Abstract
Brief Literature Review
Career technical education, once known as vocational education, has been transformed from a program designed for non-college bound students to career pathways reaching into middle school grades. High school reform initiatives have changed some of the methods of teaching. Career academies are an outcome high school reform and changes in career technical education.
Statement of Problem
The purpose of this study was to compare the academic success rates of at-risk students enrolled in one of the three Career Academies to a similar group of at-risk students who did not participate in the academies at one California high school. The hypothesis for this research is that at-risk students who participate in career academy programs have higher academic success rates than at-risk students who do not participate in career academy programs.
Methodology
The study uses quantitative research to complete a relational analysis of data collected for two sample groups, academy and non-academy at-risk students. The researcher collected data for each student in the following areas: attendance for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years, GPA at the end of the ninth grade and as of December 2008, California Standards Test (CST) proficiency scores in English Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies; and pass/fail rates for the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as of December 2008. Percentages for each category were calculated.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The Career Academies at one California high school have proven success in the areas of CST scores and improved cumulative GP A. The success of students in the academy sample groups, combined with the improved attendance rates, shows academies offer a promising approach to educating students. Students who participate in one of the Career Academies for two or more years have higher success rates in GPA, CAHSEE, and CST scores in English, mathematics, and social studies. Recommendations include increasing the number of students enrolled in the academies for more than one year and increasing academic support for eleventh and twelfth grade students who have not passed the CAHSEE.