Can we re-engage discussions about the potential for a Combined Comprehensive Postsecondary Metric that we started at the end of our face to face February Meeting in Washington DC?

A Comnined Comprehensive Postsecondary Metric could serve CTE well by capturing the array of positive progress and outcomes students achieve. It also has the potential of being easier for stake holders and policy makers to quickly grasp CTE students accomplishments. Once people understand who is being tracked in the cohort the outcomes roll-up\roll-out for that group.

A. Cohort of student meets the agreed upon participation threshold.
B. Cohort is tracked forward for an agreed to period of time (e.g. 4 years). Early in the process, the student identifying information for individuals in the cohort is shared with local programs. Outcomes are reported at the end of the agreed upon observation period (e.g. 4 years).
C. A hierarchy of positive outcomes is determined to arrive at an unduplicated count. For example:

1. Graduated.
2. Transferred (lateral and vertical).
3. Enrolled in the last fiscal year tracked.
4. Exited in good standing.
5. Exited in poor academic standing.

D. Employment related outcomes.
1. Placement in employment status tracked at an agreed upon time overall & with breakouts for each group (e.g., 2nd post program quarter).
2. Corresponding post program earnings provided overall & with breakouts for each group (e.g., 2nd post program quarter).
3. Employment retention (e.g., individuals employed in the 2nd post program quarter who are still employed in the 3rd post program quarter.)
4. Earnings gains (e.g., 3 pre-program quarters compared to 3rd post program quarter).

Once a student becomes part of the cohort, the college is responsible for tracking student progress and outcomes for the agreed upon timeframe. Reporting combinations of outcomes would also be possible (drop down web-pages).

Help in refining the approach or generating viable alternatives is welcome. Thank you. – Scott Parke, Illinois