What Can We Learn About Postsecondary Vocational Education From Existing Data

Abstract

This paper outlines an agenda for research on postsecondary vocational education that can be carried out with existing data. Although we take a broad view of this mandate, we are partic ularly interested in encouraging research that can provide insight into the effects of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (the Act). The Act prescribes a set of performance indicators designed to promote continuous program improvement, yet some performance measures may not accurately nor completely measure the educational and skills training mission performed by community colleges. In fact, certain measures may adversely affect the two-year postsecondary education sector. We argue that this issue b ecomes especially important in light of the emerging trend of nontraditional pathways taken by st udents through higher education. Although fewer and fewer students proceed through higher education in an uninterrupted linear path at a single institution, this image continues to dominate postsecondary education assessment. Helping to resolve the problems of assessment and instit utional accountability within the rapidly changing landscape of postsecondary vocational education is one of the most important roles that projects using existing data could play for the National A ssessment of Vocational Education (NAVE). We propose a set of six projects. Most of these can be done as stand-alone projects but some of them would benefit from coordination. One of our central goals is to propose a portfolio of projects that can help define what is meant by “success” in postsecondary vocational education. That is, what is the standard against which to assess the performance of these institutions? Where possible, we also suggest some analyses that will begin to evaluate the performance of individuals, groups of institutions, and community colleges as a whole against those standards.