No Child Left Behind

1
No Child Left Behinds Impact on Career and
Technical Education

• Julie Chadd, Ph.D., Eastern Illinois University
• Karen Drage, Ph.D., Eastern Illinois University
• Funded by Illinois University Council for CTE

2
Background

• The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001
• Increased accountability for results
• More flexibility in using federal funds
• Proven teaching methods
• More choices for parents and students

3
Need for Study

• CTE will lose enrollment unless leaders can
  clearly show
• Contribute to academic success measured by tests
• Serve as motivation to stay in school and perform
  better in academic courses (Daggett, n.d.)
• Survival may depend upon ability to be recognized
  as effective force in helping students and
  schools meet goals

4
Illinois Primary Goals

• All students will reach high standards in reading
  and math by 2013-2014
• All students will graduate from high school

5
Purpose

• Contribute to a better understanding of impact
  NCLB has had on CTE programs
• Attempt to describe perceptions of principals and
  CTE teachers on how NCLB has impacted programs
• Determine how CTE programs are trying to meet
  goals of legislation

6
Research Questions

• What are the perceptions of high school
  principals related to the benefits of CTE in
  helping high schools achieve the goals of NCLB?
• What are the perceptions of high school CTE
  teachers related to the benefits of CTE in
  helping high schools achieve the goals of NCLB?
• How are business courses able to help high
  schools meet the goals of NCLB?

7
Response Rate

• Initial mailing and one follow-up mailing
• 133 Principals 26.65
• 128 Teachers 25.65
• Used in data analysis
• 123 Principals 24.64
• 114 Teachers 22.85

8
In which content area do you teach?

• Agriculture 5
• Business 44
• Family Consumer Sciences 19
• Health Occupations 7
• Technology 25

9
CTE courses help to prepare students to take
standardized tests that assess English language
arts
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 74 26
CTE Teachers 78 22
10
CTE courses help to prepare students to take
standardized tests that assess math
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 86 14
CTE Teachers 90 10
11
CTE courses can help meet the goal of all
students will reach high standards, at a minimum
of attaining proficiency or better in reading and
mathematics
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 87 13
CTE Teachers 91 9
12
CTE courses can help meet the goal of all
students will graduate from high school
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 96 4
CTE Teachers 96 4
Only item that no principal or teacher selected
Strongly Disagree
13
NCLB has had a positive impact on CTE enrollment
at your school
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 63 37
CTE Teachers 11 89
14
NCLB has had a positive impact on the image of
CTE at your school
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 8 92
CTE Teachers 15 85
15
English LA ILS can easily be incorporated into
many CTE courses offered at your school
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 79 21
CTE Teachers 89 11
16
Math ILS can easily be incorporated into many CTE
courses offered at your school
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 89 11
CTE Teachers 98 2
17
Developmental reading activities can easily be
incorporated into many CTE courses offered at
your school
Strongly Agree or Agree Strongly Disagree or Disagree
Principals 85 15
CTE Teachers 89 11
No teacher selected Strongly Disagree
18
How has the enrollment in CTE courses in your
school changed since NCLB was enacted in 2002?
Increased Decreased Stayed About Same
Principals 8 35 54
CTE Teachers 13 30 55
19
What activities or teaching approaches do you use
that help students reach high standards in
reading?

• Read aloud
• Read silently
• Write book reports
• Discuss business section of newspaper
• Review article
• Summarize text
• Outline readings

• Proofread documents
• Read in groups
• Read journal articles
• Respond to higher-order thinking questions on
  exams
• Write research papers

20
What activities or teaching approaches do you use
that help students reach high standards in math?

• Calculations
• Interest on loans
• Percentages
• Taxes
• Dividends
• Payroll deductions
• Grades
• Cost of credit
• Apply math concepts to everyday living

• Complete math scenarios in computer programming
• Develop budget
• Calculate cost of running business
• Complete daily math mind teasers
• Create formulas and functions in spreadsheets
• Complete stock market projects

21
What activities or teaching approaches do you use
that will lead to more students graduating from
high school?

• Real-life applications
• Hands-on learning
• Job shadowing
• Opportunity to excel in course creates motivation
• High expectations
• Use multiple learning styles

• Activities and expectations parallel workplace
• Team work
• Problem solving
• Career decision making
• Analyze values
• Goal setting

22
How often do you incorporate ___ into your
lessons?
Daily 3 or 4 times a week 1 or 2 times a week Never
ILS English/LA 25 26 38 11
ILS Mathematics 27 22 46 5
Developmental Reading Activities 20 24 47 9
23
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Teachers

• Being new to this school (my 2nd year) this
  survey is drawing attention to some areas I
  should work to improve
• I believe that many law makers do not realize
  the impact Vocational Ed has on society at large

24
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Teachers

• I am concerned about the future of electives
  because the state is mandating more science,
  English, and math and this could affect how many
  electives a student will have time for

25
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Teachers

• NCLB is not preparing the students for life. In
  the CTE courses, the students learn not only by
  reading and by doing math problems but actually
  taking it one step further and applying it to
  everyday situations
• The more emphasis placed on academic areas
  without practicality, the lower test scores will
  be produced. What we need are better vocational
  programs

26
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Principals

• As graduation requirements increase, CTE classes
  get the squeeze. Only the strong
  community-supported programs will survive and
  even that is no guarantee
• Due to increasing requirements for math and
  science, our CTE courses will suffer from reduced
  enrollment. We may have to cut staff

27
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Principals

• NCLB has goals that will never be met by any
  district. CTE programs are jeopardized because of
  NCLB. Too many people in education have tunnel
  vision and are unaware of how students can
  achieve a meaningful education

28
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Principals

• NCLB hurts, not helps, CTE. Sadly these courses
  are often played down, and the truth is that many
  students depend upon these courses for career
  moves. Students need these courses. I wish that
  people would realize not all students do, and are
  able, to go to college

29
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Principals

• They could be a great resource to reinforce and
  apply academic skills. A new outlook by staff
  where they realize this role is necessary.
  Evaluate curriculum and build more lessons to do
  this

30
Additional comments regarding the impact of NCLB
on CTE - Principals

• We have incorporated reading and mathematics
  across the curriculum- even in CTE courses.
  However, CTE was already using the math and
  reading extensively before that decision. CTE
  courses are necessary for kinesthetic learners

31
Conclusions

• Participants believe CTE has ability to help
  schools meet high academic standards
• Participants believe CTE is able to help students
  graduate from high school

32
Recommendations

• CTE teaching methods should undergo process
  required to show they meet rigorous standards and
  yield positive results outlined in NCLB
• CTE teachers must be made aware of importance of
  incorporating core academic areas
• CTE teachers should identify academic learning
  standards addressed in each of their classes

33
Recommendations (cont.)

• CTE teachers must learn how to document academic
  integration
• Documentation must be shared with administrators,
  schools boards, and legislators
• State results should be evaluated to determine if
  enrollment in CTE courses affects students scores

34
Your comments/thoughts???