Studying Equity in Race, Gender and Economic Status in CTE Programs in Minnesota between the years of 2009-2027

In the 1940s graduates from vocational programs in the United State of America faced stratified wage earnings based on their race (Carruthers, C. K., & Wanamaker, M. H., 2017). In a similar fashion, since the 1970s women have also experienced placement in low wage positions, even after taking more extensive CTE and VET programs worldwide. ( Roksa, J., Grodsky, E., Arum, R., & Gamoran, A., 2022 & Dumbrell, T., de Montfort Rowena, Finnegan, W. 2004). A third issue affecting vocational program completion is intergenerational economic mobility. While this issue in itself is a separate research topic, this study aims to lay the foundation for examining this issue in our future research by testing the variable of having received free school lunches during K12 education, and determining if 7th graders in 2009 successfully enroll and complete CTE programming at their high school and/or post-secondary institution of learning in Minnesota up to their 18th year of formal education, and then seven years after graduation (Ecton, W.G. & Dougherty, S.M., 2023).
In this study, we will be using multiple regression models and ANOVA samples to test the three independent variables of gender, race, and economic status (free lunches) against 55 variables that are tracked in Minnesota’s State Longitudinal Educational Data System (SLEDS) to determine the success or failure of the state’s educational ecosystem in ensuring each student the opportunity to enter into well paying jobs upon the completion of their studies between grades 7-18, as suggested by Advance CTE as the grades in which students self-select their career choices both in Career and Technical Education and standard public education and then wages and length of employment seven years after graduation . The research questions we propose to answer include: H1dv: Is there a higher CTE completion rate by males in secondary programs in Minnesota between 2009-2027? H2dv: Is there a higher completion of females in post-secondary programs in Minnesota between 2009-2027? H3dv: Is there a lower level of completion rates by CTE participants who received free/reduced lunches in Minnesota between 2009-2027? H4dv: Is there a higher level of non-completers in the African American Participants in Minnesota between 2009-2027? H5dv: Is there a higher level of non-completers in the American Indian Participants in Minnesota between 2009-2027?

Conducting Regression and ANOVA analyses on MN SLEDS data to determine equity in race, gender and economic status in CTE enrollment and completion.