Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Division of Education and Counseling

First Advisor

Bethel E. Cager, Ph.D., Chair

Second Advisor

Timothy Glaude, Ph.D

Third Advisor

Ramona-Jean Perkins, Ph.D.

Keywords

Career and Technical Education, Teacher Certification, Preparation Programs, Student Achievement, Industry-Based Certificates, Workforce Readiness

Abstract

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are designed to prepare students for high-wage, high-demand industry jobs. However, there is limited research on Career and Technical Education teacher preparation programs (traditional, alternative, and industry-based) and the impact on student outcomes on industry-based examinations, such as ACT WorkKeys. This quantitative study analyzed Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher preparation programs (traditional, alternative, and industry-based) and 12th -grade students’ outcomes on the 2023-2024 ACT WorkKeys examination and whether relationships exist between the two. Additionally, the research examined each Career and Technical Education teacher certification preparation program individually to determine the differences among traditional, alternative, and industry-based programs. The study utilized Lee Shulman’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as the theoretical framework to guide the research and analyze whether the Career and Technical Education teacher preparation programs influence student outcomes. The findings indicate a statistically significant relationship between Career and Technical Education teacher preparation programs and student outcomes. However, no statistically significant differences were found among Career and Technical Education teacher preparation programs when comparing mean performance levels. The results of this study may contribute to policy decisions, administrative practices, teacher preparation, and career readiness.

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