Funding Career and Technical Student Organizations: Determining the Value of the CTSO Experience

Abstract

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) play a vital role in student success in Career and Technical Education (CTE). CTSOs provide a co-curricular experience that undeniably benefits student achievement, but a current deficiency exists in verifiable CTE data that support the funding of CTSOs. Little research has been conducted that documents students’ experiences in these organizations. No widely-published or available instrument has been designed to capture students’ experiences and outcomes related to their participation in CTSOs. Supporting these student organizations’ budgets and requesting ongoing funding from school districts require empirical evidence about the benefit of these organizations on students’ learning outcomes and experiences. The purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to determine the value of students' CTSO experience. In this mixed-methods study design, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected for the purpose of instrument design. This instrument design is based on a review of current information available about the organizations, a systematic categorization of the organizations’ characteristics, focus group interviews with teachers whose students participate in the organizations, and survey data from students who participate in the organizations. The product of this research is a framework that can be used to design an instrument that can capture students’ experiences in these unique organizations. School districts can use the instrument for the purposes of exploring and documenting their students’ experiences and the benefits of participating in these organizations.