EOC subcommittee backs phased CTE data dashboard to reframe career education

The Education Oversight Committee’s Academic Standards and Assessment (ASA) subcommittee on Jan. 12 approved a recommendation to develop a career and technical education data dashboard through a staged, stakeholder-centered process.

The report, summarized to the full committee by Dr. Patty Tate, described a nine-month effort led by Bunny Ward with partners Ivy Coburn of SREB and Brooke Colclazier of Furman University that surveyed CTE leaders, CTE directors and business representatives. It recommends beginning with a small set of readily available, trusted data elements, testing data visualizations with practitioners, and using clear explanatory language so users understand what conclusions the data warrant and where limits exist.

Supporters said the dashboard should modernize public perceptions of CTE and strengthen alignment between education and industry. The presenters also urged tiered professional learning—beginning with facilitated sessions for CTE leaders—so educators can interpret trends and prioritize interventions.

The ASA subcommittee voted to approve the report and forwarded it to the full EOC; staff noted the tool is intended to expand over time as data quality and availability improve.

"Data visualizations should be tested with CTE leaders, educators, and other stakeholders before broader release to ensure users clearly understand what the data shows," the presenters recommended.

Next steps include ongoing stakeholder review, development of initial visualizations for CTE centers and multi-district centers, and future phases to include comprehensive high schools. The EOC will receive the material at a subsequent meeting for further discussion and potential adoption.