Vanderbilt Education Policy Researcher Shaun M. Dougherty will help lead the Career and Technical Education Research Network, a new $5 million research project designed to increase the evidence base on career and technical education.
Dougherty serves as co-principal investigator and the American Institutes for Research’s Katherine Hughes is principal investigator. The Institute of Education Sciences funds the network. The researchers will assist leaders and practitioners in their efforts to strengthen career and technical education policies and programs and improve student outcomes.
Dougherty, associate professor of public policy and education, joined Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development in 2018. He is a national expert on career and technical education, with additional expertise in accountability policy.
During the course of the study the researchers will carry out two research projects—an evaluability assessment to identify career and technical education programs or models that are most ready for rigorous evaluation, and a synthesis of research completed by network members and others.
They also will conduct training for the next generation of researchers and train state and district policymakers and practitioners to use data and research to inform decisions, including the development of online modules.
Partnering organizations on the project include JFF (Jobs for the Future) and the Association for Career and Technical Education.
A version of this story appeared earlier on Research News @ Vanderbilt.