTE classes scored 89% on the AIMS Math assessment compared to the Arizona average of 70%. (ADE data).
  • Skilled trades workers, accounting and finance staff, nurses and technicians are some of the top jobs employers are having trouble filling in the U.S., and CTE plays a critical role in training workers in these areas. (Manpower Group, Talent Shortage Survey Results, 2016-17)
  • Arizona students that complete two or more CTE classes scored 96% on the AIMS Reading assessment compared to the Arizona average of 75%. (ADE data).
  • Arizona Career and College Pathways academic competencies (as identified by ACT) prepare participants for success on post-secondary entry-level academic courses and career advancement.
  • The Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University in their 'On the Rise' report indicated that the hazard of dropping out was reduced by 70% for Mesa students and 50% for Tucson students that had taken two or more CTE courses. This study compared students that shared the same socio-economic and academic characteristics but did not take CTE courses.
  • Dropouts make up almost half the heads of households on welfare.
  • $35,000 is the minimum earning threshold for a family of four to be considered middle class. 81% of high school dropouts earn less than this amount.
  • High school dropouts commit about 75% of crimes in the U.S. ( and occupy prison beds in Arizona).
  •  U.S. Civics competencies identified by the Arizona Legislature in the 2015 session provide the basis for social studies and economics programs in the Career and College Pathway.
  •  The science and social studies content of the Arizona Career and College Pathways will be determined by the LEA, based on Arizona State Board of Education standards.
  •  ACT research indicates that the most difficult area for workers at all levels is information and data retrieval, a subset of overall workplace communication skills (as opposed to the content of traditional language arts programs).


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