Career Technical Education and the Justice System: State Strategies to Improve Outcomes for Justice-Involved Learners in Career Technical Education Programs

Career Technical Education (CTE) calls upon states to lead with an equity lens, which requires vigilance to quality expectations while also ensuring that CTE programs and interventions intentionally meet the needs of learners with the greatest need, including justice-involved learners--the human-centered term that refers to a person who has interacted with the justice system. As of 2015, approximately 75 percent of incarcerated youth were age 16 and older. These learners are often seeking to enter the workforce and transition to independence as efficiently as possible. For these learners, CTE can and should serve a critical role in their successful re-entry into the workforce. This brief will examine how justice-involved learners are supported by education and workforce systems and highlight ways states can strengthen policy to ensure high-quality programming and equitable access and outcomes for this learner population.