Tracking, expectations, and the transformation of vocational education
Abstract
Vocational education has a long history of association with differentiated curricula in the American high school. But within the last two decades there has been a movement for curriculum change—a new vocationalism—that has sought to draw the subject closer to the dominant academic mainstream. This study of high school principals ($$n=665$$) explored whether the new shift in curriculum thinking is being accompanied by changes in how students are assigned to curriculum tracks. More particularly, it explored whether racial and socioeconomic factors continue to influence tracking and to dictate which students get vocational education and whether these same demographic factors also influence the expectations held by principals about the likely postschool destination of graduates. Findings are that indeed race and socioeconomic status significantly influence both track assignment and principals’ expectations in a way that conforms to the principle of self‐fulfilling prophecy. The findings did not support the view that ethnic and racial minorities are more likely than white students to be placed in the vocational track; however, there was strong evidence of such differentiation with respect to the general track.
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Lewis and Cheng (2006) found that principals' expectations of students' likelihood of attending a four-year college or university compared to directly pursuing work was statistically significant with income and free/reduced priced lunches.
“In addition, principals' expectations of students' likelihood of attending a four-year college or university compared to directly pursuing work was statistically significant with income and free/reduced priced lunches.”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Lewis and Cheng (2006)
Lewis and Cheng (2006) contended that principals' expectations of students' status attainment may significantly influence school policies and the occurrence of tracking in their schools.
“the researchers contended that principals' expectations of students' status attainment may significantly influence school policies and the occurrence of tracking in their schools.”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Lewis and Cheng (2006)
Lewis and Cheng (2006) found a statistically significant difference in the percentage of free/reduced priced lunches in determining whether a CTE track or college preparatory track was predominant.
“Findings demonstrated that a statistically significant difference was found in the percentage of free/reduced priced lunches to determine whether a CTE track or college preparatory track was predominant.”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Lewis and Cheng (2006)
The literature and prior research on the dual track indicate that the dual track may result in positive long-term student outcomes.
“In fact, the literature and prior research on the dual track indicate that the dual track may result in positive long-term student outcomes (Lewis, 1998;Lewis & Cheng, 2006;Novel, 2009;Silverberg et al., 2004).”
From The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings (2009) · cites this paper as Lewis & Cheng, 2006
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Secondary School Tracking and Educational Inequality: Compensation, Reinforcement, or Neutrality?
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Sociodemographic Diversity, Correlated Achievement, and De Facto Tracking
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The Relationship of High School Curriculum Tracks to Degree Attainment and Occupational Earnings
Fletcher ., E. C., & Zirkle, C. (2009) · Career and Technical Education Research · doi:10.5328/cter34.2.81 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
- Authors
- Lewis, T., & Cheng, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- National Central University (TW)
- Venue
- American Journal of Education
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 2006-11
- Volume
- 113
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 67-99
- ISSN
- 0195-6744 (ISSN-L)
- 1549-6511
- OpenAlex
- W2155438327
- Cited by
- 63
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 11.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Race Theory in Education
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Social Sciences › Education › Education Systems and Policy
- Keywords
- vocational education, educational tracking, high school principals, racial disparities, socioeconomic status, self-fulfilling prophecy, principal expectations, ethnic minorities, educational inequality
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